Gamereactor UK

Our definitive ranking of DC's Absolute Universe after 18 months

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 11:00:00 +0200

While Marvel has had the upper hand over DC in the film and TV space, in the world of comic books, it's DC who has been making the better and more successful decisions as of late. The entertainment giant recently brought back its more mature-focussed Vertigo label on top of kickstarting a new key series starring Batman, written by Matt Fraction, which has been an immense hit already. But perhaps the most notable and successful effort by DC in recent memory is the launch of the Absolute universe, which offers a fresh take on many of the brand's most iconic heroes and villains.

Absolute officially started 18 months ago when the DC All In Special arrived at the start of October 2024, tying this new universe together with the former older one, and from here it expanded considerably into a slate of unique stories based on key Justice Leaguers. Naturally, Batman kicked off the proceedings, but since then we've been introduced to Absolute Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, and Martian Manhunter, with plans to spread to Green Arrow and Catwoman in May and June 2026, respectively.

The majority of this Absolute universe is split amongst the five Justice League icons, as the Martian Manhunter story is a limited series, as is the plan for the Green Arrow and Catwoman arcs too. There has also been a villain-geared Absolute Evil one-shot story and a quick tie-in for Absolute Batman called the Ark M Special, so as you can see, the universe is already quite broad.

Now that 18 months has passed and many of these Absolute projects have had plenty of time to settle in and grow, I figured it's time we actually rank what has been dished up so far, specifically looking at the Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, and Martian Manhunter stories, as there are plenty of issues of each in the wild as of writing. So here's my definitive ranking of the Absolute universe from worst to best (even if none of these stories are bad, still someone has to be the 'loser'...).

6. Absolute Green Lantern

The reason why Absolute Green Lantern gets relegated to the bottom of the list is simply because this story takes a bit too much time to find its feet and also because it lacks some of the more twisted and freakish character evolutions that we find in the other Absolute stories. As the entire nature of the Absolute series is to provide unique and fresh takes on established heroes and narratives, the one laid out in this Green Lantern tale can't elevate this series beyond its compatriots. It does have an interesting hook that reinvents the whole power dynamic of the Lantern Corps, but it lacks the punch and fantastical monstrous nature found elsewhere, hence why Green Lantern comes in sixth.

5. Absolute Flash

Like Green Lantern, Absolute Flash is also a rather great tale, but it stumbles in much of the same way. We find a story that (ironically) doesn't quite get off to the races like its competitors and notably misses the brutish and monstrous contortions of villains as found in the other series. It's a fine and interesting ride, but compared to some of the heavy-hitters that are coming up, Absolute Flash simply can't keep up, at least at this stage in its wider story and development.

4. Absolute Wonder Woman

I actually have a lot of time for Wonder Woman and adore the character, which is why it kind of breaks my heart to see the Princess of Themiscyra placed so low. The reason why Absolute Wonder Woman falls to fourth is simply because this tale begins quite strong and has since struggled to maintain that level of thrill. The opening few issues that introduced Diana as a product of the underworld and not Olympus before seeing the iconic Amazon warrior face down the Tetracide, a beast that would make any man tremble with fear, was a great way to start this series. However, since this period, the issues have been of less cataclysmic importance and served up a narrative that doesn't quite have the same issue-by-issue punching power as what we've got coming up.

3. Absolute Martian Manhunter

Okay, so this is almost a bit of a breather, a refresher on the formula we've come to expect from the Absolute series. Absolute Martian Manhunter is the most unique of these stories by a good margin, as it serves up a more artsy and creative narrative that reimagines the hero in a more abstract manner. It's less action-packed than the others on this list but it's also the most unusual, a perfect palette cleanser in the form of a tight story with meaningful twists and obscure and weird developments. It's comic expression in great form.

2. Absolute Superman

When I think of the Absolute universe and how it best contorts the wider DC world, both this story and the Caped Crusader's adventures stand out to me. We're talking altered origin stories that are recognisable but unique, matched up with back-breaking narrative arcs and beastly villains who make Doomsday look tiny and insignificant. Absolute Superman is a thrilling and hard-hitting story, packed with heartbreak, betrayal, loss, and ground-shaking battles. It's most everything you could want from a Man of Steel story.

1. Absolute Batman

And to nobody's surprise, at the top of this list is Absolute Batman. No series better represents the Absolute format like Bats' latest adventures, which sees Gotham's famed protector reimagined as a towering hulk, driving a bulldozer, wielding an axe, and fighting monstrously contorted villains ripped right out of your nightmares. This series is gut-wrenching, violent, terrifying, and cruel. It's carnage. Whether we're talking about seeing a two-metre-tall Batman take on ruthless thugs, a frightening Mister Freeze, surviving abysmal torture, a Bane the size of a stadium, or even a Joker who most closely resembles a demon, this story has it all. It's a truly unmissable comic series.

So what is your take on the Absolute universe? How would you rank these six stories and which Absolute arc is your favourite so far?

The wave of upcoming Mass Effect-like games show what gamers have been missing for far too long

alex@gamereactor.eu (Alex Hopley) — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0200

If there's one thing that I think encapsulates the feeling gamers need in order to throw themselves into a new release, it's connection. People connect to video games in all sorts of different ways. Some need rich gameplay, others a deep narrative. Most appreciate a mixture of the two, but also want something that feels accessible. No overly complex, tabletop-style mechanics nor overly big open worlds. Side characters that make you feel like you're adventuring with real people, and a protagonist you are the master of. A lot of those things are found in droves in the Mass Effect games.

Tapping into the space opera-style RPG core of Mass Effect feels like an opportunity developers have missed for some time. I'm no fan of copying other franchises directly, being part of a trend to piggyback off someone else's success, but we're coming up on ten years without a Mass Effect game now, with the last one being heavily critiqued at launch. There's room and space for plenty of new names to give us a rag-tag crew we can tag along with as we try and save at least a portion of the galaxy.

Star Wars Zero Company, The Expanse: Osiris Reborn, and Exodus. Established IPs, a new one, and plenty of different gameplay mechanics, ambitions, budgets. Yet, there's one thing that unites them all. They've each been compared to Mass Effect, and they've accepted those comparisons. Is the age of the Soulslike over, and is it time for the Mass Effect-like? Probably not, but if even one of these games is good enough to remind us of our times exploring the Normandy, it'll be a great sign for the future of sci-fi RPGs as a whole.

Like I said at the start, the ability for a game to connect with its audience is the key factor in succeeding in today's market. Younger gamers tend to connect with each other, over multiplayer experiences, but as the CoD lobbies and Fortnite Seasons go by, the uncs of the world would prefer to kick back with an experience they can take at their own pace, balancing it with a job and demanding family life. That's where a game offering an experience like Mass Effect can really shine. Creating a similar connection with the companions, characters, and world like the BioWare classics before can make a lasting impression that sticks with you, and might make audiences in ten or fifteen years' time say "hey, this game's like Exodus."

I don't know if the perfect storm of Mass Effect can be recreated. It delivered an original, expansive universe with deep lore and a truly unforgettable cast of side characters. That might not sound too difficult to do, and hopefully it shouldn't be, but we are where we are with game development these days, where it's entirely possible AI companions will be the norm in a couple of years' time. At least, the three aforementioned games won't be opting for this (even if Owlcat is using GenAI for The Expanse: Osiris Reborn). The creating an original world thing might already discredit Star Wars: Zero Company and The Expanse: Osiris Reborn from being true Mass Effect-likes, but the former looks to develop a small part of a wider universe and story, much like Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader did, and the latter comes from a universe that yes, has a lot of source material, but can still be introduced to a wide, new audience. What I find draws people more to comparing a game to Mass Effect, rather than its original world, is a game's companions and the systems around them.

Connections, if I need to say it again, are a huge part of making a game, especially an RPG, memorable. Who best to form those connections with if not companions? Baldur's Gate III proved it, just as Mass Effect did before. The suicide mission of Mass Effect 2 (which is the single best mission in all of gaming, by the way), doesn't work without having a team you really don't want to die, despite knowing you could lose them all. If Star Wars Zero Company, The Expanse: Osiris Reborn, and Exodus have anything they must focus on, it's this. Repetitive gameplay or a slightly plodding main plot can all be forgotten if there's a great character by your side. I remember more lines from Garrus, Tali, Liara, even Miranda, than I do from Commander Shepard herself in the Mass Effect series, and that's where we need to see these upcoming games really succeed in order to properly claim the Mass Effect comparisons.

This extends to design as much as it does the personalities of the characters. I couldn't say I was thrilled to see Exodus reveal its companions, at least three of which were wearing the same stillsuit knock-off for their "armour," and had rather vacant stares. I can deal with at least one Jacob or James, but please don't make a whole roster of them. Thankfully, there's a friendly Octopus who'll come to your aid in combat, so at least there's the semblance of sauce to be found already. It might make me sound like one of the anti-woke, every woman must look like Stellar Blade protagonist chuds online, but I'd also say there's nothing wrong with making companions physically appealing as they will be personality-wise, too. Just don't go for a Concord look, and you'll be fine. Owlcat gets it, by the looks of things, as Larian did with Baldur's Gate III. Make everyone equally hot, and you're good to go. Except for the Octopus, I'm good without being able to romance the Octopus, thanks Archetype.

I won't waffle on about companion design forever, but when people look for the connection and escapism these characters can offer, it does help at times when they can delve deeper into the character through things like romance. Avowed, for example, didn't quite hit the mark with everyone just being your friend and there never being an option for something more. It's not necessary, of course, but people love getting freaky with aliens. Mass Effect again, is a prime example. Star Wars Zero Company likely won't have any such bonds, but with its permadeath system, I'm way more excited to get attached to my fake squadmates and then mourn them for weeks after a mission gone wrong.

Where Soulslikes tried to stuff themselves into a genre already filled by a developer putting out all-time classics on a regular basis, Mass Effect-likes come at a time when we're in desperate need of a space-faring romp. Guardians of the Galaxy got pretty close, as did Baldur's Gate III, in recreating similarly addictive worlds and characters, but for one reason or another they didn't exactly scratch that Mass Effect itch. Here's hoping at least one of these games can, if only to prove that yes, publishers, we do love RPGs that let us build connections with three-dimensional, interesting characters.

A Leap of Fail, Expanding Arkham, and Supernatural San Andreas: Here are some of Gamereactor's favourite Easter Eggs

gr@gamereactor.eu (GR Staff) — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 11:00:00 +0200

Once again, it's time for Easter. While this holiday is known for its religious ties, it's also become a period to celebrate the beginning of spring and to indulge in copious amounts of chocolate eggs. Speaking about eggs, as we did last year, we're going to mark this period of the year by once again highlighting a collection of Easter eggs in video games that continue to stand out to us.

Ben: The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings' Leap of Fail

While I was tempted to simply return to the world of Call of Duty Zombies and highlight another of the timeless and epic Easter eggs in the mode, I figured this year it'd be pleasant to make a marginal change. Hence why we're trading the undead for killers, by turning to the Assassin's Creed reference in The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings. Close to the start of the game during the assault, Geralt can find a curiously-dressed individual who has clearly taken a tumble from a great height. Near the ballista during the siege, you'll likely notice a person dressed in a white robe and flattened on the ground near a pile of straw. There's also a curiously placed tower behind the individual, evidently signifying that someone took a leap of faith but obviously didn't believe enough. A long drop and a sudden stop, and as Geralt states as you near the squashed corpse, "guess they'll never learn."

You can see the Leap of Fail as captured by YouTuber Moziz below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Om0UpfQc0Q

Alex: Supernatural San Andreas in Grand Theft Auto V

Grand Theft Auto V is a massive game, stocked full of Easter eggs. Some, you'll stumble upon on your own. Others took months before anyone even noticed them, and require a quick Google just to make sure you catch them the next time you decide to tear up the streets as Trevor, Franklin, and Michael. We're combining two Easter eggs in one here, taking a look at both the frozen alien and Bigfoot appearances you can find in Grand Theft Auto V. The frozen alien appears at the very start of the game, when you're fighting out of a bank robbery gone wrong as Michael. As you drive the car away, take a right and veer off the road as you come up towards a bridge with a river flowing underneath. Directly under the bridge, you can find a frozen alien corpse. Pretty neat, eh. The second supernatural occurrence takes place later, again playing as Michael in the mission Predator. There, you'll use a thermal scoped rifle to take out the O'Neil brothers. If you zoom into the mission area on the bottom right, you'll see the thermal outline of bigfoot for a brief second. Make sure you've got your camera ready, as Bigfoot disappears soon after.

Check out both Easter eggs in the YouTube videos from Typical Gamer and GTA Series Videos below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNcwPfYW83Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMW0tvp9ucY

Magnus: Discovering Arkham City construction plans in Batman: Arkham Asylum

Batman: Arkham Asylum was filled to the brim with hidden messages, deep lore cuts and tantalising references, which is why my brother and I spent week after week going through each and every section of the maze-like asylum, excited to see what was hidden around the next corner. I remember that Saturday morning, slightly hungover, looking through Quincy Sharp's office, and coming across the blueprints of what would ultimately be the Arkham City project. Rocksteady would reveal the sequel formally not long after, but already then stumbling across would most assuredly was tied to the franchise's future was astounding. While 2009 wasn't analogue in any way, word of such discoveries did not travel nearly as fast as they do today, so this was, believe it or not, a complete surprise, and being the Batman fans we are, the excitement we both felt that morning was palpable.

Alex: Petting a Tyranid in Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II

Tyranids are one of the galaxy's largest scourges in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. There are endless numbers of them, and while they might look somewhat cute in their tabletop miniature form, as they are in the lore they're going to be anything but a cuddly pet. You'll spend hours crushing them into bug paste in Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine II, but in the first mission you can find one that has no intent of harming you, and can actually be petted. On Avarax, get to the point where you can call the elevator via a console, then activate a second console, and wait for the audio queue, which means you've now spawned in nine Tyranids to find across the next bit of your mission. Get rid of them all, and you'll find a friendly hormagaunt lying down in a corridor, free to be petted at will.

Check out the video below for how to find all nine Tyranids, courtesy of YouTuber Kimber Secundus:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_A-IDZBSGU

The best gaming protagonists of the 2020s (so far)

alex@gamereactor.eu (Alex Hopley) — Sat, 04 Apr 2026 13:00:00 +0200

When you look at what makes a great game, the world, gameplay mechanics, graphics, and storylines all have a part to play, but it all feels like it comes together when the protagonist - the character at the centre of the entire experience - feels fleshed out and alive. We've had some stand-out games in the 2020s so far, with some equally impressive protagonists at their core. So, let's list some of them, shall we?

This list only covers characters that first appeared in video game form in the 2020s. Sorry, Cal Kestis, grown-up Kratos, Aloy, and Henry of Skalitz, you won't be included here, despite being great characters in your own right.

The Dark Urge - Baldur's Gate III

It might feel a bit cheap to put in a character that the player has so much control of in a spot on this list, but compared with the true blank slate of the Adventurer or Tav, the Dark Urge/Durge is a more well-rounded, detailed character, complete with a dark backstory, and deep connections to the world and antagonists. Once you've played as a Dark Urge, it's really hard to go back, and a lot of that is due to the pre-defined story you inherit once you start creating this character. You can make the Dark Urge look how you like, and be as evil or redeemable as you wish, but once you've wrapped the campaign in Baldur's Gate III, a big part of why you'll remember it is those character-specific scenes you get as the Durge. It feels like it should be up there with the greatest creatable characters of BioWare's age, as it really lets you leave your own imprint on the world, while being an established part of it.

Andreas Maler - Pentiment

Another character that the player gets a fair bit of influence over, Andreas Maler still stands head and shoulders above most characters you'll meet in an RPG or within a video game for that matter. He is the centrepiece of Pentiment, a perfect vessel for the player to experience the world through, as the small town of Tassing is as new to him as it is to us. Learning about the town's people, the wider implications of advancements in technology and society on 16th century Germany, as well as solving some tricky murders, it all boils together to create a story you won't soon forget, one lead by a character that comes across as one of the most three-dimensional people the RPG experts at Obsidian have ever crafted.

Jin Sakai - Ghost of Tsushima

I like Atsu, I do, but the man who kicked off all this ghost business is hard to top. Jin Sakai's story of revenge is one we've seen a lot in games before, if you reduce the tale to its most basic level. However, following Jin across Japan as he has to abandon who he was to become something else for the sake of his people and his country. Jin comes across early on like quite a bland, fairly regular badass hero, but as you spend more hours exploring the story as him, you peel back the layers of his character and find something incredibly compelling within. There's a reason so many fans wanted him back for the sequel, and it's not just sexism.

Saga Anderson - Alan Wake 2

It's difficult to be the new guy or gal in a pre-established world and setting. Even if the last Alan Wake game had arrived over a decade before the sequel rocked up, the game is still named after the fictional author, and so there was the fear that Saga might be an unwelcome addition. Those who've played the game know this couldn't be further from the truth. Saga's involvement in the story of Alan Wake 2 not only feels necessary, but welcome. Over the course of the narrative, we learn more about Saga, who has to adapt quickly to being thrown into the depths of a supernatural story that certainly feels above her paygrade. By the end, though, we see she's got a handle on the tale just as much as Alan, leading to her being the one to determine it all.

Astro Bot - Astro Bot

Where the other entries on this list so far have been judged by their use as compelling narrative tools, Astro Bot makes his entry here for being one of the first successful new mascot creations in games in some time. Astro Bot feels like he's always been here, but doesn't show any sign of rust or aging just yet. He's an adorable, friendly companion who also just so happens to be the main character in one of the best 3D platformers ever. Go figure. Astro Bot's adventures keep impressing us each time they arrive on our screens, and even if the next time we see him doesn't blow us away, it's impossible to think of a future where we don't love this character design.

Will - Metaphor: ReFantazio

You can name this guy whatever you like, but the canon name is Will, at least in the English localisation, and that's what we're sticking with. Just losing out to Astro Bot at the 2024 Game Awards, Metaphor: ReFantazio proved an excellent RPG, and a lovely fantasy accompaniment to Atlus' beloved Persona franchise. Fiercely loyal, always willing to go the extra mile, and sometimes innocent to a fault, Will felt less of a blank slate or generic hero than a lot of his JRPG counterparts. He's still got elements of those characters, and yet his unique backstory and outlook on life and the events of Metaphor: ReFantazio kept me interested for the dozens of hours the game packs into its main story. As always, the side characters helped a lot, but I didn't wish I was playing as any one of them instead of Will.

Grace Ashcroft - Resident Evil Requiem

A very recent, very deserving entrant on this list, Grace Ashcroft effortlessly slid into the Resident Evil franchise like an old pair of gloves. It was tempting to put the aging badass version of Leon Kennedy on here, and while he's certainly a big part of what makes Resident Evil Requiem great, the game wouldn't be as outstanding as it is without Grace. A great performance from Angela Sant'Albano brings Grace to life, first showing her dealing with the understandable fear and terror you'd certainly experience if you found yourself in a Resident Evil scenario. Then, as she adapts alongside the story of the game, we get to see Grace's arc complete. Here's hoping this isn't the last we see of her in Resident Evil, though, as she's already proven a hit with fans.

Mae and Cody - It Takes Two

Hazelight Studios deliver co-op magic, that much is clear, but the developer's narratives are sometimes a bit predictable. There's nothing wrong with that. Not every game needs an Oscar-winning script, and even if It Takes Two has perhaps the most predictable story of all, it's still thoroughly enjoyable thanks to the humans turned into dolls we get to play as. Mae and Cody aren't afraid to annoy you a little bit in the game, and yet they remain a wholesome, likeable couple even when they're fighting at their fiercest. We might not be building a franchise around them, especially not as the It Takes Two film seems on hold, but they're memorable enough to stick around.

Melinoë - Hades II

Zagreus or Melinoë, honestly you could put either of Hades' trouble-making children on this spot, but recency bias pushes me more towards the goddess of nightmares and madness. Zagreus is an instantly likeable protagonist, but you could argue his stakes feel quite low, whereas Melinoë has to deal with a lot more. There's a lot of pressure on her shoulders to introduce the player to this new, darker narrative, and try to be the anchor point when we find ourselves no longer able to chat with the people we know and love from the first game. Supergiant did incredible work making both protagonists very likeable, but I found myself rooting more strongly for Melinoë throughout my time with the sequel.

Maelle - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Another relatively recent addition, but we are talking about the games from the last five and a bit years here. If you've not played Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, or even if you've not reached the credits yet, you might think Gustave or Verso are the game's protagonists. If you've got through the whole thing, though, you'll know Maelle is our real main character. And what a character she is. We won't go into detailed spoilers here, but the twists and turns of the main story all revolve around Maelle, and by the end I was so embroiled with her journey that I chose the ending I knew came across as the "worse" ending purely because I believed it fitted her character arc better. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 may be all about those who come after, but I don't envy whoever has to follow the work of Jennifer Svedberg-Yen and Jennifer English in bringing this character to life.

V - Cyberpunk 2077

I'll tell you a little secret to end this list: I loved Cyberpunk 2077 when it came out. Sure, it was buggy. Sure, it might not have had the complete open-world freedoms of a sandbox experience like GTA, but the bones it showed were incredibly strong. CD Projekt Red had once more wowed with its character and narrative work, with V at the centre. V can be a multitude of different characters in Cyberpunk 2077, but the magic comes from them all feeling valid and deeply enjoyable. Whether you play as Valerie or Vincent, whether you're a Corpo or Nomad, V feels like a near-perfect protagonist, because while you as the player feel free to determine big moments and background details for them, you also get the sense this is a pre-defined character you're stepping into. They have an active part in the world, rather than just having the world happen around them. That is what takes a protagonist to the next level, and it's what CD Projekt Red achieved in Cyberpunk 2077, right from the start.

We predict what The Super Mario Bros. Movie 3 will be about (and what will the title be)

javier@gamereactor.eu (Javier Escribano) — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 16:00:00 +0200

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie now and The Super Mario Bros. Movie in 2023 feature a huge amount of references from 40 years of history of Mario games, from small cameos to major set pieces and plot points adapted more or less faithfully from the games. It's a certainty that there will more movies along the way: nothing confirmed at this point, but we expect sequels and spin-offs to release every two or three years, similarly to the Minions franchise.

And that made us think, where will the film series go next? A lot of things from the Mario universe have been covered already, but there are still a lot of things yet to appear in the films. Here we predict the most likely premises, characters, and locations we expect to see in The Super Mario Bros. Movie 3... starting with the title.

Because, after Super Mario Bros. and {Super Mario Galaxy}, what will the next movie be called? These are our predictions... but of course, don't read any further if you haven't watched the film. HUGE SPOILERS AHEAD.

I insist, HUGE SPOILERS FROM THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE.

{The Super Mario Odyssey Movie}

The first film was named after {Super Mario Bros.}, which is the colloquial name of the series but also the name of the first official game, released in 1985. If we were going to adapt every main era of Mario games, the next logical step would have been {The Super Mario World movie}, based on the 1991 game. Instead, Illumination jumped directly into {Galaxy}, based on the 2007-2010 Wii games, arguably the high point of the Mario series from a narrative and worldbuilding point of view.

This makes us think that the most logical name for the threequel will be {The Super Mario Odyssey} movie. However, that presents a real challenge, as most of the best parts of the 2017 Switch game already appear in the two previous movies: Peach and Bowser's wedding, Tostarena and the Sand Kingdom, the dinosaur, the Ruined Dragon, even the Brooklyn parts of the first movie felt like New Donk City.

Making a {Mario Odyssey} movie without the wedding part, which has already been done, would be a bit pointless. They could focus on Cappy and her sister Tiara, and having the Broodals as new villains. But honestly, those characters were not particularly memorable. At the same time, Mario's ability to transform into enemies and animals was an extremely cool gameplay mechanic, but doesn't make much sense narratively to be a major part of the movie...

{The Super Mario Land movie}

One major problem the film series has in the long run is the lack of good villains, something that also affects the Sonic movies. Bowser (and Robotnik) are cool, but will they use the same villain all the time?

The Mario universe doesn't have that many villains beyond Bowser (and Donkey Kong, which doesn't count as he is not really a villain anymore). There is one exception. Or two, Wario and Waluigi, possibly the biggest Mario characters that have yet to appear in the movies. We have seen Daisy in the post-credits scene for Galaxy, which leads into... Super Mario Land.

The redhead princess (also hinted when Luigi asks Mario to ask if Peach has a friend) made her debut in Super Mario Land, the 1989. Wario made his debut in Super Mario Land 2 (1992). Enough material to base the third movie in the weird kingdom of Sarasaland, which could lead to some really deep-cut cameos.

The big problem is that {'The Super Mario Land movie}' doesn't sound nearly as epic as {The Super Mario Galaxy Movie}, which would make for a far less appealing end of the trilogy from a commercial point of view. And that's the problem of this film series: nothing is bigger than Galaxy, except for {Odyssey}, and as we said, most of what we saw in that game has been adapted already...

{The Untitled Super Mario 3D Game releasing in 2027 movie}

Well, there may be something bigger than {Galaxy} and {Odyssey}... the next game in the Mario universe, heavily rumoured to release in 2027 as the first true successor to {Mario Odyssey}. We expect it to be something entirely new (not Galaxy 3 or Odyssey 2), and if it launches in 2027, it would be possible for a movie releasing in 2028 or 2029 to bear its name and take direct inspiration from whatever Yoshiaki Koizumi's team are cooking right now.

Given the close relationship between Nintendo and Illumination, the idea that both the game and the movie are being developed in parallel is not unconceivable, although we're not sure it would be the right choice: it would lead to many people to assume that the game is an adaptation from the movie, which could devaluate the original product from Nintendo as a whole. And there are other more interesting options, such as...

{The Super Mario Sunshine Movie}

This 2002 GameCube classic is undoubtedly one of the Mario games with a more distinguishable world and story, and Isle Delfino would look absolutely lovely. It could also lead to much needed quality time between the characters as they go on vacation: Mario and Peach's relationship could be properly explored, before Bowser Jr. becomes the main villain this time.

The problem is that Super Mario Sunshine is a very niche game (as niche as a Mario game can be) and, again, less marketable than Galaxy (although I would say it's more exciting than simply '{Land}'. Done right, it could be a movie with a lot of personality, and a good excuse to release the movie in the summer instead of spring.

{The Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury movie}

Another relatively obscure title as it was an added bonus for a larger game, {Bowser's Fury} has really good potential for a cool story. In this game, Bowser Jr. teams up with Mario to stop an enraged Bowser, who has become a giant monster, before Mario into a giant cat. It would be a very good excuse to have Bowser as the main villain again and would make for an interesting dynamic between Mario, Bowser Jr. and Bowser, one of the best things of the Galaxy movie.

The problem is that... {Galaxy} movie already did something similar with Mario teaming up with Bowser, and Mario saving Bowser Jr. from the giant dragon that Bowser created. Besides, it doesn't have many side characters to develop the promise of having Daisy as a new major character.

{The Super Mario Bros. Wonder Movie}

Released in 2023, {Wonder} is the most recent mainline Mario game, which therefore would make for a commercially viable option to name the movie after. And it also features Daisy and even Rosalina now in the Switch 2 version. The problem is that the game, while fun, is extremely basic story-wise and the world isn't too interesting.

What could be fun from a cinematic point of view, however, would be seeing the wonder effects on screen, perhaps playing with different animation styles, a mixture of colours and special effects and new musical numbers. It would be a chance for Illumination to go wild... but let's face it, this studio isn't Sony or DreamWorks, which are much more willing to take risks in the visual department.

It could, however, be a good gateway to introduce the Koopalings, which will almost certainly make their movie debut sooner or later, perhaps as Bowser Jr.'s brothers or cousins. The koopalings are the stars of the newly released Switch 2 edition of the game, so more gamers will get to know them before the next movie...

Spin-offs

Perhaps the next Mario movie isn't a sequel... but a spin-off. In fact, it would be a very good way to keep us entertained, flesh out the individual characters before a more meaningful story can be told in Part 3 of the Mario saga. These are the most likely spin-off ideas:

{Luigi's Mansion}: Charlie Day would star in a spin-off that would still allow for Mario, Peach, Toad, and most of the characters from the universe to appear, making it almost a sequel, but putting the focus on Luigi. Release it on Halloween, put some very light scares for children, and it could become a hit...

Star Fox: A Star Fox movie starring Glen Powell is almost a given, specially after the rumours of not one but two games new games in the relatively obscure series releasing soon for Switch 2. The characters also have tremendous potential for a movie filled with epic space battles but focused on friendship and camaraderie.

Princess Peach Showtime: It is clear that Nintendo and Illumination want to make Peach in more than a damsel in distress, so giving her a movie of her own would be a cool idea. The 2024 game in which Peach dresses up in all those different stage plays could be cool to adapt, but we would expect something brand new for Anya Taylor-Joy.

Yoshi's Island: The origin of the Mario brothers, coming from the real world, means that Yoshi's Island couldn't be adapted to a movie. Besides, the babies scene in {Galaxy} was already a big Easter-egg, so we can consider Yoshi's Island covered. However, another type of story centred on Donald Glover's Yoshi could still happen, and could also have Bowser Jr. as villain, seeing that he also appears in the upcoming Yoshi and the Mysterious Book game.

Donkey Kong Country: The most likely spin-off is still one centred around Seth Rogen's Donkey Kong, absent from the Mario Galaxy movie. With a renewed interest in the character after Donkey Kong Bananza, it could present many of the members of the Kong family, and also reintroduce Pauline to the Mario movie universe, after her brief cameo in the first film.

In the end, while there are tons of possibilities for sequels, we fear that Nintendo and Illumination may have got ahead of themselves rushing the Mario Galaxy story in only the second film, in a movie that, could be argued, doesn't really do the games justice. The hype for the Galaxy movie has been immense, but will they be able to maintain it for the third, fourth or fifth films, having already wasted one of their best bullets?

We will have to wait and see... In the meantime, those are out best guesses for what the next movie in the Super Mario universe will be about (and what it will be named). Do you agree with our predictions? Do you think we got it right? Or do you have other ideas? Let us know!

The case for good ports over more remakes

alex@gamereactor.eu (Alex Hopley) — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0200

There's a quote that often runs through my mind whenever I think about the games industry as a whole, and it comes from one Ben Starr. I'm a huge fan of Mr. Starr and have nothing bad to say about him, but at the 2024 Golden Joystick Awards he said: "It's absolutely criminal that we don't have an official version of Bloodborne running at 60 frames per second."

Criminal? Really Ben? There are murderers walking the streets. The sitting US President is named more times in the Epstein files than God or Jesus in the Bible. I get it, we all have our own definition of criminal. I'd love to collect people with no spatial awareness, those who leave their shopping trolleys out in the open, and the oafs who can't find their indicator when driving, and just cannon them off into the sun. I get the frustration with not having your favourite old game be as good as it was all those years ago when you first played it, too. However, when the community cries out for remakes, I believe what we really need is a good port for the vast majority of these titles. The same graphics, gameplay, and even performance in some cases, just playable on more than one old console. As we saw with the 3DS and Wii U, it's all too easy for games locked on one platform to disappear forever.

This isn't to disavow remakes entirely. No, I think there are some fantastic remakes out there. Capcom does a brilliant job bringing the scares of the Resident Evil franchise up to modern standards, for example. I also think a remaster can be a pretty good middle ground here, such as The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, but the waters have become so muddied between a remaster and a remake these days that it becomes difficult to really define what it is that separates them. Ports and optimisation work, on the other hand, often feels left by the wayside. It's less exciting to just have the same old game thrown back at you, but it might be a better option for a lot of developers and titles. It feels at times like GOG is the only big name keeping old PC games available without completely overhauling the experience for a remake.

Remakes are fun, they're flashy, but they also cost a lot of money and time. Take a look at the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remake as a prime example. It's not just a case of taking old code and making it look shiny and new. You're essentially making a new game with an undertaking of that size, even if you have a solid groundwork to build from. In an age where budgets are ballooning in AAA development to a massive scale, it does feel like you may as well save your pennies where you can, and put the potential remake funds into something else. As for the amount of time saved, while porting isn't something you can just snap your fingers and do, bringing old games as they are to new platforms, with minor updates, is much easier than basically creating a new, AAA experience with all the bells and whistles people expect in their games these days.

Circling back to Bloodborne as an example, we know that if it was going to be remade, that FromSoftware would be the studio to do it. However, FromSoftware, as I imagine a lot of other studios would do, would instead rather work on something else. Remakes can be dead certs as much as any gaming release can be, as you already have a built-in fanbase and don't need to introduce them to a new IP. It's easy to see why a lot of studios do them. However, it's possible we could be missing out on dream projects and new and exciting universes if developers just spent their time working on a remake. Imagine if Baldur's Gate III didn't release because Larian had been working on Baldur's Gate II Remake instead, for example. It's a hypothetical, so not the strongest argument in the anti-remake case, but with how remake-focused the mainstream release calendar can be, I wouldn't be surprised if we've missed out on some cool original works as the years have gone by.

I also think there's something to be said of gamers being able to still play a lot of the games they want remakes for. As mentioned, GOG is a place where you can pick up games like The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines, Dragon Age: Origins, Dino Crisis, and tons of other games and just press play. Sure, they've got their quirks and they show their age more than a five or ten-year-old game, but as gaming broadens with each year, it seems like things like graphics and a universally accepted visual standard are being thrown out of the window. You expect a certain level of quality from a AAA experience, but when games like Slay the Spire 2 are reaching hundreds of thousands of players, I begin to think that we probably all could endure the visuals and performance of the early 2000s again if we needed to. Not wanting to lose years of my life to wait for the Knights of the Old Republic Remake, I just grabbed the mobile version and played on a tablet. It rocked. I recently picked up Dragon Age for the first time. It shows its age, but also rocks. Immediately dismissing an old game because of graphics or performance feels like it's becoming quite outdated, and an opinion only really defended by the most stalwart of ragebait accounts on Twitter, who look at anything 2D or with a visual style that isn't realism and call it slop.

Even if for whatever reason the thought of playing and old game as it was, with full functionality via a new port, makes your stomach turn, there are plenty of games still available that are much better looking and don't really need a remake. You can play Bloodborne so long as you own a PS4 or PS5. Sure, the framerate isn't 60fps, which might make Ben Starr burst a blood vessel, but it's still a fantastic game that doesn't need a remake. Seeing remakes of titles that are a decade old or in some cases even younger shows some of modern gaming's worst trends. It's corporate greed and consumer entitlement, when you boil the demand for constant remakes down to its core. More ports could still encompass both of those things, but would come at a fraction of the cost in both money and time.

Remakes look nicer, they perform better. You can make a game the dream it was meant to be twenty-something years ago. However, a port can still introduce a new fanbase to an old, beloved title, while still giving it a bit of care to ensure it runs well on a modern machine. The problem with remakes is they sell the idea of us constantly needing new. It's understandable, of course. If you thought about it, you've probably got enough games to play and replay to fill ten lifetimes already, so the industry needs to sell this idea to us for it to keep going.

When I think about the best games of my youth, I don't think about them getting some glossy DLSS 5 makeover, I just wish for them being playable on a modern rig without praying some heroic modder has made them compatible with today's systems. If we were a bit more honest with ourselves, and didn't jump to remake demands as soon as we saw clips of an old game that still holds up in many ways, I think we'd end up with a lot more ports, and a greater preservation of old games in the long run.

Talking length, AI, Story-Link, and factions with Tides of Tomorrow developer Digixart

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0200

After spending a few years growing and expanding the world of Road 96, developer Digixart is heading in another direction for its upcoming title known as Tides of Tomorrow. Sticking with a narrative-heavy approach that places a key emphasis on decision-making and sculpting a story based on the choices you make, this project leaves behind the open road to instead take to the high seas.

Described as a 'plasticpunk' adventure where players will meet kooky characters and interact with them to shape both their own story and the narratives of other players, with launch edging ever closer and planned for April 22, we've had the chance to chat with Digixart to learn a little more about this ambitious and anticipated project.

You can see the full interview with game director Adrien Poncet below, where we discuss the recent delay, how the Story-Link feature will impact gameplay, what the studio's stance on artificial intelligence is, the general length of Tides of Tomorrow, and more.

Gamereactor: How has the recent delay allowed you to improve and enhance Tides of Tomorrow?

Poncet: We were able to improve a lot of things! It gave us more time to improve the polish and stability of the game, to better test our Story-Link scenarios, and to improve the economy balancing (which actually has an influence on the story and the choices players will make, since resource scarcity is one of the main themes of the game).

Since we're crazy people always looking to make the best thing we can, it also gave us time to add a few cutscenes to the game, add some extra boat gameplay, and rework the design of certain main characters, like Nahe, who we felt was not iconic enough.

Gamereactor: How do you balance giving players freedom while stopping them from ruining another player's run ahead of time via the Story-Link?

Poncet: We've seen a lot of players worrying about that! Actually, most scenarios related to the Story-Link feature are handcrafted. It's a complex web of possibilities, but with designer and writer input at its heart. So we could ensure that even players taking a "troublemaker" route would generate interesting and fun scenarios for future players who follow them. If the previous player was a jerk, it gives YOU the chance to fix things and come out looking like the better person. Plus, we found a balance to make sure you would still be able to control your own destiny.

If I have to put it simply: the other player will mostly impact your journey, not your destination.

Gamereactor: How large are the respective islands and how much can we expect exploration to impact how much time you spend on each island?

Poncet: The islands are quite big! You can expect to spend twice as much time on most of the islands if you decide to explore everything and talk to everyone. However, most exploration is optional: the critical path on each island is always story-driven, with branching depending on your story choices, not on how you explore the location.

Gamereactor: How abundant is the medicine to fight off Plastemia disease? Will players be forced to choose between saving NPCs and themselves?

Poncet: As I mentioned previously, the resources play an instrumental role in the game and the narrative. Medicine is quite rare and gets even rarer as you progress in the story. You can buy it, steal it, find it by exploring, or get it through narrative events. Then it's up to you to decide what to do with it. You'll need some for your own survival, but if you have more to spare, will you hoard everything for yourself just in case? Leave some for other players or for NPCs? And what happens if you don't take enough for yourself? There's some tough moral dilemmas and big consequences ahead!

Gamereactor: Can you attach yourself to the factions in the game, or are you more of a lone adventurer throughout the story?

Poncet: The player embodies a Tidewalker, part of a mysterious community rumored to come from the "old world". You can decide to play as a lone adventurer or to forge strong bonds with NPCs and other players. Each of the factions has a different relationship with the Tidewalkers, which can evolve based on your own choices and the actions of previous players.

You'll find potential friends and allies in all factions (the Reclaimers, the Marauders and the Mystics), but it will be up to you to decide to agree with them or to defy them. You can try to unite everyone or ruin the fate of a faction forever! The epilogues of the game have parts dedicated to each of the factions.

Gamereactor: What is Digixart's approach to utilising artificial intelligence in its projects? Do you have a set of guidelines in place that you stick by?

Poncet: We have many ethical issues with AI. Our games don't contain any generative AI in the final product. We use some AI as a production tool, not for art (never!) but mostly for programming support or to automate time‑consuming tasks such as data analysis. We also used text-to-speech technology to make the NPCs say our dialogue lines while we iterate on the story, before replacing it with actual voice actors!

Gamereactor: How long do you expect a playthrough of Tides of Tomorrow to take?

Poncet: A playthrough is between 10 and 15 hours, depending on how much you explore and how many levels you play (a lot of them are optional). If you have less time and want to experience the main story, you're able to complete the game rather quickly. But if you want to dive deep into the game's world, find all the secrets, and read every inspectable document, you'll have plenty to enjoy!

Gamereactor: Have you thought about bringing the game to Nintendo Switch 1 or 2?

Poncet: The game is graphically more ambitious than our previous game Road 96. We also use Unreal Engine 5 with Lumen and Nanite, which are not easily compatible with Nintendo Switch. So we focused on the PS5 and Xbox Series for now.

Gamereactor: What's one part of Tides of Tomorrow that you don't think people are talking enough about?

Poncet: We talk a lot about the Story-Link feature since that's the main "new" thing the game has to offer. I think we don't talk enough about the real-world metaphor around ocean pollution that we're trying to depict in the game - because society overall doesn't talk about this enough!

I'd also love to see more discussion around our characters. It might be hard to know them before the game is out, but I personally find most of the main characters very interesting. We also have a gallery of eccentric side characters that you'll meet during your journey: someone living in a trash bin, a weird guy named BOMBI who spends his life making BOMBS at the top of a crumbling tower, two siblings who split their boat-kingdom in half and have been attacking each other on sight ever since... and many others. I call them the "plasticpunk weirdos," and it's always a delight to meet one of them. But you'll have to discover them in the game!

Thanks to Digixart and Poncet for taking the time to answer our questions. Tides of Tomorrow is slated to launch on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S on April 22, so stay tuned for additional coverage on the game.

Best cameos and biggest MIAs in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

david@gamereactor.eu (David Caballero) — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 12:01:54 +0200

It's now in cinemas and you can read our review of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie on Gamereactor. Of course, this sequel is another whirlwind of nods and references to the 40 years of Super Mario video games and other closely related characters, so here is our round-up of the most stellar cameos (if you'll pardon the pun) and absences in this new animated blockbuster.

Obviously, we recommend you keep reading only if you've already seen the film, as we're entering spoiler territory, but here's our list of favourite cameos and elements we missed, many of which are surely being saved for future instalments or spin-offs like the obvious with Donkey Kong.

The best cameos in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

Fox McCloud. Fans had already spotted him (or Nintendo had let the fox out of the bag) and then it was made official. He is THE CAMEO of this film. His design, his lines and attitude, his animations, that Arwing which now has four seats... even the anime sequence introducing his backstory and companions like Slippy Toad has turned out perfectly for Nintendo: an ideal promotion for a new Star Fox game and perhaps for some animated content in the form of a standalone film or series. After all, he's another of Miyamoto's favourite creations

Daisy. It was about time. A favourite among those of us who play certain Mario Tennis games and a legend from Super Mario Land. She stars in the post-post-credits scene (the second) and we don't know what she's up to, but she's landed to stay. Naturally, and barring another canonical surprise, she is not Peach's sister, but the princess of the Kingdom of Sarasaland. The friend Luigi wanted Mario to introduce him to?

Dry Bowser. We all knew it the moment Bowser started walking across the drawbridge, but that didn't make it any less delightful. Nor did it matter that we laughed when it happened to the Dry Bones on the lava rollercoaster. The legendary transformation from New! Super Mario Bros. brought to the big screen, and a new take on the best character in the films, Jack Black's.

Mr. Game & Watch. There were already silhouettes and nods in the first instalment, but here we have an unexpected appearance, almost in the form of a Super Smash Bros. challenger. Luigi can't paint, yet he comes up with this fantastic retro creature to give the villains a good thrashing.

Peach's umbrella. OK, it's not a character, but it is an icon, and in this case it's a proper 'birthday' present from Mario, given with all the love and intention. And Princess Toadstool certainly puts it to good use straight away!

The Pikmin. Another deliberate leak, but also one of the best-placed cameos, after the statue on the rich Castellanos' table in the first film. So where's Olimar?

R.O.B.. It's one of the film's best gags, paying homage to the sloth bureaucrat from Zootropolis. The Robotic Operating Buddy toy that sold so many NES consoles in the US and later became a video game character in itself is so retro that the simple waist twist to give instructions to Peach and Toad takes him a while. It's one of the film's few moments of pause, and it works.

The Hammer Brothers. Not because of the appearance itself, which was to be expected, but because of the format. When 'King' Mario and Luigi are left in charge of the Mushroom Kingdom, they must complete a series of errands in the form of missions on the map, accompanied by the 'you're about to die' SFX from Mario 64. In this gallery of nods, references and power-ups, the Hammer Brothers strike you twice in the heart.

The dragon from Super Mario Odyssey. Ruined Dragon, boss of the Ruined Kingdom, Lord of Lightning, Isildur's Heir, makes a very stylish cameo in one of the film's best scenes: the final battle between Bowser/Dry Bowser-Bowser Jr., and Mario-Luigi-Yoshi. The transformation is as impressive as it is dramatic, and is one of the few well-executed references to the plumber's odyssey.

The Castellanos' dog. He had already become a character in the Mario universe, following his very Illumination-esque role in the first film and his connection to Luigi. Here he has a moment in Yoshi's New York trip, but they also say he resembles a certain character and reveal the name of the wealthy family.

Ukiki the monkey. More than its appearance, we love how it enters the scene, looking very cute but then turning into the slippery, irritating little rascal we remember from Yoshi's Island and Super Mario 64.

Wart, Birdo and Mouser. Not to be confused with 'Bowser'. We already knew the utterly evil, mafia-like villains from Super Mario Bros. 2 - the most 'fake' Mario Bros. game - would be there. And we love it, because precisely how strange, different, and ridiculously well-suited for four characters that title was, it deserves this canonical recognition.

Samus Aran's Gunship. Are we really not getting a Super Smash Bros. movie at this point? During the take-off platform sequence in the Gateway Galaxy, all kinds of ships can be spotted, including Olimar's Pikmin-filled vessel and, of course, Fox McCloud's Arwing. But if you look closely at the right side as the camera starts panning, that unmistakable silhouette looks very much like Samus' Gunship from Metroid. What is it doing here?

The Piantas, the Queen Bee and the inhabitants of the Sand Kingdom. Tostians, Moe-Eyes, and other creatures from across the Mario universe pop up on screen as the film jumps between Kingdoms and Galaxies. It's nice that the Queen Bee gets her own prominent voice and moment, but with so many references and power-ups, it feels like a missed opportunity not to include Bee Mario as well. The Whittle (from the Tall Trunk Galaxy) are also part of this wider set of cameos.

Power-up fireworks. Mushroom, fire flower, star... Fireworks have accompanied the Mushroom Kingdom's celebrations since the first game 40 years ago, but in more than one title (for example, Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario RPG, and Super Mario 3D World) they appeared in the form of power-up items. This reference is very much present at Peach's birthday party in this game. By the way, don't miss our TOP: The best fireworks in video games.

Doc Louis and Little Mac. The trainer and the rising boxing star from Punch-Out!! (who had already appeared in a background photo in the Brooklyn pizzeria in the first film) can be spotted training on the streets of New York during Yoshi's memory sequence.

Kirby. More of a very well-hidden reference than a full cameo. When the Lumas are causing chaos in Rosalina's absence at the Comet Observatory (just before Luigi's distress call from the Arwing) a pink Luma floats across the screen in a way that looks exactly like Kirby. Blink and you'll miss it.

The Poltergust 5000 and Professor E. Gadd's inventions. It makes sense considering Bowser Jr. wields the inventor's magic paintbrush throughout the film. When he unveils his arsenal, before opting for a modified Super Scope to turn Mario and Luigi into babies, you can spot several familiar gadgets, including the Poltergust 5000 from Luigi's Mansion 2 and the F.L.U.D.D. backpack from Super Mario Sunshine.

Don't miss: The Galaxy film is limited to the Excitebike that Mario and Luigi are playing in their room and little else, so you can look back at All the 8-bit games that appear in Super Mario Bros. The Movie

The main absentees in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

Donkey Kong. He's a myth, a legend, the one who started it all. But he doesn't appear. Even the Lumas revere him and imitate him, but he's vanished. Well, he has a tiny cameo in the memories of Yoshi the tourist, but nothing more. He's surely busy 'filming' his own movie, but the void left by his beastly personality is all too noticeable.

Toadette. If she was already the second most wanted three years ago, she couldn't occupy any other spot this time round. We keep seeing Toads of all styles, ages and colours, but no sign of ~~the best Mario Kart racer~~ the beloved pink mushroom with two pigtails.

Wario and Waluigi. There was a hint, but it was a red herring. The plot hasn't touched on the antics of these two, although the Casino setting could have had a whiff of Waluigi and his pinball, and Wart could easily have hired the greedy Wario. It will be interesting to see them as different antagonists in the future.

The extra life power-up (1-UP mushroom). We expect it to bring back someone dead we didn't know had eaten one in future films. Care to bet? On this occasion, its unmistakable sound is only heard right before the movie starts, after the Minions hammer out the Donkey Kong tune, alongside the Nintendo logo (from 39 to 40 lives for Super Mario).

Chalres Martinet. So, you give two roles (Giuseppe and Mario's father) to the most legendary voice of the plumber in the first film and not a single moment in the second? And who used to say "Super Mario Galaxyyyy yahoo" in your house? It's a shame that the very best cameo three years ago has to end up in this other top list this time.

The Koopalings. An understandable absence, given that Bowser Jr. takes on the main antagonistic role in this sequel, but it's still surprising that, two films in, none of Bowser's classic seven ~~alternative offspring~~ minions have appeared in the cinematic universe. Long-time fans are still waiting to see Iggy, Larry, Lemmy, Ludwig, Morton Jr., Roy, and Wendy make their debut. Maybe third time's the charm.

What were your favourite cameos and what elements did you miss after watching The Super Mario Galaxy Movie? Leave a comment.

Screen Time - April 2026

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 09:00:00 +0200

Spring has well and truly sprung and while you might be expecting to start braving the big bad world and spending more and more time outdoors, the major slate of movies and TV series making their arrival in cinemas and on streaming services will do their best to convince you otherwise. This April is chock-full of unmissable films and TV, and as usual we've gathered the cream of the crop for this month's episode of Screen Time.

As always, we've based our choices on a UK release calendar, so be sure to check locally for accurate information and listings.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie - April 1

Kicking off the episode is what could be one of the year's biggest films. Following the stellar effort of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Illumination and Nintendo are back for a cosmic sequel that will take the charismatic cast into the stars for a galactic adventure. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie looks to leave behind the Mushroom Kingdom while introducing a ton of other legendary characters from the wider Mario world, ultimately delivering an adventure that video game fans won't want to miss.

The Drama - April 3

Robert Pattinson and Zendaya are two of the biggest film stars in the world currently, so naturally seeing the pair team-up for an A24-produced flick is worth spotlighting. The Drama follows a happily engaged couple whose wedding week falls apart when a dark secret is revealed and their relationship is truly put to the test...

Fuze - April 3

Looking for more straightforward action? If so, Fuze is where you should direct your attention. This is a flick that sees how a crack-team of criminals complete a legendary heist all by using an unexploded World War II bomb as a decoy. With Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Theo James, Sam Worthington, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw in the cast, expect a rather star-studded flick.

Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord [Disney+] - April 6

Your favourite Sith Lord turned crime boss is returning this April for his own dedicated spinoff animated Star Wars series. Maul - Shadow Lord explores the events of Darth Maul's life after the Clone Wars and sees how he goes about rebuilding his criminal empire on a planet that has yet to feel the grip and oppressing strain of the Empire.

The Boys: Season 5 [Prime Video] - April 8

It all comes down to this. After four seasons of jaw-dropping violence, it's finally time for The Boys to reach its conclusion, all in the form of a dedicated last chapter that sees Billy Butcher and his gang taking the fight to Homelander and Vought for what will no doubt be a bloody, twisted, and somewhat hilarious finale.

Ready or Not 2: Here I Come - April 10

Samara Weaving just can't seem to catch a break. After surviving the brutal events of Ready or Not, now the actress is back on the run as Grace, in a dedicated sequel that sees her hunted by four rival families that are competing for a now vacant throne. Can she and her sister, portrayed by Kathryn Newton, live to tell the tale?

Outcome [Apple TV] - April 10

There are a few key reasons to dedicate some time to Apple TV this month and one example is to see the latest directorial effort from Jonah Hill. The iconic comedy actor is back in the director's seat (and in front of the camera) for the flick known as Outcome, a project that follows Keanu Reeves' Reef Hawk, a former Hollywood star that is attempting to return to the limelight after five years away dealing with a crippling and secretive drug addiction.

Undertone - April 10

A24 has a busy April ahead, as next up is another unmissable horror project from the production company. Undertone is a thrilling and unsettling story about a podcast host who unexpectedly welcomes something darker and more twisted into her life while listening to horrifying recordings as part of her ongoing murder-mystery series.

Euphoria: Season 3 [HBO Max] - April 13

We've had to wait longer than expected but finally Euphoria is returning to TV screens this April for the third chapter of the wider story. This drama series moves away from the high-school chaos to depict the cast as young adults dealing with all of the strains and pressures that this age period brings, with Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney, Hunter Schafer, Jacob Elordi, and more returning for this next round of episodes.

Margo's Got Money Troubles: Season 1 [Apple TV] - April 15

One of the other major Apple TV additions this April is the new comedy-drama series Margo's Got Money Troubles. This series puts Elle Fanning in the lead role and sees her portraying a young mother who in a bid to deal with growing financial strain turns to OnlyFans, using advice from her estranged pro wrestling father to help make the most out of the platform.

Beef: Season 2 [Netflix] - April 16

As usual, Netflix has a few hits worth spotlighting in April, and one such example is the return of the comedy series Beef. Moving away from Steven Yeun and Ali Wong's war, this second season revolves around Charles Melton and Cailee Spaeny's young couple as they overcome witnessing an unsettling fight between Oscar Isaac and Carey Mulligan's husband and wife pairing.

Lee Cronin's The Mummy - April 17

Yet another flick for the horror freaks out there. Evil Dead Rise's Lee Cronin is back in the director's seat for another gruesome and twisted effort that revolves around a long-lost daughter who returns as something else... Lee Cronin's The Mummy is a tale that delves into the mythos of mummification and sees how a family is haunted by what was once their beautiful daughter.

Stranger Things: Tales from '85 [Netflix] - April 23

The main Stranger Things story may have reached its conclusion but there are still reasons to return to Hawkins for more supernatural and unusual adventures. One such example is in the animated series Stranger Things: Tales from '85, a more isolated adventure that witnesses how Eleven and the gang dealt with a paranormal mystery threatening the town in the winter of 1985 when they were much younger.

Michael - April 24

You know the man, you know his music, but do you really know his story? If the jury is still out on the latter point then you won't want to miss Michael, Antoine Fuqua's docu-drama that delves into the life of Michael Jackson and looks to chronicle how a talented young musician rose to become the King of Pop and soon dealt with all of the complications that global stardom brings.

Apex [Netflix] - April 24

The penultimate Netflix project that we're going to spotlight this April is Apex, an action-thriller that follows Charlize Theron's adrenaline junkie character Sasha, who during an effort to conquer a brutal river finds herself fighting for survival beyond more than what nature can offer up. With Taron Egerton and Eric Bana in the cast, expect a movie that truly embodies the hunt or be hunted mantra.

Man on Fire: Season 1 [Netflix] - April 30

The last Netflix production and final Screen Time entry for April sees Yahya Abdul-Mateen II starring in a new adaptation of the Man on Fire story. Based on a novel that also served as the inspiration for the 2004 Denzel Washington movie, Man on Fire follows a former mercenary who embarks on a revenge quest while simultaneously protecting the daughter of a dead colleague.

Another whopper indeed. As always, you can join us in a month's time to see what May 2026 has to offer for cinemagoers and streaming service users.

Games To Look For - April 2026

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0200

It's been a start to the year to remember, as we've been treated to a ton of exciting and major game launches ever since the New Year rolled around. To this end, April isn't slowing down for one second, as we're heading into perhaps the best month of 2026 so far. Yep, it's going to be a good one, so let's waste no more time and commence this month's Games To Look For.

Darwin's Paradox (PC, PS5, Xbox Series, Switch 2) - April 2

To begin with, we have an action-adventure game featuring an adorable octopus protagonist. Darwin's Paradox from ZDT Studio is a challenging and stealth-focused video game where players must guide a small seaborne creature back to the safety of the ocean, avoiding industrial hazards and vicious predators along the way. With a 2D and side-scrolling format, expect creative platforming and nail-biting tension in this promising indie.

The Occultist (PC, PS5, Xbox Series) - April 8

Next up, we have a very different type of game, as Daloar's The Occultist is a first-person narrative thriller that follows a paranormal investigator who travels to an abandoned British island in a bid to discover the truth behind his father's disappearance. Naturally, or rather supernaturally, there's much more to this island than one might otherwise think, leading to an adventure that is dark, twisted, and unsettling.

Samson (PC) - April 8

The folks over at Liquid Swords are ready to debut their first project, as this April will see Samson making its arrival. This is a hard-hitting and dark story that follows one man as he attempts to put together enough cash to pay off some dangerous individuals who are holding his sister hostage. This leads to all kinds of chaos across an urban world where the best solution is for Samson to go through anything in his way.

Replaced (PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series) - April 14

We've been treated to a few exciting indies and AA adventures already and now we're going one step further to spotlight Replaced. Coming from Sad Cat Studios, Replaced is a 2.5D action platformer that follows an AI trapped in a human body, who is attempting to escape a catastrophic and twisted city where lives are traded like currency. Set in an alternate 1980s America, expect neon-lit alleys, industrial wastelands, and a moody cyberpunk atmosphere.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire (PC, PS5, Xbox Series, Switch 2) - April 16

Enjoying this AAA-less April so far? Good news, now it's time for Fumi Games to steal the spotlight, as Mouse: P.I. For Hire is the next on our list. The stunning rubber hose animated black-and-white action shooter is almost here, bringing bombastic combat, an old-timey soundtrack, and a confounding case to crack, making for yet another unmissable indie this April.

Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss (PC, PS5, Xbox Series) - April 16

Back to the world of AA development, this time Big Bad Wolf takes the spotlight to present Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss, an atmospheric and dark adventure game that follows a man as he looks to unravel the mysteries of the deep while stuck on a mining station deep in the Pacific abyss. With a Lovecraftian theme, this adventure project will see players facing off with ancient horrors and grappling with what is and isn't actually real.

Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream (Switch, Switch 2) - April 16

We've never done an all-indie or AA month on GTLF and this is where this April's attempt comes to an end, as now it's time for Nintendo to appear and show off the Switch 1 and 2 exclusive, Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream. We may just have had Pokémon Pokopia but clearly Nintendo thinks we need more life-simulation in our lives and this is precisely what we're getting with this Mii-focused adventure.

Pragmata (PC, PS5, Xbox Series, Switch 2) - April 17

Capcom has already had a stellar start to the year with Resident Evil Requiem and it will be hoping that it can replicate even a modicum of that with the upcoming Pragmata. Regarded as the Japanese titan's latest new IP, this action game has a sci-fi-theme and witnesses how a human hero and an android companion look to survive and progress through a lunar research station where all kinds of robotic monsters lurk.

Tides of Tomorrow (PC, PS5, Xbox Series) - April 22

It's time to return to the AA segment for a little while, as Road 96 creator Digixart is stepping up to present Tides of Tomorrow. This is a narrative-heavy adventure game that has a major community focus where the choices you make don't just impact your experience but could also impact others too. Set in a plasticpunk world, the aim will be to become a Tidewalker attempting to survive in a flooded world.

Masters of Albion (PC) - April 22

Love him or hate it, Peter Molyneux is one of the most well-known names in the world of video game development, and this April, the former Lionhead boss and Fable creator is back for what he is regarding as his magnum opus. Masters of Albion is the name of this god game simulation that looks to give players complete divine control over a world where you can build what you want, kill who you want, move what you want, wherever you want.

Kiln (PC, PS5, Xbox Series) - April 23

It's been around six months since Double Fine last made an appearance with the colourful adventure game Keeper and already the Psychonauts developer is back with yet another game. This is a very different beast however, as Kiln is a pottery party brawler, a project where players take on different kinds of pottery and then battle it out in different modes with friends and against a rival team. It all sounds just about as Double Fine as a game can be, doesn't it?

Aphelion (PC, PS5, Xbox Series) - April 28

Still not had your fill of action-adventure games yet this month? Good, as now it's Don't Nod's turn, with the French developer ready to present Aphelion to the world. This is a story that follows a pair of astronauts who have taken on the hugely important mission of exploring and surveying a distant ninth planet at the edge of the solar system, with the hope that the frigid world could serve as a safe haven for humanity looking to escape a dying Earth.

Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series) - April 28

It's almost time for the Hatred saga to reach its conclusion as Diablo IV's Lord of Hatred expansion will be making its arrival at the end of April and looking to see how humanity finally takes the battle to Mephisto, with the fate of Sanctuary on the line. Bringing the Warlock class and the Paladin officially too, this expansion introduces a new region to explore, tons of new activities, reworked features, and tons of loot to hunt too.

Saros (PS5) - April 30

After blowing the world away a few years ago with the excellent Returnal, the Finnish team at Housemarque will be back this April with the anticipated Saros. Also designed as a sci-fi action-adventure game, the idea will be to suit up as a protagonist, portrayed by Rahul Kohli, and then racing headfirst into a world under the shadow of an eclipse in an effort to uncover the land's haunting secrets and to deal with its hostile inhabitants.

Invincible VS (PC, PS5, Xbox Series) - April 30

Lastly, we have yet another tag-battler for the fighting fans out there. Quarter Up has been working with Invincible creator Robert Kirkman to create a gut-wrenching and hard-hitting 2D fighting game that pits teams of heroes and villains against each other across iconic locations and throughout a story that has been built specifically for this project.

Wow, what a whopper. Needless to say, there should be something for everyone this April, but if you are already keeping a keen eye on the horizon, we'll be back to see what May 2026 has in store for video game fans in a few weeks.

Recent trends gaming should leave behind

alex@gamereactor.eu (Alex Hopley) — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 13:00:00 +0200

I'm not going to talk about live-service in this article. I'm not. We all know why a lot of gamers hate it, and yet you see a success like ARC Raiders and you'd be blind not to know why developers and publishers will continue to gamble, dreaming of their 15 million copies sold and their consistent 100k+ player counts. That horse has been beaten to death and while we may see Concord 3 before Grand Theft Auto VI, there are plenty of other trends that have sprung up in gaming in recent years we should let die as well. From bad practise in development to gamers themselves needing to learn how to behave, here are some of the worst trends in games of recent years that we need to leave behind.

Chasing the dragon

Still not going to talk about live-service here, because even though certain publishers' eyes might become dollar signs when they dream of a new hit hero shooter, plenty of games these days are spending countless dollars in marketing telling you how they're like another game that set a precedent for a genre. It's not necessarily a hot take, but I think it's almost embarrassing how many games have been called Soulslikes over the years, proudly showing off the fact they're trying to be like FromSoftware's RPGs, but knowing they're not as good.

This idea of chasing down and trying to emulate the success of a better product rarely works. If recent years in gaming have proven anything, it's that developers work best when they're focusing not on the work of another great studio, but a game they're passionate about. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was inspired by Sekiro, but you don't see it taking on a Japanese setting, adding stealth and a giant ape who throws his own dung at you. Being inspired is fine; it's almost impossible to create something entirely new these days, but the desperate attempts of piggybacking on others' success should come to an end.

Creating difficult bosses without understanding why they work

This extends to a lot of other mechanics as well, but I feel it most urgently when seeing a game that has no business throwing "Mallowbold the Faithless King of Fire and Death and Suffering" at me when I've otherwise had a simple time battering normal enemies. This is less of a complaint about difficulty, because even though I'm growing too old and have too little time to spend hours beating my head against the wall of a boss, I still understand the purpose and reasoning behind creating difficult, enjoyable encounters.

The problem arises with bosses and other mechanics thrown into a game without that purpose. Without the logic that makes you understand why you're getting battered, and makes you want to keep persevering. FromSoftware doesn't always get boss design right, as proven by bosses like Fire Giant and pre-patch Radahn, and so it's odd when I see similar types of fights added in games because developers think players will like them, rather than see them as a storytelling and gameplay device that elevates the experience. Sure, you want things in your game players will like, but you shouldn't make your game a thick porridge of beloved features, as in an effort to impress everyone, you please no one.

Thinking bigger is always better

This was a stronger trend in the 2010s than it is now, but we still see games that show you a massive map, or even an enormous galaxy (Starfield, cough), and say "hey, can't you wait to spend hours getting lost in this bad boy?" Then you ask what's in the world, and they just stare at you like that one frame of Brendan Fraser in The Whale. You don't need 100 hours of gameplay, nor a map that takes 5 of those hours to walk across, to create a great game. Plenty of games do have massive maps, worlds, and stories, giving players the feeling like they get more than their money's worth, but I think if you get excited when you see marketing that is just "map big," you're missing something.

Games are more expensive than ever these days, so it does feel a bit insulting to spend $80 on a ten-hour experience, but at the same time there has to be a middle ground. We're seeing it achieved in places, but I want an industry where it's not about the size of the map, it's about how you use it.

Farming engagement/rage bait

It's a negative world, isn't it? This article is pretty negative, when you think about it. I can withstand looking at bad practises or some maligned marketing in this day and age, though. What I can't stand is the amount of bad faith discourse, misinformation, and refusal to understand the most basic human emotion and thinking in today's gaming climate. From the anti-woke years to the battles constantly fought against writers, influencers, and media, it feels like no one has taken a breath in far too long. Hey, you know that time your favourite game didn't win GOTY? Did you also notice the world didn't actually come crashing down in that moment? I shouldn't patronise, and I won't again, but it does feel like it's easier than ever for people to get riled up over things that really don't matter.

This negativity has spread to developers now, too, where you have some games and studios I won't name marketing themselves on the fact that yes, they are adding boob armour, or medieval women with modern make-up, or any of the things that try and "strike back" against the wider industry. The problem is the industry is so wide now, you really can just play the games you want to play forever and never run out of titles. If the point is to make a statement, rather than make art, then you're just doing what you claim everyone else is doing.

Incredibly lengthy and pointless shows

As a Brit, The Game Awards can be a tough watch. You've got to stay up too late, and increasingly each year is about trying to hype you up for the years to come, rather than celebrating the year that's just gone. We are where we are with it now, but if Mr. Keighley, Mr. PlayStation, Mr. Xbox, or Mr. Nintendo could shave even 10 percent off the shows they do, it might make them a bit more exciting.

That, or do what Xbox has been doing with its Developer Directs. Showing a few developers in detail, so you remember everything you saw. Otherwise, people hop onto a stream, see or don't see the game they want flash by in a flurry of so many games you feel like your memory is being wiped, and then move on, waiting for the next.

Ignoring certain genres because they don't sell

This one feels like it may be going away, thanks to recent successes in some formerly niche genres. It's easy when you look at the overall best-selling game statistics to say people only like shooters, sports games, and Minecraft. You'd be missing out on a large proportion of players who are not only willing to go out and buy a game in a genre they've not seen in years, but will then stick with the developer who brought back their favourite type of game to the mainstream.

Dispatch and Baldur's Gate III are tremendous examples, but the demand for remakes and remasters of old classics should show us that gamers not only want the games they played before, but new titles that can create a similar feeling. Note I said similar, not the same, so as not to counter my first point. The important thing about both of those examples is they built heavily on the genres they were inspired by.

HBO Max has launched in the UK: What to know and expect from the service

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 15:00:00 +0100

How's your bank account looking? How are you finding the endless array of subscription-based services that are available these days? Hopefully you're still hanging on, as now yet another major service has debuted in the UK with this being HBO Max. Fans in Britain will be familiar with much of what this service offers thanks to the connection between HBO and Sky/Now, which remains in place as the new service is accessible through these existing platforms too. The debut does however pave the way for a bunch of shows to make their arrival in the UK either for the first time or in the most accessible way they ever have been.

With this being the case, we've spotlighted a few additions that you may want to check out now that HBO Max has landed on British soil.

The Pitt

Those who enjoy hospital and medical drama series won't want to miss this show, which follows the staff of Pittsburgh's Trauma Medical Centre. Expect chaos and turbulence, as the skilled medical staff work tirelessly around the clock to save lives in an underfunded emergency department.

Rooster

Steve Carrell returns to television comedy is this acclaimed series that follows an author who travels to a college campus to deal with the complicated relationship he has with his daughter. Regarded as witty and well-written, this is perfect for those looking for a more refined comedy series.

Harley Quinn

Much of what DC has put out in recent years has been widely and easily accessible in the UK, but the Harley Quinn animated series is one of the few exceptions. Thankfully, now all five seasons of the show that have been made up until this point are now accessible, meaning you can catch up on Harley and Poison Ivy's hijinks.

Kite Man

A spinoff series based on the Harley Quinn series above. Neither of these shows are parts of the wider DC Universe that is steadily being born, but if you enjoy this world and the quirky characters it offers, you should check this daft series out all the same.

The Comeback

Lisa Kudrow has returned to one of her most popular television roles by picking up the duties of B-list actress Valerie in the comedy series The Comeback. This isn't a new series, as we tend to get a season of this series every decade or so, with the premiere in 2005, Season 2 in 2014, and now Season 3 this year. So if you like the Friends' legends quirky brand of humour, don't miss this.

DTF St. Louis

Jason Bateman, Linda Cardellini, and David Harbour. With three major names like these attached to a TV series we probably don't need to say much else to convince you to check out the project. But if you do, this show is described as a dark comedy that explores a love triangle between adults facing mid-life crises and how one of them soon ends up dead...

Beyond these series that might be worthy of your attention, it should also be remembered that HBO Max is now the sole location for watching TNT Sports coverage, with this including the following:

Premier League (Football)

FA Cup - Men's and Women's (Football)

Champions League (Football)

Europa League (Football)

Conference League (Football)

Serie A (Football)

LIV Golf

Gallagher Premiership (Rugby)

MotoGP

Cycling

FIM Superbike World Championship

Snooker

Cricket

Winter Sports

Similarly, HBO Max is the one-stop shop for streaming premieres for Warner Bros. theatrical offerings, meaning you can watch recent flicks like Sinners, Superman, One Battle After Another, A Minecraft Movie, and more. Many even feature ASL versions, which was previously not available on Sky or Now.

Also, HBO Max will be the sole home of the incoming Harry Potter TV series adaptation, which will be arriving in December and looking to adapt The Philosopher's Stone for this first season. The same then even applies to coming DC Universe television projects, like Lanterns when it premieres later this year.

With all of this in mind, will you be grabbing a HBO Max subscription?

We discuss length, difficulty, AI, and more with Super Meat Boy 3D developer Sluggerfly

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 20:00:00 +0100

The boy is back. Following on from Super Meat Boy Forever back in 2020, it's time for the loveable cube of flesh to headline a video game once more, all in the form of Super Meat Boy 3D. Coming to PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2, with launch looming we've had the chance to speak with CEO and co-founder of developer Sluggerfly, Dominik Plaßmann, to answer some burning questions about the three-dimensional and challenging platformer.

Before we crack on, a big thanks to Plaßmann from Sluggerfly for taking the time to answer our queries.

Gamereactor: How many 'worlds' do you have in store for Super Meat Boy 3D and how long does it typically take to complete the game? Are there reasons for players to return to levels after they have completed them?

Plaßmann: "We have 5 worlds in the game, and each of them also features a more difficult Dark World version of every level. On top of that, each level contains a hidden collectible and a specific time requirement that's needed for 100% completion. Because of that, many players likely won't complete all challenges on their first run. Even after finishing everything, it can still be very rewarding to improve your completion times. With the move to 3D, there are also a lot of shortcuts and skips to discover, which makes replaying levels especially interesting for players who enjoy optimizing their routes."

Gamereactor: Fans love speedrunning Super Meat Boy games, so how fast have you seen the game be beaten so far and how fast do you think it can be beaten by the real experts out there?

Plaßmann: "To be honest, we don't want to spoil any specific times just yet. We've become quite skilled at the game ourselves, and some of our testers have also spent a lot of time with it, so we have a rough idea of what to expect-at least before players start completely breaking the levels :D. A fast playthrough is definitely possible, but going for a full 100% completion speedrun will take significantly longer and require real dedication."

Gamereactor: Super Meat Boy games are notoriously designed to be challenging to beat, so how does this fit into your philosophy on difficulty and design? Do you take into consideration more casual players at all, or is Super Meat Boy 3D made, fittingly, for those who like a challenge predominantly?

Plaßmann: "From the very beginning, we knew the game wouldn't be for everyone, and that's okay. Challenge is a core part of what defines Super Meat Boy, and it was very important for us to preserve that identity. That said, we still aim to strike a balance by making the early levels approachable for most players. As the game progresses, the difficulty definitely ramps up. However, most players should still be able to complete a full playthrough and reach the final boss, since the toughest challenges are optional and not required to see the ending."

Gamereactor: How does going fully 3D fundamentally change how you approach making a Super Meat Boy game? For those who have only experienced Super Meat Boy in two dimensions, how will this evolution reset the expectation paradigm?

Plaßmann: "The core approach hasn't really changed. At its heart, it's still a game about precise, fast-paced movement, frequent deaths, and instant respawns. What the third dimension adds is a new layer of complexity to traversal. We had to rethink level design quite a bit, especially with a fixed camera angle, to ensure everything feels right. But overall, we strongly believe that the classic Super Meat Boy feeling is still very much intact."

Gamereactor: What is your stance on using AI in game development?

Plaßmann: "We see AI as a tool that can be useful in certain areas, but not something that should be used across the board. For example, we wouldn't include AI-generated assets in our games."

Gamereactor: With launch planned for a variety of platforms, will there be any form of cross-save/cross-progression supported for the game?

Plaßmann: "This is not planned at the moment."

Gamereactor: What's one part of Super Meat Boy 3D that you think more people should be talking about?

Plaßmann: "To be honest, most of the key aspects of the game are already being discussed, which shows that players really understand what Super Meat Boy is all about. From our perspective as developers, the historical importance of Super Meat Boy as one of the indie titles that helped shape and establish the indie scene is something we're very aware of, but it's naturally something that carries more weight for us than it does for most players."

Once again, thanks to Plaßmann for taking the time to answer our questions. You will be able to play Super Meat Boy 3D on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Switch 2 soon.

Opinion: The Crimson Crossroads - One of the most confusing and bizarre AAA releases in video games history

alberto@gamereactor.eu (Alberto Garrido) — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 15:00:00 +0100

Crimson Desert, one of the most eagerly anticipated games in recent years, is finally here. On 19 March at 23:00 CET, at a rather unusual time that was mandatory across all platforms, Pearl Abyss finally opened the doors to its vast open world of Pywel, allowing players to explore it as Kliff, the main protagonist. However, by the time that hour arrived, the first reviews from the press and critics had already been published for a full day, including mine, and they were already showing that this wasn't the title that was going to change everything within the genre. Or at least, that's how it seemed five days ago, at the time of writing.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Now that all embargoes and commitments have expired, allow me to talk a little about the game review process. Without going into too much detail, I can tell you that I had just under two weeks to play the game for my review. It was going to be a couple of days longer, but a pre-launch patch to the press build (the first of several) forced me to delete my save files and start from scratch. Despite this setback, the review period would be sufficient and comfortable for most games... but totally insufficient for the scale of this one. Furthermore, being the first to set foot in a new world—and one in which there is barely any context to understand its mysteries or what is required of you to progress—was a rather demanding process, both in terms of time and patience.

You might be interested: Crimson Desert: Tips and Tricks to Start Your Journey in Pywel

Fortunately, all of us European testers were in contact with one another and with members of Pearl Abyss via a private channel, where we highlighted both the game's most pressing issues and offered advice on how to keep progressing and complete the story. I must say that this channel, as well as being a meeting point for players involved in the review process, also served as a testing ground for many of the adjustments that are coming (and will come) to the game. Rather than critics, we were testers of the game, and that is why I believe that now, five days later, most of the launch reviews of the game, including mine, have become obsolete.

With issues resolved regarding controls, interaction with objects, balance in boss fights, a redesign of the storage system and a massive expansion of the character's inventory (for me, the main improvement to the experience), and the addition of a host of fast-travel points, the current experience is diametrically different from what we saw during the review process. And all these issues have been patched over the course of three updates during the game's first weekend. Incredible... and very strange.

What makes me turn up my nose at these—mind you, major and more than welcome changes—is how they could have been implemented so quickly into the game without assessing whether that actually affected the overall experience. It's as if Pearl Abyss had said: "Right, we agree with all the criticism, with all the feedback; we'll give you everything you want straight away." Had nobody realised this before? Doesn't that suggest a certain lack of direction in the game? Because if you start adding teleportation points where there weren't any before, much of that exploration—which was one of the game's mainstays before launch—gets blurred. For example, at the Goldleaf Merchant Guild camp there are two Abyss Nexus separated by 200 steps. It's a hasty and clumsy addition.

The issue of a lack of direction, incidentally, is also something that has come to public attention recently, following an alleged leak of conversations and comments from current and former members of the Crimson Desert development team in which they spoke of a development culture of 'positive toxicity', where no one pointed out the lack of direction or the structural problems the game was accumulating. This, with no official confirmation as yet (and the post removed from Reddit), would be supported by the obvious lack of coherence in the game's story, one of its weakest points, because it was supposedly added at the last minute. It could also be linked to the lack of a work plan, having had to carry out a quick damage control exercise after assets created by GenAI were discovered in the game, but I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt in this case and assume it was a drop in the ocean that is their gigantic open world.

I'm not complaining that Pearl Abyss has moved so quickly as to render all the Crimson Desert launch reviews obsolete, which is what has happened. On the contrary, I welcome the fact that they have reacted (so) quickly and addressed the issues that were most pressing for the game's growing community, which now exceeds three million players.

Is it now a GOTY contender? In my opinion, no. It's a better experience, no doubt, but not a better video game. It's now much less harsh on new players, and the difficulty curve has been noticeably smoothed out, but it still suffers from too much of a disconnect between its various parts.

And now comes my final thought, which is why I've titled this article 'The Crimson Crossroads'. Part of me is glad that direct feedback has reached the developers' desks so quickly. In the current climate, it's a unique case of a positive reaction, and perhaps that's why I'm staying to see where Kliff is heading in this ever-changing Pywel. But I also have some concerns, because if this game - which is now going to great lengths to please fans, releasing patches almost daily with gameplay changes, and seeing its sales skyrocket - really does reach the threshold of success... How will it affect the future development of single-player titles in the same genre? Will other teams with smaller, or even similar, budgets follow its roadmap for their own titles? I suppose that soon, perhaps once the financial quarter is over and the dust has settled, we'll see if this could be a model to replicate in the future.

Saturday Night Live UK: A lot to improve but it's a welcome addition to late-night television all the same

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 14:00:00 +0100

While I wouldn't be and haven't been prejudicially critical during any reporting I have done about Saturday Night Live's attempt to crack into the British comedy scene with its SNL UK effort, outside of news reporting I have been very, very sceptical about this effort. In fact, I'd go as far as saying that I wasn't at all confident it would be a success.

The reason for this belief is simply that there's a rather large chasm between British and American humour, particularly stand-up and sketch comedy. We Brits don't have the same love for the more eccentric, lively, and somewhat childish sketch comedy that shows like SNL thrive off in the American market. Likewise, and probably somewhat down to the superiority complex attached to British culture, we like humour that is more intellectual and witty, even drier, which is likely a key reason why there is a significant difference between the first and latter seasons of the American version of The Office.

I won't say that one style of humour is better than the other, just that there is a clear split in what British and American fans enjoy. It's with this in mind that I never saw SNL UK being a success. I've seen the US version of SNL many times before and while there are moments that stand out, a lot doesn't connect with my style of comedy. And yet here is Sky and SNL creator Lorne Michaels trying to tell everyone that this will work and that we should tune in for a fun and hilarious 75-minutes of television. Sure...

But here's the other thing that British TV audiences probably forget; late-night television is currently frankly abysmal. The bar for SNL UK to be even somewhat of a success is the lowest it has ever been. We're not talking about a scene where olden goldies like Only Fools and Horses and Fawlty Towers are in their prime, nor even a period where modern hits like The Thick of It, The IT Crowd, or Peep Show demand the attention of viewers. SNL UK is competing against tired and dismal so-called 'comedy' shows like Mrs. Brown's Boys, whatever talk, game, or reality show that Romesh Ranganathan or Rob Beckett hosts, or repeats of established icons. If there was ever a time for SNL to come to the UK, a time where we desperately need appointment-viewing late-night television comedy, this is it. And do you know what, despite all of my hesitancy and prejudice, I'm glad SNL UK has arrived.

I won't tell you that the first show was a rip-roaring success, as it wasn't, but there is definitely potential here that can be explored further. The cast that has been assembled has qualities that they can lean upon, the way that the British watershed is structured (not tied to a time-zone three hours behind like in the United States) means it can be even more mature and crude, and a focus on having a UK-style and not being an American translation of the SNL format all work in its favour. We got to see brutally honest political jabs, some excellent parodies and performances, and a stand-out Weekend Update where Paddy Young and Ania Magliano thrived and delivered jokes that genuinely make you laugh out loud. It's no surprise that this more stand-up-like portion was the headline of the show, as it's perhaps the area of SNL US that connects with a non-American audience the best.

Likewise, Tina Fey was a remarkable choice as a first guest host. Sure, it would have been lovely to have a big-name British star to cut the metaphorical ribbon, but as Fey mentioned in her hilarious and honest monologue, "none of you fuckers would do it." Fey brought experience and class and handled the task at hand brilliantly, continuing to prove just how effective she can be at comedy, regardless of region. Oh, and following this monologue up with a nonce-based sketch is a sure-fire way to get British comedy fans on-board, so credit to whoever made that decision too.

But again, it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows and for every excellent choice and sketch was an equally poor one. Most every other sketch left a rather unsatisfied taste in one's mouth, be it the cowardly Keir Starmer, David Attenborough's Last Supper, the slutty-little chain Hamnet spoof, the hit-piece on Paddington Bear, and so forth. Many of these had great elements and funny jokes, but they lasted too long, became dragged out, and simply came across as tired and a bit boring. If anything, the show might benefit from being 15 minutes shorter and having sketches that are tighter and more effectively put together.

Also, let's not forget about the musical performance... If Fey was a top choice for an inaugural host, Wet Leg was far from the case for the musical guest, giving a performance that lacked punch and a memorable nature that this first show truly needed to possess. All the performance had me thinking was "boy, she sure does like crawling on the floor a lot..."

The signature cameos did at least land and connect with fans, bringing on newer and upcoming talent like Nicola Coughlan and Rege-Jean Page and matching these up with global superstars like Michael Cera and British icons like Graham Norton.

So there is much to improve without question, but I'm actually eager for more, as I'd rather SNL UK than most every other tired and dismal show that currently fills the "late-night" window on Saturday evenings. Granted, so long as SNL UK continues to be its own thing and if anything leans further into this. If SNL UK can be a fraction of what Mitchell and Webb, Armstrong and Miller, Fry and Laurie, the list goes on, can be, then it will be a welcome staple of late-night entertainment on British soil.

Lego The Legend of Zelda 77093 Ocarina of Time - The Final Battle

conny@gamereactor.eu (Conny Andersson) — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 12:00:00 +0100

I'll be honest right from the start and say straight away that neither of the two Lego sets from the Zelda games that have been released have particularly impressed me personally or made me reach for my wallet straight away. Which, of course, is a real shame. Since the Zelda franchise is my absolute favourite game series, one might naturally assume I'd jump at the chance to build both of these sets that have been released. But that hasn't been the case. Thankfully, I'm lucky enough to be able to review Lego - and in the end, there were thankfully still plenty of details about this set that I liked, and the building process itself was fun, as is usually the case with Lego.

The construction begins with the small platform on which the scene will take place.

One of them might be a bit on the small side; but minifigures of Link, Zelda and Ganondorf are absolutely lovely. So, we'll start with these three, and I really do like them. The printing is lovely, the details are fantastic, and they alone make a great addition to any Lego fan's collection. Now, three minifigures alone don't make the price tag worth it - but then this set, as the name suggests, recreates the final battle from the fantastic Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and that in itself is actually really, really cool. A classic scene that makes for a stylish display when, once built, it finally ends up on the bookshelf.

This set comprises 1,003 pieces. Eight bags, half of which are for building the base itself and what sits on it, whilst the other half are for building the boar-like monster we know as Ganon. There isn't actually much going on in terms of detail on the base. You build the base, place a half-ruined tower that also acts as a mount for the transparent holders allowing Link and Navi to float in the air.

Three (or rather four, including Navi) lovely minifigures

Otherwise, the set consists of a few other small castle ruins where you can place the Zelda minifigure, and a ruin with a little feature where you can hide and conjure up Ganondorf. Personally, though, I placed him right at the front of the base as I wanted him to be visible. A small stand with a Triforce at the front is also put together, and a few flames at the back are among the decorations. Overall, it's quite sparse, even though the scene itself is quite effective.

Because, after all, it's that monster called Ganon who is the main attraction here. After all, he makes up half the bags and takes up almost half the space on the display itself. It was actually him I was most unsure about beforehand - but I must say that the articulated joints in his legs, arms and head - as well as the massive swords - create a dramatic scene when he's put in place. It actually looks quite cool as a 'snapshot' from the game - which ultimately means that, as a display model on the bookshelf, it also makes for a stylish addition to the space.

The finished product looks great on display on the shelf.

The actual building process itself involves a fair bit of fiddly work. There aren't many large pieces here, apart from a few for the base and some 'bricks' for the ruined tower. Otherwise, it's all very small. There aren't any particular technical difficulties, just a lot of tiny pieces overall. However, there aren't any particularly repetitive steps here, except perhaps the flames arranged in a row on the background - but even those aren't particularly numerous or repetitive to put in place. Something else worth mentioning is that there are no stickers at all in this set, which is always (always!) a plus.

What I find the most disappointing about the build is probably the fact that it feels a bit flat and low. It would simply have been nice to have a bit of height to it. A tower with stairs leading up, or a few columns to create height and make it a bit more dramatic and impressive. At the same time, Lego is always about a compromise between price and the number of pieces, and expanding the base itself or its contents would automatically mean a significantly higher price tag. But sure, it's mainly the base that I think could have been a bit more exciting here.

There's going to be plenty of Nintendo Lego, and I really hope there'll be more in the future.

All things considered, I'm still quite happy with it when I put it alongside all my other Nintendo Lego sets. If I were a lot younger, I'd probably even think this was quite a fun 'play' set, as you can create cool scenes with the minifigures. So, even though I wasn't particularly impressed or felt any immediate urge to buy it when I first saw it at the reveal, it's a bit like how I felt with my latest Lego review of Fylke - it's simply nicer in real life than I thought it would be from the photos beforehand. As for the actual building process, I don't have any direct negative complaints either. It doesn't qualify as a favourite in terms of either appearance or how much fun it was to put together - but it is, after all, Lego, and it's always one of the most fun things in the world to tinker with.

Taking stock of 2026: Looking back at the best-rated games so far

magnus@gamereactor.eu (Magnus Groth-Andersen) — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 09:00:00 +0100

We're well aware that it's a bit early to be talking about Game of the Year at the end of March. But rather than diving in headfirst, there's perhaps a certain elegance in taking stock as we go along.

That is exactly what we want to do here, whilst also highlighting the games that have performed best on Gamereactor so far. Below you will find a selection - mostly the concluding paragraphs of the relevant reviews - of the games we consider our favourites right now.

The field will naturally shift as the year progresses - indeed, we're betting on it - but the question is whether we can already identify some games we'll be talking about by the end of November, when the more critical discussions are set to kick off.

So let's hear it: which game is your favourite of 2026 so far?

Resident Evil Requiem

Score: 9/10

Excerpt from the review:

"Regardless of where you stand on this spectrum, regardless of how picky you can be about the Resident Evil formula, it's very, very clear that Resident Evil Requiem is a brilliant and memorable horror game, a well put together latest chapter that will have fans eager for whatever Capcom has in store for the next adventure. It's only February and we already have a couple of excellent horror games to appreciate, and with Capcom's latest offering, there's a very high chance that we'll be talking about Grace and Leon's adventure once more later this year when the awards cycle begins, as this is a wonderful title and one that you shouldn't and cannot miss. Bravo, Capcom, bravo."

Pokémon Pokopia

Score: 9/10

Excerpt from the review:

"Overall, I have had a very pleasant time in Pokopia, which never ceases to feed me with new things to do. Pokémon's living conditions must be improved, items must be built, and properties must be planned. We've probably all experienced the kind of game where you repeat the mantra "I'll just do this too" over and over again until you finally look up and realise that it's five in the morning and you haven't slept a wink. That's my experience of Pokopia in a nutshell, and I already feel the urge to dive back in. If Nintendo continues to experiment with Pokémon in this way, the future of the brand looks very bright!"

Reanimal

Score: 9/10

Excerpt from the review:

"It's wonderful while it's happening, and fortunately the experience stayed with me as I continued to ponder the symbolism and how it all fit together in the days after reaching the end. I now have a clear theory, and I look forward to talking to you all about both the details and the big picture when you get to play Tarsier's latest game. And all of you with even the slightest love for Little Nightmares, cinematic platformers, or just horror in general should do so, because Reanimal is already a contender for the best horror game of 2026. And it even made me laugh like an idiot."

Mio: Memories in Orbit

Score: 9/10

Excerpt from the review:

"If you want to experience a Metroidvania with a slightly more forgiving difficulty level, without being easy in any way, then I highly recommend checking out Mio: Memories of Orbit. The game is sold at a very reasonable price of £15 and will also be available on Game Pass on the day of release, so it's hard to find an excuse not to give this game a chance."

World of Warcraft: Midnight

Score: 9/10

Excerpt from the review:

"So overall, Midnight is a very solid expansion. Levelling remains exciting, gear acquisition feels less tedious, and Blizzard clearly understands what makes the game work. It's World of Warcraft at near its finest once again."

Cairn

Score: 8/10

Excerpt from the review:

"I enjoyed my time with Cairn, I really did. I wish Aava had exposed her character a little more, though. Returning to the way the game positions her, there is a lot of talk about her, and although this is subtle and understated, it could have been beneficial for her to reveal a little more of herself. That said, she is not exactly a superficial character, and Cairn is not a forgettable story about personal pride, toxic ambition, and the ability to identify bad motives in oneself and others."

Romeo is a Dead Man

Score: 8/10

Excerpt from the review:

"If, like me, you are inexplicably drawn to Goichi "Suda51" Suda's crazy brain, then you should definitely play Romeo is a Dead Man, because there is simply nothing else like it when it comes to the overall gaming experience. The game can be completed in 12-15 hours, depending on how thorough you are and what difficulty level you play on. Romeo is a Dead Man is probably a good place to start if you want to get a taste of this man's twisted world - not because it isn't crazy and absurd, because it is - but because it's the most digestible and well-functioning game he has created."

Mewgenics

Score: 8/10

Excerpt from the review:

"The literal name of the game - aside from the pun of questionable taste - comes from breeding cats. This comes with cartoony but explicit animations, which can be turned off from the Settings menu. You can try to affect who makes out with whom, but the end-result is always a game of chance. If everything goes well, the kitten inherits their parents' best qualities and can therefore beat tougher opponents. This is one of the more innovative parts of the unusual game that elsewhere can feel a bit samey and traditional, even if the amount of content matches the affordable price tag well."

Docked

Score: 8/10

Excerpt from the review:

"In first person, everything becomes much more challenging, but also more realistic, of course, but I must admit that I prefer to see the machines from different perspectives from the outside. Above all, it's the feeling of having fun when I sit in the cab of a machine that is the most important thing here. Docked may essentially be all about moving heavy things, but it does so brilliantly, and sitting behind a joystick on any of the machines is, as we know from an old internet legend, what gives you power. So, I find it difficult to see how this type of simulator could be made in a more entertaining way than Docked actually manages to do. Despite the fact that there are some undeveloped parts and that it suffers somewhat from the fact that their previous title, Roadcraft, is better in almost every respect. If you liked previous games from the developer, this is definitely something you should check out."

Crimson Desert

Score: 8/10

Excerpt from the review:

"Too many loose ends that don't ruin the experience or make me want to stop playing, but they certainly don't elevate it to a contender for Game of the Year. Crimson Desert can be a place where you can lose yourself for months as a player, but don't expect all those hours to be spent on an enriching adventure in a world that, I repeat, is wonderful. I can overlook certain technical issues given the scale of the project and because they may be fixed with a patch, but there are simply too many design conflicts across all the systems operating simultaneously for me to call it a 'masterpiece'. If you can simply live with that and enjoy the journey, even without necessarily understanding where it leads, then this open world is worth a try."

Esoteric Ebb

Score: 9/10

Excerpt from the review:

"I still loved playing as The Cleric, and tearing through Tolstad with my favourite finely dressed goblin at my side. Esoteric Ebb is simply a lovely RPG that puts player agency front and centre. Its world is fantastically immersive, deep, and invites you to stay a while with charming visuals, characters, and lore so detailed I'd gladly take another game or two set in this world. If you're looking to roll some dice, fight some skeletons, and try to flirt with every creature with a heartbeat, then you'll have a grand time with Esoteric Ebb. A tabletop player's video game delight."

Talking gaming's greatest octopuses with the art director and gameplay director for Darwin's Paradox!

alex@gamereactor.eu (Alex Hopley) — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 13:00:00 +0100

The modern mascot platforming scene might be taken up by the names of yore. Mario, Kirby, Sonic and the like, but there's always space for a new name, and we'd love for it to be Darwin the octopus. Darwin's Paradox! is heading our way in just a few weeks, and ahead of the game's launch on the 2nd of April, we chatted with art director Mikael "Mika" Tanguy and gameplay director Gilles Aujard from ZDT Studio about Darwin himself, the mechanics of the game, how long it takes to beat, and more. Enjoy!

Q: Darwin's Paradox! feels unlike anything we've seen in gaming in recent years. What drew you to the concept of the adventures of an octopus?

Mika: The idea of an octopus as a protagonist came from a dream I had over a decade ago—an octopus lost in an industrial world, using its natural abilities to survive. Octopuses are fascinating creatures: intelligent, adaptable, and full of personality. They can camouflage, squeeze into tiny spaces, and even solve puzzles— qualities that make them perfect for a game blending stealth, platforming, and storytelling. We wanted to create something fresh, playful, and emotionally engaging, and an octopus gave us the freedom to explore mechanics and themes that felt truly unique.

Gilles: An octopus isn't just a character; it's a gameplay revolution. Its biology allowed us to reimagine stealth and platforming in ways that feel organic and intuitive. Darwin's abilities—like climbing in 360 degrees, using ink defensively, and camouflaging—are all rooted in real octopus behavior, but we amplified them to create something cartoony, fun and surprising. It's rare to find a protagonist that so perfectly dictates the game's design, and Darwin did exactly that.

Q: What can you say about the character of Darwin? What kind of octopus are we controlling in the game?

Mika: Darwin is an Octopoedia ceruleanus—a fictional species we created to reflect his intelligence, adaptability, and charm. He's not your typical hero; he's vulnerable, clever, and full of personality. Visually, he's expressive and cartoonish, but his movements and abilities are grounded in realism. He's a survivor, using his wits and natural talents to navigate a world that's hostile to him. Players will connect with his resilience and humor, which make him feel relatable despite being an octopus!

Gilles: Darwin is a natural superhero. He's not a soldier or a warrior—he's a small, resourceful octopus who thrives by outsmarting his enemies. His abilities feel instinctive, yet they open up creative possibilities for gameplay. Whether he's climbing walls, squirting ink to distract foes, or camouflaging to hide, every action is tied to his character. He's a hero who embodies adaptability, and that's what makes him so fun to play.

Q: In the demo, it was clear Darwin had a lot of powers, such as camouflage. What other abilities can we unlock?

Gilles: Darwin's abilities evolve as players progress. Beyond camouflage, he can use his ink in creative ways—like creating a smoke screen to take cover from enemies, or blind security cameras. His tentacles allow him to climb any surface, squeeze through tight spaces, and even manipulate objects in the environment. We've designed these abilities to feel organic and versatile, so players can experiment and find new solutions to puzzles and stealth challenges. Every skill ties into Darwin's character and the game's themes of adaptability and resilience. We wanted every ability to feel like a natural extension of who Darwin is.

Q: I also noticed a costume Darwin wears is a nod to a certain master of stealth. Are there a lot of costumes for us to equip in the game?

Mika: Yes! The demo featured a special "Sneaky Snake" skin as a fun homage to our collaboration with Metal Gear Solid, and that costume will be available in the full game. Players who preorder the game will also receive two exclusive bonus skins, created as a special thank-you for early supporters. We've also included other costumes that reflect Darwin's personality and the game's humor. These outfits aren't just cosmetic— they're a way to celebrate Darwin's journey and give players a chance to personalize their experience. Expect a mix of playful, nostalgic, and even absurd designs!

Gilles: The costumes are our way of adding a layer of fun and creativity to the game. They're a nod to the genres and characters that inspired us, but they also reflect Darwin's adaptability.

Q: Darwin's Paradox is an adventure that seems perfect for an animated movie, but I hope it runs for longer than an hour and 30 minutes. How long does a playthrough of the game take approximately?

Gilles: A typical playthrough of Darwin's Paradox! will take around 5 to 7 hours, depending on how much time players spend exploring, solving puzzles, and uncovering secrets. The game is designed to be replayable, with hidden areas and collectibles that encourage players to revisit levels. We wanted to create an experience that feels cinematic but offers the depth and challenge of a full-fledged adventure.

Mika: The pacing is carefully crafted to balance tension, exploration, and humor. We've structured the game so that players can take their time to soak in the atmosphere or dive straight into the action. The world is rich with details, and we hope players will want to return to discover everything Darwin's journey has to offer.

Q: We've seen a fair few octopuses in gaming over the years. What do you think makes this animal an interesting choice for a protagonist?

Mika: Octopuses are inherently fascinating—they're intelligent, mysterious, and full of surprises. Their biology lends itself perfectly to gameplay: camouflage, ink defense, agile movement, and problem-solving skills. But beyond mechanics, octopuses have a unique charm. They can be funny, eerie, and endearing all at once, which gives us a lot of room to play with tone and storytelling. Darwin isn't just a character; he's a symbol of resilience and creativity, which makes him stand out in gaming.

Gilles: An octopus protagonist allows us to explore themes of adaptation and survival in a way that feels fresh and organic. Darwin's abilities aren't just tools—they're extensions of his character. Players don't just control a hero; they embody an octopus, with all the fluidity and ingenuity that entails. It's a perspective that's rare in gaming, and it's what makes Darwin's Paradox! so special.

Q: The world seems to have been overtaken by aliens in Darwin's Paradox. Are humans aware of this, and is it up to Darwin to save Earth?

Mika: The aliens in Darwin's Paradox! represent an external threat. Humans in this world are largely unaware of the aliens' true nature, as the invaders operate behind the scenes, manipulating industries and environments. Darwin's journey isn't just about escaping; it's about uncovering the truth and, in his own small way, disrupting the aliens' plans. Though not a conventional hero, his actions significantly impact and challenge the established order.

Gilles: Darwin's role is more about survival than saving the world in a grand sense. His story is personal—he's an outsider fighting to return home, and his struggle mirrors the broader theme of nature's ability to adapt and thrive even in hostile conditions. The game doesn't put the weight of the world on his tentacles, but his journey is a powerful statement about ingenuity and hope.

Q: How does Darwin's Paradox take the classic adventure platformer formula and bring it to the modern era?

Gilles: We took the core elements of classic platformers—precise movement, environmental puzzles, and narrative-driven exploration—and infused them with modern technology and design sensibilities. Darwin's Paradox! uses Unreal Engine to create a world that feels alive, with dynamic lighting, fluid animations, and seamless transitions between gameplay and cinematics. We also put strong emphasis on making the gameplay feel organic and intuitive, with each new environment naturally introducing fresh mechanics throughout the adventure. Every gameplay evolution is carefully woven into the world and narrative, ensuring that new abilities and interactions always feel meaningful, justified, and seamlessly connected to Darwin's journey. The result is a game that honors the past while pushing the genre forward.

Mika: Visually, we blended cartoonish charm with cinematic depth, inspired by classics like Looney Tunes and modern games like Inside and Ori. The 2.5D perspective allows us to control the pacing and storytelling tightly, creating a linear but immersive experience. We also removed traditional UI elements to deepen immersion, so players feel like they're part of Darwin's world rather than just playing a game.

Q: Will Darwin and Steven the Seagull ever get along?

Mika: (laughs) Steven the Seagull is Darwin's nemesis. Their relationship is a mix of rivalry and comic relief. Players will have to see for themselves how their story unfolds!

Gilles: Steven is there to add humor and contrast to Darwin's journey. Their interactions are chaotic, but they're part of what makes the world of Darwin's Paradox! so vibrant. You'll have to play to find out if they ever truly get along—but expect plenty of laughs along the way!

Darwin's Paradox! launches on the 2nd of April for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

Top 10 most stunning Sega Mega Drive covers

marcus@gamereactor.eu (Marcus Persson) — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 09:00:00 +0100

Having covered everything from the Super Nintendo to the PC, the time has finally come for the Mega Drive. No, we certainly haven't forgotten Sega's claim to fame, the black stallion that dominated large swathes of the market in the early 90s and caused Nintendo quite a few headaches, the cool alternative for all the brats who couldn't be bothered with chubby plumbers, ravenous green dinosaurs, or clean-cut mascots.

And that journey began right there on the shop shelf with the game covers. Perhaps the most important component of all, a work of art designed to catch your eye and convince you of the incredible adventures that lay ahead. It was precisely here that Sega managed to create something entirely of its own, with a distinctly tougher, cockier attitude than the Super Nintendo. No, we're talking about covers that really went all out, mixing freely between American comic books, Japanese anime, classic fantasy illustrations, and pure heavy metal aesthetics.

The result were covers that often looked more like film posters or album covers than traditional game boxes. Just look at the shelf in an old toy shop from 1991, which was filled with bare-chested heroes, futuristic spaceships, neon-lit streets, and robots. It was dramatic, colourful, and sometimes the almost ridiculously over-the-top. But that's precisely why it's so memorable. Hand-painted and incredibly iconic, imbued with a completely different feel to the digital, sterile covers we often see today.

No, we're talking about personality and soul here. The Mega Drive covers were so much more than advertising; they were magic, and here are ten of the absolute best-looking ones that debuted, in no particular order. So here we go.

Super Thunder Blade

The cover for Super Thunder Blade is a textbook example of how the Mega Drive could sell pure, unadulterated action through a single image. Here we're thrown straight into a chaotic inferno that screams action film. The parallels with Blue Thunder (the film, that is) are unavoidable. Skyscrapers, explosions, and a dramatic perspective that makes the armoured helicopter look as though it's about to fly right off the cover. What's more, they manage, with almost surgical precision, to actually capture that arcade feel.

Toki Going Ape Spit

The mere fact that the game's title manages to make a joke out of it is enough to pique my interest. But the fact is that Toki also happens to be one of the most colourful and vibrant covers for the console. A jungle filled with monsters and intrigue, winding vines, and everything cast in a certain grotesque sense of joie de vivre. A cover that truly manages the feat of making you stop and think; it arouses curiosity and immediately stands out from most everything else.

Golden Axe

Did someone say epic fantasy? Naturally, Golden Axe belongs on the list of the coolest, most stylish covers for the console and although the sequels are no slouches either, the artwork adorning the very first game is pure perfection. Bulging muscles, gleaming swords, and shapely beauties. It's impossible to look at the cover and not go completely gaga with joy; it could just as easily have been an album cover for Manowar or some other contemporary band.

Truxton

With an extremely intense colour palette and a gigantic enemy ship (or creature?), this tickles my aesthetic nerve quite thoroughly. The strong blue and dark tones against the fiery orange background, laced with flashing laser beams. Yes, I'll take it. An extremely clever and well-balanced composition that would work just as well today as it did back then. It's a cover that not only looks good, but truly creates an explosive energy and genuinely FEELS dangerous.

Alisia Dragoon

Where Golden Axe is epic, Alisia Dragoon is elegant. Far more so than many other Mega Drive game covers, with the titular heroine at the centre and the massive dragon behind her. It's clearly softer and slightly less over-the-top, almost cinematic and dreamlike, with a nod to Japanese anime and manga. It's as powerful as it is stylish all at once. Admittedly, as a young lad I probably wouldn't have picked it up (girl crushes were dangerous back then), but through adult eyes, Alisia Dragoon is a gem of the highest order.

Two Crude Dudes

If any cover captures the over-the-top action aesthetic of the early 90s, it's Two Crude Dudes. In the middle of a bombed-out city stand two massive, muscle-bound heroes, ready to smash anything that moves. Probably the coolest blokes ever, with exactly zero self-awareness or a shred of subtlety, which is also exactly why the cover is so desperately charming. It's a bit like someone took equal parts Mad Max and Les Edwards, threw them in a blender and hit full speed. As a young lad, you'd have been blown away by this. A perfect example of how Mega Drive covers often dared to be outrageously over-the-top, loud, and absolutely bloody brilliant.

Streets of Rage

Another classic of the highest order. Honestly, does it get any more iconic than this on the Mega Drive? Streets of Rage is the essence of everything Sega stood for in the 90s. Emotion, action, passion, and buckets of kicking ass. As much comic book cover as game cover, with two (of the three) heroes - Axel and Blaze - taking on the city's scum, amidst fire, skyscrapers, and neon. For some reason, however, Adam wasn't allowed to be in it.

Quackshot Starring Donald Duck

Amidst swords, monsters, and explosions, Quackshot appears and reminds us that Disney can - and wants to - join in the fun too. But this isn't the usual "boring" Donald here; no, here he is instead a cocky adventurer, entirely in keeping with Sega's attitude, complete with a safari hat and a determined look in his eyes. Move over, Indiana Jones. The cover also manages to strike a balance between child-friendly and stylish. It feels charming without being childish and that's precisely why it still stands as one of the most timeless Mega Drive covers.

Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom

Here we have a cover that I clearly remember catching the eye in the toy catalogues of the time. A lone hero facing a seemingly overwhelming enemy at the top of a staircase that appears to lead up into the starry sky. There is something almost melancholic about the scene, as if it hints at a much greater destiny than just an ordinary adventure, and honestly, it almost resembles the cover of a novel rather than a video game. Memorable and epic, with a wonderful mystique and incredibly well-chosen colours. It's a bonus that the game itself is just ridiculously fantastic.

Street Fighter II: Champion Edition

Granted, the Street Fighter II cover for the Super Nintendo has its charm and is also instantly, ridiculously iconic. But the Mega Drive version is, by Jove, on a whole other level. Sharper, more beautiful, and charged with explosive energy. The artwork clearly leans towards the more Japanese style, and Bison, with his glowing hands in the background, looks wonderfully menacing, just as he should. Honestly, it could very well be the best-looking Street Fighter cover ever; it's that good.

Yes, the Mega Drive library is full of many fantastic covers, and narrowing this down to ten was, in truth, no easy task. So I'd still like to take the opportunity to mention a few of the games that just missed out on the list, which include Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse, Turbo Outrun, Gynoug, and Sonic the Hedgehog 2. And I've no doubt missed at least as many others, so I'll leave it up to you, dear readers, to remind me.

In any case, this reminds us that the Mega Drive wasn't just a fantastic console but was also home to some of the absolute best-looking game covers in history. What do you think?

Which covers did I miss, and which ones would you have liked to see mentioned on the list?

Poppy Playtime Interview: Touching on fan theories, the live-action movie, AI, and what's next with MOB Entertainment

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0100

The story of Poppy Playtime has come to a close. Or has it...? Chapter 5 debuted on PC recently, with the intention to also come to console platforms down the line. With this in mind, we've had the luxury to be able to chat with developer MOB Entertainment, to get a glimpse into what goes on behind-the-scenes in the creation of a Poppy Playtime chapter, and likewise what the future holds for the series.

To this end, we threw some questions at senior director of creative development, George Krstic, where we inquired about the ending of Chapter 5, fan theories, the live-action movie, AI usage, and the ultimate elephant in the room of what's next for Poppy Playtime?

Check out all of this and more in the complete interview below, and if you haven't already, don't miss our dedicated review of the recent Chapter 5 and our handy guide too.

Are you surprised by the continued immense reception to Poppy Playtime by fans around the world?

While I haven't been with Mob from the start, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that the team here is never not surprised by and grateful for the reception from fans with each chapter launch. Even now, five chapters in, you sort of wonder whether that same level of excitement is going to be there, but our fans and community are incredible. And it's not just the amount of players that surprise us — it is the depth of engagement. Theories, lore breakdowns, the fan art, speculation videos, all of it. Since Chapter 1, Mob was just hoping that people would connect with the world of Poppy Playtime and its characters. To see it continue to resonate with players the way it has is incredibly humbling and rewarding.

Poppy Playtime has been a labour of love for years, but was the ending you delivered in Chapter 5 always the planned conclusion, or did you tweak and adjust the narrative as each Chapter arrived?

Chapter 5 sets up for more, but the journey to even get to that point was, yes, certainly a labor of love. Internally, the basis for the ending has been there from the start and we've always revolved around a basic narrative framework for the game. But as it tends to go with most media, whether it's video games, film, or television, the final product is rarely what started on the storyboard. The details change in the telling, so to speak. In that sense, much has evolved. As you build chapters and spend more time with characters, you find richer ways to tell the story.

Were there any fan theories or opinions that changed the overarching narrative you wanted to convey?

We pay attention to the fan theories and speculatory content because they're a sign that people are really invested in the game (and it's fun to see what people get right and wrong!), but ultimately, the narrative per chapter is guided internally based on what the team builds with mechanics, characters, and storyline working hand-in-hand. That said, seeing how fans interpret certain details can influence how we clarify or deepen ideas later.

How did you find constantly having to one-up yourself with the events of each Chapter? Were there any ideas that you conceived but that ultimately didn't become a reality because of how far they pushed the Poppy Playtime experience?

There's definitely pressure to raise the bar each time. In Chapter 5, for example, there were some storylines that sort of climaxed after lots of build-up, and the pressure to get that right and feel like major payoff for the players is intense. Iterating can be a challenge, but our team here at Mob is incredible in how they've achieved such cohesion without feeling repetitive.

In terms of scrapped ideas, we've had some that were maybe too ambitious for the moment, either technically or tonally. Sometimes something is cool in isolation but doesn't serve the story. We're careful about that. Just because we can push further doesn't mean we always should. The experience has to stay cohesive.

Now that the story has come to a close, is there a particular moment that stands out to you, a particular part that you look back on proudly?

Well, Chapter 5 does set up for more, so don't stick a pin in it just yet! But I can certainly say that while there are many moments that stand out to me across the development cycles and proud moments with the team, on a personal level, I fondly look back at my time playing Chapter 1 for the very first time. I'll never forget the particular kind of fear I felt seeing Huggy standing behind me unexpectedly and creating this unnerving sense of impending doom. I mean, he's a toy! You just don't expect those feelings from something so traditionally safe and wholesome. But it set the tone for the entire series, and I remember how that first moment really broke ground for me in terms of understanding what's possible with the premise of a game like this.

When can we expect the console editions to arrive for Chapter 5 and what's the reason behind the console versions taking additional time before launching?

Console development takes a bit more time because of certification processes, optimisation, and making sure the experience feels right on each platform. It's not just a straight port. We want players on console to get the same level of polish and performance as PC players. It's about quality control. We'll share specifics once everything is locked in, but we are still expecting a little bit later this year.

How is development progressing on the Poppy Playtime live-action movie?

We're working closely with our partner Legendary Pictures and will share more as soon as that information is ready.

What's MOB Entertainment's stance on AI?

Our focus has always been on the people behind the work. The creativity, storytelling, and artistic direction that shape our games come from the talented artists, writers, designers, and developers on the Mob team.

Like many studios, we keep an eye on emerging technologies and tools that can support workflows in areas like research or administrative tasks. But when it comes to the creative heart of our games, the characters, the worldbuilding, and the player experience, those decisions remain firmly driven by human creativity and the twisted imaginations of our team.

What's next for the Poppy Playtime universe? Do you have additional ideas to explore, spinoffs you'd like to make a reality, what's the plan?

The world of Poppy Playtime is bigger than a single factory could contain, but right now, we're taking some time to reflect on Chapter 5, celebrate the launch with our community, and really just make sure that whatever comes next feels deliberate. For us, there always needs to be a story worth telling, and not just because there's demand. We care a lot about protecting the integrity of the universe.

Thanks to George and MOB Entertainment for taking the time to answer our questions. As mentioned earlier, you can play all five chapters of Poppy Playtime on PC as of today, with the fifth chapter coming to consoles later this year.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire - Discussing cases, rubber hose, AI, and adaptations with Fumi Games' CEO

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 09:00:00 +0100

We've had to wait a little longer than expected before being able to hop into Mouse: P.I. For Hire, as the anticipated indie shooter from Fumi Games was recently delayed and pushed back a month. This change of plans did provide the space for us to be able to hop into the game and get a first hands-on experience, something we were able to tell you all about in our recent preview.

Building upon that, we also had the luxury to be able to throw a few questions at Fumi Games' CEO and founder Mateusz Michalak, in an interview that you can read in full below, and that touches on the confounding detective narrative, the striking rubber hose animation style, how the developer approaches AI, how it looks at adaptations, and more.

Check it out and don't forget that Mouse: P.I. For Hire now launches on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2 on April 16.

The reception to Mouse: P.I. For Hire has been immense. Has this surprised you at all?

We never could have imagined that Mouse: P.I. For Hire would receive this level of attention. The very first video that we posted about the game onto TikTok blew up out of nowhere, and it was a snowball effect from that moment onwards. Our game has generated over 1.3 million wishlists, we have received tens of millions of views on social media, and we even managed to secure a publishing deal. We cannot thank all of our fans for their incredible support!

There's a mystery at the heart of this game, a case that must be solved. How much agency will the player have in putting the pieces of the puzzle together themselves and figuring out the truth behind each missing persons case?

While there are some instances where you can explore certain levels and approach specific cases in the order you choose, the story in Mouse: P.I. For Hire is still relatively linear. But this doesn't mean that it's not possible for you to draw the wrong conclusions at times! When gathering evidence and clues for each case, you may think you know the answers and exactly how things will end, but there may be a few twists and turns along the way...

The preview build gave us an interesting taste of the overworld and how each level is tied together. Should we expect to need to visit each location, or are some levels/areas reserved for side quests and additional tasks?

Most levels in Mouse: P.I. For Hire are required to be visited at some stage in order to complete the main story - so yes, expect to visit all of them! While there are some additional tasks that can be completed, these are typically done in the levels that you are already visiting, rather than brand new, specific locations.

Was it challenging fitting the rubber hose style to both an FPS video game but also a 3D experience?

It was definitely a challenge to utilise 2D rubber hose sprites in a 3D world space! For instance, in order to show enemies walking through the world, we have to draw and animate the same enemy many times and from different perspectives (i.e. front, front left, front right, side, back, etc). As you also would have seen in gameplay, we have to then "tether" these enemies to the main character, Jack Pepper, so that you are always seeing one plane of the 2D art from a visible perspective. And this just scratches the surface, not to mention all of the challenges when making a game in black and white!

The different visual filters and audio settings seem like a real treat. How important was it to feature these elements and to properly pay homage to the art style and the 1930s aesthetic? Plus, do you have a favourite way to play the game using these filters and audio settings?

These features have been very important to us for a long time. Mouse: P.I. For Hire is inspired by classic cartoons of the 1930s and noir-inspired films, so we wanted to do our best to stay faithful to the era. This is exactly why we have implemented settings like changing the intensity of both film grain and UI diffusion, and also adjusting the degradation of the audio, so that things sound like they are being played on a vinyl record or even through a wax cylinder! For us personally, we like cranking up these effects higher, so that the game really looks and feels like the old cartoons that our grandparents probably would have watched.

The game seems to be much larger than many might expect. So how long will a playthrough of Mouse: P.I. For Hire take, how much time should players be expecting to put aside to see the credits roll?

Expect a single playthrough of Mouse: P.I. For Hire to take anywhere from 12 to upwards of 20 hours to complete. Of course, this will depend on how you play and how much you search through every nook and cranny. The game has lots of secrets and collectibles to find - the really keen-eyed players will get the most out of it!

What is Fumi Games' stance on AI?

Mouse: P.I. For Hire is an entirely hand-crafted game, delivering a unique experience that we hope players will enjoy!

Have you ever thought about other ways to expand the Mouse: P.I. For Hire world, perhaps with an actual animated series? Cuphead led to The Cuphead Show, would you be interested in exploring something similar?

At the moment, we are heavily focused on Mouse: P.I. For Hire as a video game, in order to ensure it offers players the best possible experience at launch. So to answer your question, we haven't yet had any real discussions about making an animated series. However, you should definitely keep your eyes peeled over the coming weeks, as we have some really cool partnerships to announce and other things to reveal!

What's one part of Mouse: P.I. For Hire that you're most excited for fans to experience for themselves?

We cannot wait for players to see that Mouse: P.I. For Hire is much more than just a cool art project. On top of the black and white, rubber hose visuals, the game is also an action-packed first-person shooter, filled to the brim with a thrilling detective story, eclectic cast of characters, lively environments, original jazz tunes and so much more. Ultimately, we have been cooking up something very special here and we are counting down the days for players to experience the whole game for themselves!

Thanks to Mateusz and Fumi Games. Stay tuned for more on Mouse: P.I. For Hire ahead of its debut in less than a month.

The gaming world deserves better than Nvidia's generic AI makeover

jonas@gamereactor.eu (Jonas Mäki) — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 15:00:00 +0100

Nvidia had probably envisaged a triumphant moment when, on Monday evening, they proudly announced DLSS 5, complete with a press release explaining just how significant this is. Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang said, among other things, that "twenty-five years after Nvidia invented the programmable shader, we are revolutionising computer graphics once again".

Big words, and he even went so far as to call this the "GPT moment for graphics", where GPT has undeniably been a game-changer for the whole world in all sorts of ways. There is no doubt that there is a great deal of promise in AI, but when asked to create things, the results have often been very unimaginative, lifeless, and generic, something that has resulted in the now fairly widely accepted term "AI slop".

So what exactly is this DLSS 5? According to Nvidia themselves, it "combines hand-crafted rendering with generative AI to achieve a dramatic breakthrough in visual realism", with faces in particular appearing to be a major draw, something clearly evident in the released video where faces are the main focus. I started watching with curiosity, ready to be blown away after all the hype, and saw Grace Ashcroft from {Resident Evil Requiem}, first without DLSS 5 and then with it...

Nvidia has developed a technology that transforms all game characters into AI avatars (image from {Starfield} with DLSS 5 enabled).

The video quickly switched to Leon, at which point my brain kicked in. Hang on a minute... I paused the video briefly and rewound it. Grace has suddenly been given pouty lips, pronounced model-like cheekbones, plenty of foundation, almond-shaped eyes, and a more refined nose, among other things. The somewhat innocent Grace, intended to be a timid character we can identify with, is suddenly a femme fatale with model aspirations, not far removed from how nerdy PC mods usually look where women are to be "improved".

Surprised, I started the video again and watched it to the end. I scratched my head and watched it once more. So, Nvidia has developed a technology that replaces what the game developers had in mind, and what an art designer and a character designer created, with something that feels like AI slop - a bit like real-time Snapchat filters in our games - and just as it usually looks when you ask AI to design something: generic, being the word to describe it.

In the blink of an eye, Grace transforms from the ordinary girl we're meant to identify with into a babe who definitely has 'model' in her Instagram bio, clinically devoid of personality.

I had a quick look through the comments section on YouTube, curious to see if people are actually buying into this. But... they aren't. Virtually not a single comment is happy with Nvidia's AI filter, and the criticism is at times really fierce. A quick look at Resetera, followed by social media (specifically Bluesky, Instagram, Threads, and X), and it's clear that you can barely even find anyone who likes the approach. Meanwhile, Nvidia has taken note of the massive criticism and rushed to post a comment on the matter in an official FAQ about DLSS 5. And here we are now. Whether this will prompt Nvidia to make any changes remains to be seen, as does how keen game developers are to support this after all the backlash.

For my part, I'm disappointed and a little surprised. The fact that even pre-rendered graphics from our games are to be replaced by AI technology that makes everything bland and impersonal is just too tragic. I don't think the same approach would have been possible in any other art form.

Social media is currently awash with memes highlighting how absurd it is to replace the art of game developers with AI-generated interpretations (image credit: Nintengamersng).

Imagine if Spotify were to sell headphones that took the music you love in real-time and reworked it with what Spotify considers improvements. Like removing any imperfections, smoothing out raspy rock vocals to something more melodious, making guitar solos more sophisticated, and so on. The fact that iconic voices would no longer sound like themselves and that beloved bands would have a more polished AI sound wouldn't really matter. Music listeners around the world would probably have gone mad, and that is completely unthinkable.

Apply the same idea to the art world. Imagine if you'd gone to the Louvre and been given a pair of AI glasses that let you see enhanced works. Everything would have been brightened up, colours tweaked, the Mona Lisa "babe-ified", contrasts adjusted, and we'd have gone from room-to-room looking at AI-enhanced art. We could carry on like this with art form after art form, so why not books? Read on a tablet with e-ink that changes the content so that an AI instead controls what you get to see, or watch films or TV series where things are spruced up in real-time. If you think Sarah Chalke looks older in the new Scrubs, a bit of DLSS 5 won't hurt, and if Liam Neeson feels a bit worn out in the Naked Gun reboot, it's the same story there.

Just imagine walking around the Louvre and looking at art interpreted by AI. That's basically what Nvidia thinks we should settle for in the world of gaming. Generic and dull.

Unfortunately, however, the gaming world does not have anywhere near the same respect for our own art form as other media does, which both leads to and has led to a massive erosion of what I believe die-hard gamers often want. There is a significantly greater demand for lavish single-player adventures and co-op, and a significantly lower demand for shops masquerading as games than publishers are willing to admit.

So, now another step is being taken to make games more automated and generic, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't delighted by the protests in comment sections around the world because even though companies see video games as a cash cow and an art form that absolutely doesn't need any love, the fans see right through that.

Artificial intelligence: A lifesaver?

joel@gamereactor.eu (Joel Petterson) — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 12:00:00 +0100

Artificial intelligence. The doomsday and Skynet technology that not only forces us to pay an arm and a leg if we want to upgrade our computer's RAM, but is also the technology that risks completely destroying the beauty of the gaming world. But is that really the case in reality? Are we afraid of something that is actually more of a nuisance than a genuine danger? I don't know and I don't have the answers, because what I do is more a form of video-game-oriented bloke speculation than high-quality, statistics-based research. But you shouldn't dismiss the whole business of blokes speculating about things.

And no, I know I'm not the first to bring this up, and that this topic is basically well and truly over-discussed by now. That doesn't change the fact, however, that it's more relevant than ever, given everything to do with Asha Sharma, Xbox Helix and component prices that are skyrocketing (seriously).

I believe AI is here to stay. We're going to have to live with it now; there's really no doubt about it. If you can incorporate an AI that does the job as well as or better than a human, that decision will be made as long as it saves money. All well and good about innovation and hurrah-hurrah, but ultimately it's economics that matters to the bigwigs around the boardroom tables. It feels - unfortunately - like a fact we can't escape, and even though I absolutely believe the AI bubble will burst, it's a reality we'll have to get used to.

Asha Sharma caused the entire gaming world to express concern in unison because of her background in the AI industry.

The bubble, yes! It'll probably deflate a bit once demand starts to wane. Just as the IT sector survived a rough patch, so too will the AI sector. Hopefully, this will lead to less hype and cheaper components, though. Artificial intelligence is, after all, an industry EVERYONE wants a piece of, but the pie simply won't be big enough in the end, and then we'll most likely see a handful of players dominating the market instead of far too many start-ups and old giants trying to break into the market. It will level off and reach some sort of status quo where we no longer bat an eyelid at its presence in our lives.

But what does this mean for game development and, ultimately, for us players? For the big AAA and AAAA developers, it will likely mean that human characters will be phased out in favour of AI-driven solutions. The moral dilemma posed by this issue will, over time, become blurred, more diffuse and harder to interpret, and you can think what you like about that, but I suspect the most vocal opponents will eventually run out of steam. And the industry giants will, of course, capitalise on that. One small step at a time until we've sort of completely got used to the fact that it's not a human writing dialogue for minor characters, but an AI handling it, just as it handles assets and coding.

This will surely go off the rails in some quarters, where the games we today call soulless and devoid of identity will come to be seen as absolute masterpieces in terms of artistic merit. High-budget AI-driven games, sort of. Even though I'm not spiritual - at all - I'm sure that a game not developed by humans will lack what we actually have that an AI doesn't - a soul and its own unique identity.

We can expect to see plenty of AI in Microsoft's new all-in-one device.

The advantage, of course, is that games will be developed more quickly and, with the help of AI, will be able to run on less powerful hardware. In terms of hardware, I see more advantages than disadvantages, as that field does not stand or fall on human will and spirit. AI acceleration and all the DLSS solutions breathe new life into older setups, and CPUs will be able to perform quantum-level calculations faster with the help of AI tools. I'm no expert on the subject - but as an experienced guesser, I would definitely say that we should, at the very least, mostly welcome AI here.

But whilst Tencent, Electronic Arts, Activision Blizzard and similar money-hungry giants embrace more and more AI and send home more and more human developers, there is something that will burn brighter and stronger than ever before - humanity's great strengths: art, innovation and identity. And where will this be most evident whilst the next Call of Duty is generic to the nth degree? Well, in the indie world, of course. Beloved, beloved indie world.

The games industry will - possibly - take a beating at first, but smaller indie developers and publishers will undoubtedly want to show how games should be developed and just how big the difference actually is when someone with genuine passion pours their heart and soul into their work. Something advanced artificial intelligence will never be able to achieve. We're going to see a renaissance of games that feel alive. Games where a single developer, with coffee stains on their keyboard and three years of relative sleeplessness, has poured their very soul into every pixel, every sound loop and every half-baked (but heart-warming) line of dialogue.

Larian Studios has dabbled in AI a bit but has had to backtrack, as fans clearly haven't been too keen on these features.

Think about it: when the next AAA title feels like a well-polished but completely hollow shell - just like those procedurally generated open-world maps that look great in the trailer but feel about as engaging as leafing through a DIY catalogue - that's when people will start longing for something different. And that something different won't come from Tencent or EA. It'll come from a bloke in a basement in Skövde, a duo in Poland or a trio in Japan who refuse to use AI for anything more than perhaps a quick placeholder texture.

We gamers will become better at telling the difference. Just as we can now sense when a game has been made with passion and love, as opposed to when it's been made to maximise 'quarterly earnings'. And that sense? It can't be trained into a model. It's human. It's messy and sometimes even bloody ugly, but it's alive and infuses the game with soul and humanity.

So no, I - personally - am not afraid that AI will kill the art of gaming altogether. I actually believe it will do the opposite in the long run, by refining and clarifying what is worth caring about. The big studios can churn out their big-budget AI productions with path ray-tracing and 240 fps. And the rest of us will get back the feeling of playing something that was actually created by someone who cared - a luxury we should stop taking for granted. Games made by someone who cried, swore, laughed and perhaps even hated their own game at some point in the middle of the night. Weaknesses that ultimately become our strength and the reason why we will ultimately emerge victorious from this battle.

What do you think? Do you agree with Joel's reasoning?

Convenience kills the joy of gaming

jonas@gamereactor.eu (Jonas Mäki) — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 14:00:00 +0100

When I recently wrote my article on the Virtual Boy, I dug out my old trusty machine, which kindly powered up and began displaying its distinctive red graphics. I played to refresh my memory ahead of the review of the new Switch accessory, and chose to focus primarily on Mario Clash and Wario Land.

Nintendo is rapidly adding classics to its subscription service.

It was only meant to be a bit of quick research, especially as the device is incredibly unergonomic, but I actually ended up sitting for hours playing, with Wario Land in particular proving a challenge. Although both these titles are good games, there are better games to spend the evening with, so why did I get hooked on these? I have a theory.

I've actually noticed something interesting before. When I play any of the many classic games available on the Switch and Switch 2 via Switch Online + Expansion Pack, my engagement tends to be half-hearted. I can switch between all the games whenever I want, and all the challenge is gone because I can rewind time and undo mistakes.

I love retro gaming and am happy to revisit the finest and more obscure moments of gaming history to experience the magic of yesteryear. My old 16-bit stalwarts are still going strong, and every now and then I buy a new-old game I haven't played before. I often lie in bed playing when I'm in the mood for retro, and I can play for hours on end when I'm using the cartridges. But it's not the cartridges that make it possible.

I also have a Mega Everdrive Pro so I can play emulated titles when I don't want to open a box, deal with a broken cartridge, or buy a Kickstarter ROM. It's also a cartridge that looks just like a Mega Drive cartridge in every way, but allows for Save States and the like. When I play games from these, I naturally use these features and suddenly it feels less interesting and a bit more soporific.

There are many ways to use save states on the Super Nintendo, such as FXPAK Pro.

You're smart readers (you do read Gamereactor, don't you?) and can guess where I'm going with this line of reasoning, namely that the entertainment value of retro gaming diminishes to some extent if you make it too easy to access them and add save states. I think it's the equivalent of firing up Netflix on a Friday night and deciding what you want to watch. The choice is so vast, which makes it harder and a bit less engaging. You end up choosing something on a whim, whereas those of you who were around during the video-rental era will surely remember how you'd pick your film and head home, only to then enjoy it in an almost ceremonial manner.

Save states, for their part, have been described as something that makes old games enjoyable even today. There's some truth in that, but they also sap the entertainment value. Old games weren't difficult because they were impossible to beat; they were challenging because they were often only about an hour long. If you remove the challenge, what remains is an adventure you rush through without having to put your heart and soul into it.

By mindlessly playing through titles such as Mega Man, Castlevania, or Contra, their excitement and spirit are completely lost.

It often means you miss brilliant gameplay details, such as how ingeniously designed Yellow Devil's movements are in the first Mega Man, when the beast moves back and forth across the room. It's certainly designed to be fairly easy to beat, but it requires top-notch focus and concentration, followed by a rush of adrenaline and endorphins when you succeed. Anyone who uses save states and thereby completely eliminates this will never understand its greatness.

It's for exactly the same reason that FromSoftware's titles are so popular today. These aren't games you can play half-heartedly; you have to be fully invested. No one will tell you where to go; you have to figure that out for yourself, and no one will tell you how to beat the bosses, as again, you have to figure that out for yourself. The feeling of success is euphoric; you feel competent and that you've achieved something worthwhile.

Games such as (from left to right) The Adventures of Bayou Billy, Fester's Quest, Ikari Warriors, and Ghost 'n Goblins are all NES games that I would argue are impossible to complete without the aid of cheats.

So am I declaring war on save states? No, not at all. Of course, there are old games that are completely impossible, not least Battletoads and Trojan, and these really do require the option of save states to be played again and it's barely even possible with aids like these. What's more, old games are just that, old, and it's easy to make mistakes so you miss things and, in the worst case, might not even be able to progress. Furthermore, you can't save (and if you can, it's only at selected points, resulting in long travel distances).

But during the NES era, games were made primarily for children; I was a child myself during that era, and we breezed through the games one after another. They weren't that difficult, but as I said, they do require a bit of emotional investment. The Mega Man series is often considered insanely difficult, but as a bloke approaching 50, I can still breeze through them without too much trouble. It's not because I'm such a bloody good gamer (because I really am not, except perhaps in fighting games where I can usually hold my own reasonably well in the right company), but because I've played them a lot and practiced.

Titles such as {Ori and the Will of the Wisps}, {Hades II}, and {Hollow Knight: Silksong} are essentially retro games in a new guise and would have been rather bland if they'd included save states.

For me, who often has retro consoles out on display and knows which older games to play on the PlayStation 5, Switch 2, or Xbox Series S/X, when younger, budding gamers come to visit I often get confirmation that these are timeless classics. Even children who are used to more modern games tend to get hooked if I offer them a round of Ice Hockey on the NES, Sonic the Hedgehog on the Mega Drive, or Goof Troop on the Super Nintendo. Good games are timeless if you play them as intended.

As I said, there are games that simply cannot be enjoyed without save states, but what almost all of these titles have in common is that they aren't particularly enjoyable even with them - though at least they can be played through. However, we also have genres where save states actually add value, and this mainly concerns longer adventures and role-playing games. Having to start over from the beginning in an adventure lasting several hours is no fun, and writing down unreasonably long passwords is something that actually adds nothing. Furthermore, as mentioned above, it's nice not to have to backtrack in role-playing games just to save at one of the unreasonably few locations that allow this.

FromSoftware creates games that must be enjoyed in the same way as the classics and are incredibly popular. If save states had existed, they would probably never have become as big as they are.

But lazily picking a game from an endless library of ROMs where you use save states means you'll almost certainly never be able to grasp the greatness of whatever it is you're playing. For that reason, it's lovely to find a Mega Drive gem (the format I'm collecting most of right now) and pop the cartridge in at home. Three lives and usually no continues. If I die, I die. Starting an epic retro game like Alisia Dragoon, Ranger-X, or Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi feels just as magical as when they were new. I have to fight my way through, try to learn what's going wrong when I inevitably die, and then try again. If it gets really tough, it's a rage quit, a walk in the fresh air with the dogs, after which, armed with a cup of coffee or a cold beer and some dried mango, I give it another go and often succeed.

The satisfaction is immense, and that feeling of listlessly flicking through a pile of games just to dip your toes in them for a few minutes before deciding they feel hopelessly outdated vanishes instantly. As recently as last weekend, I bought the remake collection Mega Man: The Wily Wars for the Mega Drive from a well-stocked games shop and once again I was glued to the screen in a way you don't get when you're using aids.

Older games can be challenging, but if we managed them as children, we can manage them now too. Games like Sonic and Mario's finest moments from the 16-bit era will never feel outdated.

Not all classics have aged well, but many have. If you just give them a fair chance, there's a goldmine of great titles to discover. If children managed these games in the 80s and 90s, so can you and there are even studies showing that these games are great exercise for your brain because you have to be fully engaged, challenged, and can't just play on autopilot. There's a reason why the classics are called classics, and it's not because they're old games, but because they're good old games. That's a huge difference. Enjoy them properly and watch a new-old world open up, which explains why we fell so in love with these games back in the day.

Talking AI and Lovecraft with Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss game director Tommaso Nuti

alex@gamereactor.eu (Alex Hopley) — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0100

Recently, we got the chance to play through a good chunk of Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss. After getting a taste of Big Bad Wolf's new adventure game, we were hooked like an archaeologist on an artifact they definitely should have left alone. And so, when the opportunity arose to speak with the game's director Tommaso Nuti, of course we jumped at the chance. Below, you can check out our full interview with Nuti, discussing AI, Lovecraftian stories, how you can deal with the horrors you'll face in Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss, and how long it takes to escape them.

Q: What Lovecraftian stories served as the main inspirations for the game?

Nuti: "We drew inspiration from many Lovecraftian short stories when adapting the mythos. Our goal was less about retelling a specific story and more about using the broader lore to build a sense of continuity within this universe. You will of course recognize elements from The Call of Cthulhu, as well as The Shadow Over Innsmouth and The Haunter of the Dark. There is also another cult classic short story that inspired us, though I would prefer not to reveal it just yet in order to keep it a surprise!"

Q: How can players deal with the horrors they'll face in the game?

Nuti: "We want to place you in the shoes of an occult investigator exploring a universe that is completely beyond their understanding. For that reason, we ruled out combat from the very beginning. However, the absence of combat does not mean the absence of danger.

Many things can kill you in R'lyeh, whether it is the ruins themselves or the creatures that inhabit them. No conventional weapon will be of any help here. Only your tools and your wits will allow you to move forward and complete the adventure. To survive, you will need to understand the rules that govern this world, either by accepting them or by finding ways to outsmart them.

Thus, horror is present in every aspect of the experience, creating an atmosphere that can feel grim at times and fascinating at others, but always steeped in mystery and the unknown. Our goal was to approach cosmic horror in its purest sense, where dread comes from confronting a world that surpasses humanity in every possible way."

Q: Is the way AI is depicted in the game how you hope to see it used in the future?

Nuti: "That is a fascinating question. I should note that this is a very personal opinion, which goes beyond my role as Game Director at Big Bad Wolf.
My primary hope is that AI helps accelerate major breakthroughs in medicine and science, ultimately helping to preserve both our health and our world.

To give a concrete example related to the game, AI is integrated directly into the character's brain. Noah uses it to 'ping-pong' ideas, extract information, and analyze evidence. In that sense, it represents a logical evolution of his investigative tools. However, when it comes to dealing with people, it is important to preserve one's own judgment and act accordingly. In my view, there are basic norms that AI can support, but common sense should remain human.

From a professional perspective, I see AI as a powerful tool that must always be balanced with human oversight. The same applies in creative fields, where humans should remain at the center of any project. AI can help bring ambitious concepts to life, but questions around copyright still need to be resolved to avoid a soulless industrialization of art.
More broadly, society should approach AI with care and thoughtfulness. It is important to learn the fundamentals before relying on the tool, much like learning to count before using a calculator. In the end, having a 'super-brain' at our disposal should not lead us to switch off our own."

Q: How long does an average run of Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss take?

Nuti: "On average, completing the adventure will take between 12 and 15 hours, depending on the chosen difficulty mode and how deeply each player chooses to engage with the investigation. To give you a little more detail, our game rewards curiosity above all. The depth of your investigation ultimately determines the length of the experience.

In each chapter, players are free to investigate within open areas. If you decide to follow a lead while overlooking certain clues or parts of the map, you will progress more quickly. However, this may lead to hasty conclusions, which can result in poor decisions and increase your corruption level.

On the other hand, taking the time to explore every corner and uncover the many mysteries hidden within each level will allow you to make more informed choices and better protect yourself. This is our main way of extending the experience. Alongside this, players can search for upgrade components for their equipment. These components are carefully hidden throughout the environment, adding a treasure hunt dimension to the adventure."

Q: How many endings are there for players to find?

Nuti: "The game features six different epilogues for players to discover, in addition to the various ways investigations can be resolved throughout the adventure."

LEGO Pokémon 72152 Pikachu and Poké Ball

marie@gamereactor.eu (Marie Liljegren) — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 09:00:00 +0100

When Pokémon first appeared in games and children's programmes in the late 90s, I was busy with going out and boys; after all, I was 19 and having fun was pretty much the only thing on my younger self's mind, so you could say that the craze for the games, trading cards and the series passed me by without making much of an impression. Sure, I knew most things about Blaziken and Typhlosion, anyone with kids around knows they get brainwashed by this sort of thing and it's pretty much the only thing they talk about all day long. My nephew Oscar loved Pokémon so much that the day after his birthday, when he'd been given a long-awaited silver Gameboy SP, he swapped it for a simple Pokémon card out in the sandpit with the neighbour's boy, much to his mum and dad's shock, which resulted in a level eight on the anger scale.

A really big box filled with treats and goodies.

But for me, that was as far as it went. Knowing the names and occasionally being forced to watch children's programmes with a drooling, snotty little one in my arms. But there's one character everyone knows, and above all, everyone recognises, and that's Pikachu, and I've had the honour of putting him together in Lego form. Pika pika, sort of! The box itself is a whopper, and I carried it home like a large baby in my arms, past neighbours and kids who stared in awe at my precious, which I held with a firm grip to protect it from greedy, imaginary hands.

Just started. Total relaxation.

As usual, the Lego set comes with a thick instruction booklet, and this time it arrived in 16 different little white bags containing a total of 2,050 bricks - which gave me a thrill of excitement, as I know this is going to take a while. Because if there's one thing I've realised since my last build, it's that Lego makes me happy. It makes me turn into a veritable yoga master who forgets time and space and just builds. The relaxation is real, and I'd say that everyone should build. We adults have minds that never really switch off, as we're filled with worries about finances, world events on the other side of the globe, kids and the house, but if there's one thing that lets you switch off your thoughts, it's those tiny, tiny building bricks called Lego. Whilst building, I couldn't help but be impressed by how far building bricks have come since I sat there with my toy chest in my childhood bedroom, building cities and cars on large green plates that really weren't particularly pleasing to the eye.

It's starting to take shape. At last, the back panel matched the body! I was over the moon.

Imagination was the only thing setting the limits, and mine was truly boundless. Today's beautifully rounded pieces really do make every creation look as lifelike as possible when all the little sections are pressed together. The pieces in this set come in all the colours of the rainbow, lots of pastel shades, and you find yourself asking over and over again, "Isn't that little rat yellow?" Because yes, it is our beloved little Pikachu. Should I say little? He certainly became anything but little once I'd finished. But actually finishing it turned out to be easier said than done. Because somewhere in my build, a microscopic mistake was made. In everything else in life, a tiny slip-up usually doesn't matter, but in Lego, it's a big NO-NO.

Perhaps a slightly grotesque image. I feel a bit as though I've chopped off the poor thing's head.

Why, you non-builders might wonder? As all builders know, whether you're building a brick wall or a Lego structure, all the pieces have to fit; otherwise, it'll all go pear-shaped in the long run. Unfortunately, I realised my blunder several hours into the build, just as I was about to attach the back section to the body. No matter how hard I pressed, it simply wouldn't merge with the rest. I stared myself blind at all the parts and everything looked as it should, until finally my good friend told me to try taking my build back step by step until the problem was found. But a few tugs here and there, and pieces started falling out; the mess was a fact, and yes, I got angry. So angry that I dismantled everything I'd built, except for the back panel, which I at least knew was correct.

Look how happy he is with his little ball.

So I'm now an expert on Pikachu, having built him not just once but twice. And in the end, I found the mistake: two tiny mini-pieces that had ended up in the wrong slot. And it is with this experience under my belt that I would like to recommend not using the building guide that comes with the set, but instead downloading the incredibly helpful app 'Lego Builder', which I used the last time to actually find my building error. The app looks exactly like the building catalogue, but the difference is that you can rotate it in 3D so you can really see both the top and the bottom, meaning you can't miss how many studs you need to count when putting the pieces together. And it was a lifesaver, I can tell you, because just an hour later I was back at the spot where everything went pear-shaped, and do you know what? The back panel slid into place in a jiffy. So there you have it - a story to show that things don't always go to plan.

That Pikachu is quite cute.

Even a goddess like me makes mistakes sometimes. But usually it's someone else's fault. In this case, the Lego catalogue. Note the sarcasm here, before Lego fans send me Duplo in retaliation for this blasphemy. It's a bit hard to estimate how long the actual build takes, given that I had to build it twice, but you'll have a few cosy evenings ahead of you if you invest in this set. But if I had to guess, around six hours depending on your speed. The set is actually three different builds. First, you build Pikachu, who is a rather impressive chap at 35 centimetres. Then there's the little Poké Ball to assemble, which goes together quite quickly as it doesn't have many parts. Last but not least is the base plate itself, which holds the whole thing together, and that took a fair bit of time.

This is quite a piece of work.

All in all, it's a large piece that takes up quite a bit of space, and I soon realised that when it came to placing it in my room, I had to go for a scaled-down version. So thank goodness for the small stand that you can use, whilst the giant one could be tucked away in the box it came in. Pikachu looked incredibly cute when he was finished, and I must say it was a bit of a struggle to put him in his stand for the first time, as the placement was perhaps not so well thought out by our Danish inventors. The stick onto which you're supposed to mount our yellow, fluffy, guinea pig-like fat sausage has to go right up the poor thing's bum. Or rather, the backside. The rear end. The tail. It was no wonder I had a bit of a tear when he was skewered onto the barbecue spit like a lamb for the slaughter.

To get an idea of its size, you can compare it to a 1.5-litre plastic bottle.

In any case, he's very detailed in his design and will certainly make a stylish addition to my little display cabinet, where he now sits between Leon S. Kennedy and Jill Valentine. However, the tail had to be trimmed as it was a bit too big. Speaking of the tail, it comes in two versions: one for a male and one for a female. You can also move the figure's ears, arms and feet, but for some reason this one feels a bit more fragile than my last build, which was Marvel's Iron Man, who was a bit more compact and durable. I mention this because on several occasions I've turned poor Pikachu into a one-armed bandit and a slightly less hopeful chap when one of his feet fell off.

All in all, it's been a really fun build and, as I've said before, you're always so incredibly impressed by all the tiny parts you put together without having a clue what you're assembling, and suddenly you're just sitting there with a head or an arm. The people who create these are truly engineers of the highest calibre. Could this be the world's best and smartest "toy"? Are you keen to get your hands on this little gem? Well, it could be yours for between £179.99. This was truly a lovely way to celebrate Pokémon's 30th anniversary.

Lego Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise

fredrik@gamereactor.eu (Fredrik Malmquist) — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0100

Red or Blue? What was your choice? Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle? Before I embarked on my first journey in the Kanto region, I had to make several choices, decisions I have repeated several times since then: Red and Charmander. If you had told 13-year-old Fredrik that he would be sitting with his two sons, spending a week building three giant Lego Pokémon, he would never have believed you. Charmander will always be my first Pokémon and the first one I trained to evolve into its final form, Charizard.

If you buy Lego's huge Pokémon set, you don't have to choose a starter Pokémon. In this massive 6,838-piece Lego set, you get Venusaur, Charizard, Blastoise and a cool base to place the creatures on. The only choice you need to make is which of the three giants to build first. In the huge box, you get three boxes printed as Poké Balls. On the back, there are icons that reveal which Pokémon type is hidden in the box. The boxes are numbered, but there is nothing to stop you from building the three figures in the order you prefer. If you follow the numbering on the boxes, Venusaur is first, followed by Blastoise, and finally Charizard.

I decided to make it easy on myself and started building when my sons were asleep. After two hours and ten minutes, it was bedtime. How far did I get? Six bags and a finished, cool plant-covered base for Venusaur to stand on. The next day, my 8-year-old and 6-year-old joined in, and together we spent almost seven hours completing Venusaur. It's entirely possible that I could have built the Grass-type faster on my own, but every time my sons and I look at the Lego set from now on, we'll know that the build was a team effort.

Venusaur was indeed number one in the order when we followed the numbers on the Lego set's boxes and instructions. When my sons and I finished Venusaur, both boys insisted that Charizard was next. It wasn't too difficult to convince me, given my favouritism. Charizard's base is a volcano with a mount at the top where the orange giant is to be attached. My eldest son helped me build the base, which took us another four hours. Then it took another three to four hours to complete Charizard. After that, we lost count, but it probably took us another seven to eight hours to build the base and Blastoise to complete the Lego model, one week to the day after I brought the box into the house.

Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise is the largest Lego set I have built since the Ultimate Collector's Edition of the Millennium Falcon in 2017. I discovered Star Wars before Pokémon, but both universes are close to my heart and while I got to build the Falcon myself, this time I got to do it with my family, which was even more special. Unlike the Millennium Falcon, this is an 18+ set that contains significantly fewer Lego Technic parts and this suited me well and it also suited my sons too.

How was the set to build? Varied, challenging, fun, and time-consuming. Who is it for? Pokémon fans and Lego enthusiasts. Venusaur and Blastoise are both compact and more similar in design. Charizard is slimmer and has two wings made of printed fabric. The three bases differ greatly in their design, where bag six of Venusaur's base was like a regular Lego Botanical set to build. Charizard's volcano felt like the part of the build that contained the most Technic parts and for the children, the biggest challenge was staying focused for a long time. After three hours of building, my youngest son said, "Dad, this is the most fun thing I know. Building big Lego sets!" That's when I realised he has many future building projects ahead of him.

Lego sets are available in all price ranges and this set is among the more expensive ones. It's a statement piece, something you build because you love Lego and Pokémon. It's a set that needs a place in your home where it can be seen, with a base 54 centimetres wide and a trio reaching a height of 50 centimetres, you can imagine how much space is required. Many content creators and writers have mentioned the price and suggested that Lego could have removed the base to make the set cheaper. I ask myself why? When Pokémon celebrates its 30th anniversary and is released as a Lego set for the first time, it should be given space. If I had to mention something that could have been better, it would be the shape of Charizard's face and the gaps on Venusaur. Overall, however, this is a set that is a worthy premium model to celebrate three decades of a universe that entertains millions of people every year.

Footnote: The Lego set is sold exclusively by Lego itself and has been extremely popular. The set is backordered until April.

Top 10 most stunning Nintendo 64 covers

kenny@gamereactor.eu (Kenny Nordgren) — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0100

It's possibly the Nintendo 64 era that I have the most memories of. I was 10 years old when the big, heavy package on Christmas Eve 1997 contained Nintendo's new console, leading me to be happy and content until the arrival of the PlayStation 2 at the end of 2000. In other words, it was the perfect time to shape a person's video gaming habits.

In this list, my "favourite covers" are strongly influenced by nostalgia. It was impossible to avoid this when I was putting this text together, where after careful consideration, and a bucketful of nostalgia, I ended up with the following list:

10. Castlevania: Legacy of Darkness (Nintendo 64)

In general, Castlevania has incredible covers, especially for the NES. That's where we're talking magic. Legacy of Darkness isn't quite there, but it still stands out in the Nintendo 64 catalogue when it comes to covers. It's a bit unusual that a manga-inspired cover appeals to me the way Legacy of Darkness does, as manga is an aesthetic that I generally don't like at all, but the mystique of Dracula, the castle, the bats, and the big moon in the background is something else, in a positive way.

9. Super Mario 64

I can't get away from the fact that this game needs to be on this list. But then again, it's a minimalist and stylish cover that appeals to me a lot, even though it's not in my top 10 favourite games for the console. Bu, we're not here to discuss such a top list. In any case, Mario is flying with his wing cap, symbolising the freedom that exists in the game thanks to its 3D world, and far down to the left you can see the castle with a Goomba guarding it. Simple, but stylish.

8. Snowboard Kids

This is a playful cover that makes me happy just looking at it. I played this game a lot back in the day, and the cover goes hand-in-hand with the game itself. I think this cover encapsulates the playfulness that Nintendo 64 is all about. It's a "Mario Kart cover", but with snowboards. I was also going to write "big noses" when I realised that Mario and Wario's noses aren't that small either.

7. Turok: Dinosaur Hunter

It doesn't get much tougher than this; a warrior standing with his Rambo knife at the ready in close-combat with a velociraptor. As a little kid, I thought it was both cool and scary at the same time. It screams action, and the game certainly delivered. I never owned the game myself, but I borrowed it from my childhood friend every now and then. Even though the cover was perhaps cooler back then, it still makes it onto this list.

6. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask

The Legend of Zelda's second release on Nintendo 64 makes it onto this list. There is a certain mystique surrounding this cover, in my opinion. Of course, this has a lot to do with the fact that the game itself is very mysterious, where the dark green background and purple text have a certain appeal, especially in combination with Majora's mask staring malevolently straight at you. Relatively minimalistic, like Super Mario 64.

5. Mario Kart 64

I have so many memories from the Nintendo 64 era that are etched in my mind and many of them are from Mario Kart 64, which is perhaps also the most stylish Mario Kart cover. Once again, we're talking minimalism and speed and I also love that my favourite from the Mario gang, Wario, has such a prominent role on the cover. In other words, it doesn't always have to be about Mario and Donkey Kong.

4. Conker's Bad Fur Day

This almost legendary game appears on all kinds of top lists. The reason it appears on this one is that Conker is holding a beer in one hand. That alone is reason enough to cement its place in my book of the coolest covers. The fact that it's a squirrel holding the beer doesn't make it any worse. Is it the first beer of the day? The seventh? Who knows. I can also picture children talking to their parents when the game was released in 2001: "Mum and Dad, I want the game with the squirrel drinking beer on the cover for Christmas".

3. Banjo Kazooie

I belong to the group of people who, or perhaps it's not even a group when I think about it, don't think Super Mario 64 is the best 3D game on the Nintendo 64. In my opinion, it's the Banjo Kazooie games that are at the top of the podium. Banjo and his super-cocky bird companion also have a place on that list. A fast-paced cover where our bear not only has Kazooie in his backpack, but also holds a purple Jinjo with his left arm while grabbing a puzzle piece with his right. Behind him, the game's final boss, Gruntilda, towers like a giant. I also like that Mumbo Jambo is visible on the left side of the cover, a personal favourite of mine.

2. Yoshi's Story

A super cute cover featuring everyone's favourite dragon. Yoshi's Story wasn't my favourite game at the time, but what a colourful and pleasant cover it was. I had almost forgotten about this game until I did some research for this article, but when I saw it, I got such a nostalgic kick that the cover earned a place on the list without much discussion.

1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

It's perhaps the best game in the world, and it comes with a cover where less is more. I'm referring primarily to the PAL version, even though the other covers are almost as lovely. But the black background and gold text, along with the sword and shield, look really, really good. I never owned this game myself during the Nintendo 64 era, but as soon as I saw the cover at friends' and acquaintances' houses, I was excited every time, even though I had already borrowed it several times.

Which Nintendo 64 cover is your favourite?

Friday the 13th: From worst to best

kenny@gamereactor.eu (Kenny Nordgren) — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0100

It surely hasn't escaped anyone's attention by now that slasher films are my forte. A while ago, I ranked the Scream films according to my personal taste, and now, the second (of three!) Friday the 13ths of the year is here. Naturally thought I'd take this opportunity to rank all the Friday the 13th films. From worst to best!

12. Jason X (2002)

Jason Voorhees in space? On paper, it might sound... no, even on paper, this idea doesn't sound the least bit fun. Quite the opposite, in fact. How dare anyone even pitch an idea like this? It starts off somewhat promisingly with Jason, who looks pretty good, chained up in a large hangar. It's a little unclear how he ended up there if you've seen the previous films. Then things go haywire pretty quickly when Jason is frozen and wakes up on board a spaceship a few years later. We get to see everything from androids to Super-Jason. Behind the camera is the late James Isaac, who worked on special effects for Return of the Jedi (1983) and Gremlins (1984), while Noel J. Cunningham, son of Sean S. Cunningham, who was behind the first Friday the 13th, acted as producer. One might think that he inherited his parent's good taste, but here it's clear that good taste skips a generation.

11. Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993)

My good friend and childhood buddy won't like reading this, but this is not a good film. It starts off brilliantly with a grotesque Jason (played by Kane Hodder for the third time, Jason X was the fourth and last), big and heavy with worn clothes and a hockey mask that has almost fused to his face. Then he gets shot to pieces by a bunch of FBI agents. But, surprise, surprise, Jason's evil soul is not welcome in hell and lives on in various human forms. At the end, when Jason had finally returned to his real body for about two minutes, a couple of demons come and drag Jason down to hell. It's a bit funny, or actually very funny, that Freddy Krueger's knife-equipped hand appears in the very last seconds of the film and pulls down Jason's mask. This is a perfect transition to...

10. Freddy vs. Jason (2003)

...the next film on the list, which at first was a film I had been looking forward to for a very long time. I also thought it was good the first time I saw it. Then I realised that it wasn't actually good at all. Still, I think it ties things up a bit, with Freddy pulling Jason's mask down to hell almost exactly ten years later, even if it doesn't work particularly well when it comes down to it. Neither Jason nor Freddy should be in some kind of death match with each other; that's not where the appeal of these two characters lies. They're not Godzilla or Kong, so to speak. Sean S. Cunningham is actually the producer of that film...

9. Friday the 13th (2009)

...which he also produced the remake of. As a remake, it's not as good as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) or The Hills Have Eyes (2006), but overall it's still quite good. However, you have to compare it to the other films in the franchise and then it doesn't rank higher than ninth place. Jason captures women and keeps them imprisoned for several weeks? What on earth is that about? But then I like that he uses both a pillowcase as a mask, as in Part 2, and the legendary hockey mask. German director Marcus Nispel is behind the camera, and he also directed the aforementioned remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

8. Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)

The first time Jason comes back from the grave, literally. The character Tommy Jarvis, who kills (for the moment) Jason in the fourth part, has lived a life in fear, not knowing if Jason is really dead. To really, really, really find out if Jason is dead, Tommy digs up Jason's body and pierces it with an iron spike a bunch of times. Stupid as he is, Tommy leaves the iron spike in Jason's body during the thunderstorm that is raging at the moment, and as we all know, lightning can revive a body that has been dead for many years (NOTE: irony). In this way, Jason begins his slaughter once again. The film has a certain comical undertone that I haven't really taken to, but that seems to be something wrong with me, as many people rank it high, or highest, on their top lists for the film series. Still, it's fun that Alice Cooper's He's Back (The Man Behind the Mask) is used as the theme song.

7. Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)

Thanks to the comical undertone of the previous film, the eighth instalment in the series ends up in seventh place, and once again Jason returns from the dead through a powerful electric shock. The series' production company, Paramount, felt that competition had intensified, in both 1988 and 1989, when Friday the 13th, Halloween, and A Nightmare on Elm Street all released sequels. The latter series was clearly more popular at the time because it was more imaginative, with Freddy Krueger chasing people in their dreams (and we all know how scary dreams can be...), while Jason was still running around among the trees at Crystal Lake, doing the same old things over and over again. What to do? Well, let him loose in New York, of course. However, 75% of the film takes place on a boat on its way to New York. It was not warmly received by cinema-goers, and the amount of money the film made was considered a disappointment for Paramount. Even though I'm not particularly interested in seeing Jason chop people down in New York, the film would definitely have benefited from more scenes in the big city.

6. Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)

As I wrote in the previous film, this was a tough year in terms of competition and when there is competition, you have to stand out. So in the eighth instalment, Jason was sent to New York, and in the seventh, a girl with telekinetic powers was thrown in. That instalment is strongly reminiscent, in many ways, of A Nightmare on Elm Street and could have been omitted entirely, in my opinion. Thankfully, her powers are not used too much. However, the powers contribute to the deplorable final scene when the girl character's father, who has been dead for many years, suddenly rises from Crystal Lake and pulls Jason down into the "depths". It's so stupid and bad that I'm about to fall off my chair as I write this. Apart from these powers, it's a good slasher film with an incredibly cool look for Jason (played by Kane Hodder), where you can see his spine because he was wearing very worn clothes and because he had been lying at the bottom of the lake since Part VI. Oh and some cool murders.

5. Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985)

The fifth instalment in the series was, in my opinion, the worst in many years (it should be added that I saw these films for the first time a few years before I became a teenager). Why is that? Well, because Jason isn't in it. It's about an ambulance driver who dresses up as Jason to take revenge on the inmates of a youth detention centre where his son was killed by one of the inmates. As a slasher film, it's perfectly fine, and considering that it doesn't have the excesses of the previous film on my list (very comical undertones, telekinetic powers, and a trip to New York), it earns fifth place.

4. Friday the 13th (1980)

Here we have the original itself, the film that started the slasher craze in 1980. It suffers from the same problem as Part 5, namely that Jason is not the killer. As Ghostface points out in Scream (1996), when Drew Barrymore's character answers "Jason" to the question of who the killer is in Friday the 13th, Jason doesn't appear until the sequel, because in the original film, it's mother Pamela Voorhees who is the killer. A really good slasher film, but for me it loses some of its appeal because Jason is not the killer, which is synonymous with this series. It's fun to see Kevin Bacon in one of his very first film roles and behind the camera is the aforementioned Sean S. Cunningham, and Tom Savini, the master of make-up and special effects in horror films, also makes an appearance. The film cost just over very little to make and grossed a whopping tons in the box office.

3. Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)

The predecessor was a box office smash hit of rare proportions and this is where the golden age of slasher films began. Here, things start to get really serious as Jason makes his debut as a killer (with a pillowcase over his face). He is also very human compared to later films in the series (which is not surprising, of course). Many of the murders are really cool and the film has a wonderful slasher film atmosphere. Steve Miner has taken over the director's chair, and in addition to this and Part 3, he has also directed Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998). Simply put, he's a guy who knows his stuff (I will return to the aforementioned Halloween constellation at some point in the future).

2. Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)

Brutal and aggressive, there we have two adjectives that describe the fourth instalment of the film series (which, as the name suggests, was supposed to be the last). Jason enters with a raw power not seen in the first two instalments and kills everything he sees. A memorable murder is when he smashes the shower cubicle and crushes the skull of the character showering against the wall. Jason is completely unstoppable. Almost, anyway... In the end, it's a young Corey Feldman who has the last word when he chops Jason's skull into a thousand pieces. This is the stereotype of a damn good slasher film that I have few complaints about.

1. Friday the 13th Part III (1983)

In hindsight, it's the third instalment of the film series that is my absolute favourite. It's not as brutal and aggressive as the film above, but there are so many memorable and iconic moments in the film that justify my choice of ranking. Among other things, he gets his legendary hockey mask in this film, with a cool scene where we viewers get to see him for the first time (we'll forget that he shoots a victim with a harpoon, as firearms don't belong in slasher films), and at the end of the film, he gets his iconic axe mark on his mask. Incidentally, it's a final sequence in which he is first hanged and then, a minute later, gets an axe in the head. I have long since forgotten that the film is a "3D film".

We discuss duration, endings, collectibles, and more with the developers of Life is Strange: Reunion

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 13:00:00 +0100

It's almost time for Life is Strange: Reunion to make its debut on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. On March 26, the anticipated narrative-heavy adventure will make its arrival and look to conclude the saga of Max Caulfield and Chloe Price.

If you have been eagerly staying up-to-date on Reunion ever since it was revealed earlier this year, including by reading our recent hands-on preview, you might have a few questions about the project, including how big the game is compared to the most recent entries of Life is Strange: Double Exposure and Life is Strange: True Colors, what kind of collectibles will be on offer, how the endings are incorporated, and even what to expect from the soundtrack. If so, we have answers on many of these fronts.

We've reached out to developer Deck Nine and publisher Square Enix to learn more about Life is Strange: Reunion and you can see this in full below in our dedicated and fascinating interview.

Life is Strange: Reunion is regarded as the ending of Max and Chloe's saga. With this being said, for those just hopping in, will there be a recap of the full events leading up to the game and how paramount is it to play the prior chapters before experiencing Reunion?

Life is Strange: Reunion has been designed to welcome both long-time fans and players experiencing this game as their first chapter of Max and Chloe's story.

When starting a new save, players are presented with a "Story So Far" recap, narrated by Max and Chloe in English, French, German, and Japanese, with subtitles available in all supported languages. The video covers the key events of Life is Strange, touches on important elements from Life is Strange: Before the Storm, and brings players up to speed on the events of Life is Strange: Double Exposure, focusing on everything you need to know to fully enjoy this final chapter.

Following the recap, players can define Max's relationships with four key characters Amanda, Chloe, Safi, and Vinh, effectively setting their preferred world state before beginning. No save import is required! This system not only serves as a story refresher, but also gives players full control over the narrative context of their playthrough. It makes replaying the game seamless, allowing players to explore different choices and outcomes from the outset.

Who do you spend more time playing as in Life is Strange: Reunion? Plus, are collectibles shared between the two or do they each collect unique items?

At the outset of the game, you'll spend several scenes playing as Max, establishing the crisis at Caledon and catching up with familiar faces. But it's not long before you'll pick up as Chloe, as seen in the Hands-On gameplay, and start working your way towards Max, with playable scenes alternating between their different points of view. This dynamic, alternating character structure - which includes shared sequences where you will make choices as both characters - continues all the way through to the finale.

This is very much a Max and Chloe story. Chloe is an active and equal participant throughout, and the choices players make as both characters directly influence how the story unfolds and which ending they reach.

Each character also has their own unique collectibles:

Max collects photographs.

Chloe creates sketches inspired by key moments and environments.

Each set of collectibles has its own dedicated achievement/trophy.

As in previous Life is Strange titles, players can revisit completed scenes via Scene Select to find any missed collectibles without restarting the game or overwriting their current save. Scenes containing collectibles are clearly marked, making it easier for completionists to achieve 100%.

What happens if you fail a Backtalk encounter? Is there a chance to, let's say, 'rewind' as Chloe and correct any slip ups?

'Failing' a Backtalk encounter is never a blocker to progression. Instead, it opens up alternative dialogue paths, consequences, and character moments. In true Life is Strange fashion, there is no simple "fail state," only different outcomes.

Chloe does not have Max's ability to rewind time, and that contrast is intentional. Mechanically and narratively, it reinforces a core theme of the story: the juxtaposition between someone with the power to endlessly revise her choices who often doubts she has made the right one, and someone with the confidence born of always committing to her chosen course of action... now finding that her personal history isn't what she thought.

On a meta level, players can replay scenes after completion if they wish to explore different outcomes, of course. But within the story, Chloe's choices, just like Max's, carry weight. Their decisions affect each other in meaningful ways, heightening tension and emotional stakes throughout.

How many endings are there in Life is Strange: Reunion?

As the concluding chapter of Max and Chloe's saga, Life is Strange: Reunion features multiple endings.

Without going into spoilers, there is not a single, binary final choice. The entire final act is shaped by a series of decisions and payoffs that reflect the choices players have made across the game. The outcomes affect Max, Chloe, the people of Caledon, and Caledon itself:

Who lives. Who dies. What's left behind.

Every choice has consequences, and sometimes the most intimate decisions are the most powerful.

Life is Strange games always have memorable soundtracks. Have you worked with any familiar faces for the Life is Strange: Reunion soundtrack?

Music remains central to the identity of Life is Strange. We're delighted to confirm that we've once again partnered with Feel For Music, who specialise in finding artists who are a perfect fit for individual games, and who have helped shape the franchise's musical identity since the beginning.

The soundtrack will feature commercially licensed tracks, all-new original songs, and a full instrumental score. Players have already heard Tessa Rose Jackson's original track "Past Life" in the Announce Trailer and preview content.

We're looking forward to revealing the full tracklist and additional contributors soon.

Compared to Life is Strange: Double Exposure, how big is Reunion and likewise how long do you expect a playthrough will take?

Life is Strange: Reunion is comparable to Life is Strange: Double Exposure or Life is Strange: True Colors.

While playtime will vary depending on player choices and exploration, we anticipate that many players will want to experience the story multiple times.

Depending on whether you start the game with Chloe having been dead or alive, you'll experience different Chloe content from the very beginning, and narrative variations throughout, so there are meaningful incentives to replay the full game, not just the ending.

Will there be Graphics/Performance Modes on console?

Yes. On console, players will be able to choose between graphics and performance modes, allowing them to prioritise either visual fidelity or frame rate based on their preference.
More detailed platform-specific information will be shared closer to launch.

Thanks for taking the time, Deck Nine! Life is Strange: Reunion will launch on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S on March 26.

The 10 most stunning PlayStation covers

martin@gamereactor.eu (Martin Carlsson) — Sat, 07 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0100

When I decided to select ten covers for PlayStation, I felt a sense of elation, as it's a game console that is particularly close to my heart and, in my opinion, one of the foremost retro machines even today; a stylish gadget with a legendary game catalogue. The rules were rewritten with ground-breaking new technology and polygons, 3D characters, superior sound via CD, impressive pre-rendered cutscenes, and last but not least, countless titles that we consider timeless.

But the majority of PlayStation game covers, in hindsight, were not particularly beautiful. Most of them haven't really stood the test of time or aged with dignity, even though many are both ugly and nostalgic. The covers were generally adorned with typical plastic in-game renders of main characters, flashy vehicles, explosions, and crazy logos; each one more ostentatious and "in your face" than the last. Much of this testified to how Sony wanted to profile itself against Sega and Nintendo, with PlayStation being the more "mature" teenager with a cocky attitude in the room. I had to search my soul and what felt obvious from the outset became a real challenge, and yet despite this, I managed to find a handful of covers that I thought stood out in a number of different ways.

10. Final Doom

This cover stood out on the shelf at my local rental shop, where I couldn't rent it because I wasn't old enough (depending on who was behind the counter that day, I should add). I also had some older friends who got past these restrictions for me. Still, I was drawn to the black, military-style cover with a logo that sounded both definitive and violent, promising more of everything. "Beauty lies in simplicity," as is often said, and this delivered a place where demons are cut down with chainsaws or reduced to mincemeat with fists when ammunition runs dry.

9. Silent Hill

I've always appreciated how depraved this is. It's dirty and raw, with a rusty and decayed colour palette and a logo that is both unpleasant and confusingly broken. Something isn't quite right... Indeed, that was the case, as psychological and physical horror reigned supreme, with the thick fog at the time being used primarily to hide flaws and hardware limitations when the environments were designed, which was as clever as it was effective, but has since become a hallmark of the game series, which is still highly relevant today.

8. Tekken 3

I had the entire trilogy of Namco's fighting games and I played the first two day and night, both alone and against my friends after school, or on weekends and summer holidays when we had sleepovers. The covers of the first two were terribly ugly, but third time lucky, as they came up with something that I consider both iconic and cool. It may just be a render of the newly introduced fighter Jin Kazama glaring at you and busy putting on the glove he's going to beat you down with, but he does so by exuding power and confidence, where the overall look and colour scheme has always worked for me, apart from the tribal tattoo.

7. Wipeout 2097

Wipeout roared onto the scene with its futuristic racing, where the covers attracted attention with a futuristic concept and straight lines, polarising a slightly sterile, stripped down, and very clean without any frills approach. It caught the eye precisely because it stood out through its simplicity, but which very much defined Sony's profile when the disc was loaded and the hovercrafts raced forward at 1,000 km/h. 2097, with its wireframe tunnel on the cover, could also be one of those flashy equaliser add-ons for Winamp, for those who remember.

6. Vagrant Story

Squaresoft, as they were called at the time, could have filled half the spots on this list with their covers, even the simpler ones like Final Fantasy VII. The Japanese illustrators, in this case Akihiko Yoshida (still active today at Square Enix), were behind this little work of art. There was a completely different mindset from Japanese studios; with an emphasis on more pride, finesse, and craftsmanship, something that also made many Japanese role-playing games stand out from the crowd both in terms of the beautiful paintings that adorned the boxes, but also as games. Vagrant Story was definitely one of them, on both counts.

5. Gran Turismo

The name of this game alone deserves an award. It's uncompromising and exudes class at a finer, more expensive, and more luxurious segment. Polyphony Digital's decision to print its apt logo as a tyre tread pattern was genius. "The Real Driving Simulator". There was no doubt whatsoever about what the game was about when it rolled onto the scene, however, I didn't particularly enjoy this title at the time. I bought it because of the hype when I was on holiday with my family the same year it came out and I was simply too young to have a driving licence and preferred more light-hearted arcade racing games such as Ridge Racer.

4. Dino Crisis

Capcom got it just right here, namely by riding the wave of Steven Spielberg's acclaimed Jurassic Park, which had captivated the whole world a few years earlier. After Shinji Mikami established himself as the master of horror games with Resident Evil and decided to focus on dinosaurs in a side project, they also chose a cover design that clearly flirted with something unpleasant and familiar that many people recognised. The velociraptor paw next to a pool of blood was as terrifying as it was effective, and yes... it left an impression.

3. Metal Gear Solid

I love Yoji Shinkawa as an illustrator and designer. Without him, all of Hideo Kojima's games would probably have looked radically different. For Solid Snake's... not debut, but definitely major global breakthrough, the cover is as exciting, insidious, accurate, and stylishly executed as ever. The silhouette with elements of what resembles a black and white thermal camera is a cover that has gone down in history. It was one of the very best games for the PlayStation, and I still dream of a lavish remake that does it justice, unlike the abomination that was The Twin Snakes for the Gamecube.

2. Resident Evil

What are we actually looking at here? Is it a Rorschach inkblot test and what on earth is that weapon Chris Redfield (who I assume it's supposed to be) is holding in his hands? It's messy and it's confusing but for me, it's one of those covers that defined the PlayStation era. I see spider legs and shadows that I suspect belong to those bloody frog monsters that decapitated you from an angle you didn't see coming. The horror in the wide-open eye staring straight into the terror went down in history and I love the composition. Resident Evil turns 30 this year, and what else is there to say other than congratulations and here's to the next 30!

1. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

Here we have it, the cover that takes the cake, in my subjective opinion. Alucard, also known as Dracula's son, graces Konami's, to this day, unsurpassed Castlevania game, which is a pure delight to the eye. The richness of detail leaves nothing to be desired, with the castle in the background and the burnt-down candlesticks in the foreground, where the gothic splendour of the game series and the style-defining reboot of the brand revolutionised the genre. The term "Metroidvania" was coined after unabashedly borrowing from Nintendo's Metroid series in terms of game layout and design mechanics. Do you happen to own this game? If so, you're sitting on a real gold nugget that you should put on a shelf and maybe frame it too, but definitely look at it every day all the same. It's worth money today, a lot of money, so hold on to it.

Which covers do you remember most fondly from Sony's PlayStation, the steamroller that took the world by surprise?

The new Xbox console redefines the concept of a gaming console

jonas@gamereactor.eu (Jonas Mäki) — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 15:00:00 +0100

Most people had already understood for a long time that this was in the works. The days when consoles could be kept secret are long gone, and today tens of thousands of people are involved in these projects, making it impossible to keep them under wraps. But... you can't say that Microsoft has tried to do that with the new Xbox console either. On the contrary, they have repeatedly said that they have a new one in the works, and they haven't been shy about the hype surrounding its performance.

What will the new Xbox console look like (image created with AI)? We won't know for a while yet, but one might suspect that Microsoft will choose a design that differs from the Xbox Series X in order to distance itself.

Perhaps most notable is former Xbox head Sarah Bond's statement that we can look forward to "the largest technical leap you will have ever seen", but just a few months ago she also said that "the next-gen console is going to be a very premium, very high-end curated experience". We are, of course, used to bold statements, but these are so pointed that Microsoft will be severely punished if it does not deliver at least close to that. A victory march will then be replaced by mocking memes, and they know that, of course.

But the fact is that it is backed up by tech insiders. The renowned and highly knowledgeable AMD expert KeplerL2 has said, among other things, that all games, 100%, will look better on the next Xbox than on the PlayStation 6:

"I don't see how PS6 can match Magnus, it has fewer CPU cores, lower CPU frequency, fewer CUs, fewer ROPs, lower GPU frequency, less cache and memory bandwidth. It's not a huge difference but Magnus should have better performance in 100% of games unlike this gen where it's more of a 50/50."

Asha Sharma had the honour of presenting the new Xbox console, but she obviously didn't put this together during her ten days as boss; what we see now is entirely Phil Spencer's work.

That's why it's exciting that Microsoft has now started to really hype it up. On Thursday evening, the new Xbox boss Asha Sharma announced via social media announced that the working name for the new console is Project Helix, and we also got a logo. Whether Helix will actually be the final name is unclear; so far, Microsoft has chosen other names for the finished product - which is a shame because they have always ended up choosing a worse option (I can't decide whether One or Series S/X is the worst). Personally, I think Helix is spot on, combined with a DNA strand that connects PCs, consoles and games.

https://www.threads.com/@xbox/post/DVg-fF9j33S

Sharma's brief post consists mainly of five exciting details, one of which is the name Helix, but let's break down the other four: "Project Helix will lead in performance and play your Xbox and PC games. Looking forward to chatting about this more with partners and studios at my first GDC next week!"

First and foremost, she states that the new console "will lead in performance," thus jumping on the hype train that Sarah Bond, as well as Phil Spencer, have been helping to build. It will indeed be a powerful console; there's no backing down on that.

The idea of releasing a new console long before Sony is ready to replace its own is reminiscent of the strategy Microsoft successfully chose with the Xbox 360, when Sony continued with the PlayStation 2 for another year.

The second thing is, of course, that she directly confirms the rumours that it will be a hybrid console that also runs PC games. It doesn't say that it will be able to run games from the Epic Games Store and Steam, but we can almost assume that it will, and ROG Xbox Ally works that way. This is incredibly exciting, because it means a number of things. For example, it will probably be free to play online on Helix. Multiplayer on PC is free. It will also be possible to download free games from the Epic Games Store every week, or buy some of the much cheaper games offered via Steam that are not even available on other consoles.

Perhaps the strangest thing, which I think many console gamers will find difficult to really grasp, is that it basically means that it no longer matters how much the next Xbox sells. It's "just" a PC, albeit tucked into a slightly smaller chassis with green details. One of many computer models. If it sells worse than the Virtual Boy, it will not significantly affect this platform; if it sells better than the PlayStation 2, paradoxically, it will not significantly affect it either, as it is still only a PC model, and there are an estimated two billion PC gamers in the world. It may possibly affect demand for the service that transforms Windows into a controller-driven gaming platform, but even that is not certain, as it is likely to be a software solution that more people will be able to use.

During the Activision Blizzard acquisition, information leaked that Microsoft was working on a new controller, and we have heard rumours about this on several occasions over the past year. It will likely be released for Helix.

The third thing I take away from her statement is that we will be able to play our Xbox games. I assume that means backward compatibility. Microsoft has been incredibly good at this, and being able to continue playing my old games is obviously a big bonus. Perhaps the extra performance will contribute to even better backward compatibility (just like with the Xbox Series X), but that remains to be seen. But... does that also mean that dedicated Xbox games will be released in the future? Perhaps, but my spontaneous reaction is to say no.

Finally, we have the fourth remaining thing, which is that we will see more at the Game Developers Concerence, which takes place between 9 and 13 March, which is already next week. A normally sleepy event is therefore set to be really exciting this year, and if we look at Microsoft's programme, they have a lot planned (so much that, in retrospect, we should perhaps have realised that something was afoot), not least Building for the Future with Xbox, Press Start: Get Your PC Game Ready for Xbox in One Day and Build Once, Play Anywhere: PlayFab Powers Xbox Cross-Platform Game Services. So expect lots of news about the future of Xbox, how the ecosystem will work, new features and more.

Games released several years later for PlayStation 5, such as Sea of Thieves and Forza Horizon 5, have sold just as well, so perhaps Microsoft can have its cake and eat it too by letting Helix go first before others get a share of the leftovers?

With all that said, there is still a lot we don't know. Not least what it will cost in these times of component shortages, what the new controller will look like, whether it will be possible to update the hardware, whether other companies will be allowed to manufacture Helix, and when it will be released.

In addition, there is the elephant in the room: what about exclusive games? There is no doubt that the Xbox brand has suffered from the lack of exclusives, but there is also no doubt that Microsoft has made money from the PlayStation releases. Asha Sharma has made statements that have led fans to believe that there may be some changes to the multi-format strategy, and Sony also seems keen to backtrack on the concept a little. It seems unlikely that they would leave PlayStation again, but it would not be entirely unreasonable for them to start working more with time exclusives. Consider, for example, the idea that The Elder Scrolls VI would be a launch title for the console and would not be available on other formats for a year.

An interesting side effect of the hybrid approach is that Xbox Play Anywhere becomes even more appealing. The games you buy for your Xbox today will be playable as PC titles with significant graphics upgrades thanks to Helix.

Expect more answers about the future next week, even though we won't know everything, of course. As usual, we will cover everything here at Gamereactor, and it should be very interesting to hear what is said about Xbox Helix. The fact that Microsoft is willing to invest in this way bodes well, and it will be exciting to see how Asha Sharma plans to boost Xbox sales again after a few really tough years for the green team.

We talk length, difficulty, and inspiration with the people behind The Eternal Life of Goldman

magnus@gamereactor.eu (Magnus Groth-Andersen) — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 17:00:00 +0100

Not long ago, we published our impressions of the latest demo of The Eternal Life of Goldman, a hand-drawn platform game that has been in development for many years at Weappy and is rapidly approaching release this year.

For Weappy, the road to launch has been long and winding, but now that the light can be seen at the end of the development tunnel, we chatted with producer Andreas Schmiedecker to get answers to the last remaining questions, so you'll be well prepared when the game finally lands. We talk about AI tools, the average length of the game, and much more.

Okay, let's get started!

First of all, could you elaborate a little on the specific size of the game; how long do you expect an average playthrough to be, and are there reasons to play the game multiple times?

"There is a bit of a range here, considering different playstyles (looking at notes, finding secrets, reading all dialogues), but a playthrough will probably take between 12 and 16 hours.
The game isn't really designed for many playthroughs, it's a fairly directed experience with a complete, self-contained story. That said, some of the secrets, including optional areas, require a bit of ingenuity and fairly elaborate sequences of actions to unlock. So for those who choose to replay the game and explore it 100%, there will definitely be things to discover."

Perhaps the most appealing aspect of the game for many is the graphics. Could you tell us a little about the sources of inspiration behind the look? How did you arrive at this specific style, and did it take several 'attempts' to get there?

"There is a range of influences from different sources - not just one style. Technically, it's mostly done the way animated films were made. The artworks are created by hand and mostly digitally. However, and depending on the specific asset, a lot of the artworks go through the "physical sketching" phase before being finalised digitally.

"Aesthetically, the most consistent influence is probably French-Belgian comics, mostly Hergé and the "ligne claire" art style. So we basically stick to very traditional and strict line work. Since the development took something like nine years (so far), yes, many elements did go through various iterations. What mostly happened is that the quality bar was raised by adding more details, animations and so forth, so other parts of the game had to improve alongside as well!"

Difficulty and balancing are important topics among gamers today. How does Weappy handle this challenge? Are there several difficulty levels, or are you working with one balanced mode?

"We're currently aiming at one balanced mode but we're also actively taking in player feedback about the difficulty from the demo and will take a decision for the full game."

If we zoom out a little to the broader industry now, how do you as a studio feel about AI tools in game development? Do you create distance between different types of use, and are there guiding principles for you as a group?

"Using AI tools for art production in this game would pretty much oppose the whole idea of doing it this way in the first place. Therefore, it wasn't really an option for us. No matter how technology develops right now, there is a place and audience for hand-made art."

Can you take us back to the earliest development phase? How long did it take to get here, and what kind of journey has it been for the studio?

"Early prototypes started already around 2016, but the game went into full production in 2019. So it did take a long time. When the team decided that the only way to make a game like this was to commit fully, without cutting corners or making too many compromises, it became clear what we signed up for."

What kind of experience do you hope The Eternal Life of Goldman will be for players? What do you hope to make them feel?

"That's a great question, but also a difficult one. We could imagine that the gameplay is somewhat challenging at times, but also quite satisfying. We're making the side-scroller of our dreams, and our approach has been to use the elements that feel right for this specific game from a wide range of directions and subgenres. So we'd hope players who appreciate those genres and elements from classic side-scrollers and Metroidvanias will react positively to those elements. Since there's something very pure about side-scroller gameplay, we do hope people enjoy that. At the same time, the story can go to some dark places, and we understand that this also elicits complex emotions. Bottom line, we're just very excited for players to experience this world."

What were the biggest challenges in creating the game, and what do you consider to be the key issues facing studios like yours today?

"As an independent studio, any project of that size is a big risk to take. Trends change quickly these days, so committing for such a long time to a project like this is a huge bet on it working out in the end."

The Eternal Life of Goldman will hopefully arrive soon on PC, PS5, Xbox Series, and Nintendo Switch/Switch 2.

We interview what's probably Sweden's funniest indie studio

jonas@gamereactor.eu (Jonas Mäki) — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0100

The acclaimed Cuphead and the upcoming Mouse: P.I. For Hire aren't the only rubber hose-animated games we can enjoy in the gaming world. Swedish developer She Was Such A Good Horse (based in Malmö) is currently working on the incredibly appealing Into the Unwell, which is a third-person roguelite where up to three people take on the roles of what the developers refer to as "problematic and heavily medicated misfits".

This sounds exciting, of course, so we decided to talk to them a little more about this promising project and had the opportunity to ask questions to Mårten Stockhaus, creative director for Into the Unwell.

Mårten Stockhaus is the creative director of Into the Unwell and the person who answered our questions.

Into the Unwell feels both humorous and uncomfortable at the same time. How do you balance the tone between the absurd and the dark without one taking over the other?

Stockhaus: The humorous tone allows us to venture into dark areas without it becoming too difficult to take in, a bit like when you hide medicine in ice cream or when you pour Fanta into spirits.

What do you think gamers will react to first when they start playing?

Stockhaus: I hope they'll react to the fact that we have a good combat loop and a fun game, but they'll probably react to a pink character staring at the player from the edge of the map or drinking moonshine that makes you stronger.

Into the Unwell will be released in 2026.

How early in the project did you know what kind of game it would be mechanically, and how much have you discovered along the way?

Stockhaus: We knew from the beginning that we wanted to make a roguelite and that it would be third-person and co-op. All of that remains, but we previously had much more strategic combat with stamina, like in a Soulslike game. Over time, we've made it more fast-paced. The feel of the game has always been important to us, and we want the game's visuals and mechanics to work well together.

The game's visual style stands out immediately. What creative boundaries did you set early on to avoid falling into the "usual indie aesthetic", and what did you actively choose to leave out?

Stockhaus: We always wanted to make the game in 3D, which many indie studios don't do, so I think we were a little different in that respect. But then Felix, our art director, was keen to do something with rubber hose early on, and the rest of us thought that was really exciting! It opens up a lot of creative ideas that other graphic styles don't allow.

You don't have to play alone; you can play co-op with up to three people.

How did you design the co-op so that all players feel important, even if they have different skill levels?

Stockhaus: There aren't really any systems that check how good someone is, but there are other systems, such as enemies reacting to the player who is most active, which means that one player may get more of the enemy's attention. The game will also have different levels of difficulty in the form of "relapses," which means that the game gradually introduces more difficulty and other elements. The game is difficult. Life is more difficult. Both become easier with a friend!

What was the biggest design mistake during development that you had to scrap, and what did you learn from it?

Stockhaus: There are a few. We really wanted the characters to vomit if they drank too much "moonshine"... it's still a great idea that never felt quite right. It meant that players had to keep track of their stacks too much, and the game lost a lot of its momentum. Even today, a year after we removed it from the game, we ponder and think about how to bring it back into the game. Maybe we'll solve it tomorrow!

So far, only a PC version has been announced, but we're keeping our fingers crossed that it will also be released on console.

Which part of the game do you personally think best represents what Into the Unwell is trying to convey?

Stockhaus: Each character has unique talents that can be unlocked during the game, and they are representative of that character; we take their weaknesses and turn them into strengths. Our rooster character, for example, happens to have an unhealthy relationship with gambling, and his talents give you random powers or allow him to summon a slot machine, which is his best friend.

If Into the Unwell is successful, does it feel like the beginning of a game series and a universe, or is it a work that will stand entirely on its own?

Stockhaus: I don't think any of us have grown tired of this world, and we're constantly coming up with new fun ideas we'd like to include. So if there's interest in seeing more of {Into the Unwell}, we have plenty more to tell!

Screen Time - March 2026

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 09:00:00 +0100

March is finally here and spring has almost sprung. As we're steadily saying goodbye to the dreary winter months, you might be looking for something new to watch to fill the dark nights while they remain. If so, we have good news as March is loaded with great options in cinemas and across streaming platforms.

As always, we've based our picks on a UK release calendar, so be sure to check locally for accurate listings and information.

Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man [Netflix] - March 6

To start off the month is the first of many Netflix projects that we've chosen to spotlight. While this film won't actually be coming to the streamer until March 20, it will first get a two-week-long theatrical run, wherein we get to see how Cillian Murphy returns to the role of Tommy Shelby and proceeds to wrestle control of his former Birmingham gang and empire from a group of unruly and violent youngsters.

The Bride - March 6

You've seen the story of Frankenstein but now it's time to meet the monster's paramour. The Bride is the latest flick from director Maggie Gyllenhaal, a movie that follows the famous monster as he asks a doctor to create him a partner, a move that leads to more questions and problems that they expected, as the 1930s social dynamic is challenged and the pair find themselves on the run in a Bonnie and Clyde-like manner.

War Machine [Netflix] - March 6

Yet another Netflix project that might catch your eye. War Machine is a sci-fi action flick that follows Alan Ritchson's tough military trainee as he is tasked with surviving a persistent and deadly futuristic robot threat, all while isolated in a distant forest. With a Terminator-like setup, this film sees how one group of fearless special ops recruits overcome a challenge where any mistake could mean total annihilation.

Hoppers - March 6

Pixar is back with yet another animated film that you won't want to miss. Hoppers is a hilarious and delightful premise that explores how a single 19-year-old animal lover takes it upon herself to discover the biggest secrets of the animal world, all by placing her consciousness into the mind of a robotic beaver. Yep, expect daft and family-friendly hijinks in this unmissable theatrical flick.

One Piece: Season 2 [Netflix] - March 10

We've had to wait three years for Netflix's live-action One Piece series to return to the streamer, but thankfully this wait is almost over. Monkey D. Luffy and the Strawhat pirates will soon be continuing their epic voyage to the Grand Line, with a second round of episodes that introduces even more iconic faces and characters, plus villains and threats who are not to be trifled with.

How to Make a Killing - March 13

Glen Powell is one of the biggest names in cinema these days and A24 is a studio that everyone wants to work with, so surely the two are a perfect match? Headlining How To Make a Killing, in this film, Powell stars as the disowned child of a very rich family, who has decided to take his slice of the pie by simply eliminating any of the relatives that stand before him in the order of the family's right and ownership will.

Undertone - March 13

It's an excellent time to be a cinema-going horror fan. A24 is back with its second film of the month, with this being dubbed Undertone, and being a striking and promising project that sees how a podcast host faces being haunted after listening to terrifying recordings as part of her supernatural mysteries series. Needless to say, this one isn't for the faint of heart, so check it out if you dare.

Invincible: Season 4 [Prime Video] - March 18

The promise of annual seasons of Invincible has been kept by Prime Video for the last couple of years and 2026 won't be changing that. The anticipated fourth season of the animated adaptation is about to arrive, wherein we can expect to see some major storylines explored, including how Omni-Man returns to Earth, what happened to Conquest, and even how the great Viltrumite-Coalition of Planets war comes to an end... at least for some time.

Project Hail Mary - March 20

Lauded by many already as a must-watch movie this year, the grand and ambitious adaptation of Project Hail Mary is looking to be the sci-fi cinematic film of the year. With Ryan Gosling at the helm, this movie explores how a science teacher is sent deep into space in an attempt to find a solution to a substance that has been killing our solar system's sun, albeit with the added complication of losing his memory along the way and becoming friends with an unlikely ally.

Daredevil: Born Again: Season 2 [Disney+] - March 25

Following the first season debuting last year, it's time for Charlie Cox to suit back up as the man without fear, as Daredevil: Born Again continues this March. Picking up a few months after the first season and taking us to a New York City under the Kingpin's thumb, one where vigilantes are treated as public enemy number one, this next round of episodes will see the return of a bunch of familiar faces, including Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones.

They Will Kill You - March 27

We do love a one-person-army flick, and if you do too, then you won't want to miss They Will Kill You. This violent movie follows Zazie Beetz's protagonist, who upon taking a job as a New York City high-rise housekeeper, finds herself being hunted and attacked by the residents and employees, in a very dark and twisted game of cat and mouse. Can she escape and make it to morning? We'll have to tune in to find out.

There we have it, yet another Screen Time is in the books. Be sure to return in a few weeks when we look to explore the big new releases for cinemagoers and streaming service users in the month of April 2026.

The 10 most stunning Super Nintendo covers

conny@gamereactor.eu (Conny Andersson) — Sun, 01 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0100

The Super Nintendo Entertainment System, better known as SNES, changed so much. Games went from being fairly simple with few pixels on a screen to blossoming into something truly spectacular. Most of Nintendo's major game series got fantastic sequels, and even though I chose new games based on criteria other than cool box art, there was something about a cardboard box and a manual that felt like a fantastic part of childhood.

We've previously listed our favourites for PC, and likewise listed our favourites for Xbox. Now it's the turn to list our ten favourites for the fantastic Super Nintendo. It should also be added that since SNES games came in cardboard boxes, which wore out over time, some of the games could be difficult to find in good condition or even with sufficiently high-resolution images. Therefore, I sometimes have to "cheat" with American versions or take a photo of a (slightly worn) box that someone has scanned. You'll just have to make do with what I found.

10. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

At first glance, this may seem like a rather boring choice. It may also seem like a choice made solely because I love Zelda, as think this instalment is one of the best games in the world. Sure, that plays a part. Still, I can't help but love that gold-coloured case, adorned only with the game's title and a really cool shield and sword. It really is a case of "let the title speak for itself" in the highest degree, trusting that it will draw you in, keep everything mysterious, and create expectations of something epic. If I had made this list based solely on personal connections to something, this would definitely have ended up higher up, but the main thing is really just that it's included.

9. F-Zero

What I really like most about this is the game's logo. Then you look at the hovercrafts, the big city in the background, and slowly you begin to see the stylistic choice. It leans a bit towards something purely artistic, a bit like a painting, sort of. Without really giving away the enormous speed or the rather rough pixel graphics that the game has, you still get a feeling of a futuristic racing game that promises something extra special.

8. Lemmings

When I started putting this list together, I didn't want to just go for the games I have a personal connection to. That said, I played Lemmings a lot, but I wouldn't count it as one of the titles I look back on. As with many other covers on this list, it's mainly the game title that I like, as it's really playful in its design, as are all the cute little Lemmings climbing and playing around. Then there's the image itself, which is so telling, as the Lemmings seem to be jumping to their deaths if you don't help them. It's humorous and fitting.

7. Mario Kart

You can look at every character on this cover and feel happy. They all have so much character, and when you gather some of the most famous and unique characters in the gaming world on one vibrant cover, it's hard not to smile. I like how they've added items such as coins, banana peels, and the shell that hits Bowser, and apart from a slightly unflattering angle on Yoshi, I love the characters' facial expressions. There's so much energy and joy here, and it's definitely a cover that hints at the entertainment the game has to offer.

6. Donkey Kong Country

This one was tricky. I don't really think the 3D-rendered versions of Donkey and Diddy are particularly attractive. They look plastic. But at the same time, it's very fitting for the visual design that Rare later recreated in the game. I also like details such as the snake slithering outside the box itself, and the fact that so many characters and the environment are included. I can really understand how someone could pick up this cover and be fascinated and curious about what the game might be like and then it lives up to all the expectations that the cover itself creates.

5. Mario Paint

I understand that from a marketing point of view, they wanted to include the hand to show that it comes with a mouse and mouse pad. That's really the only thing I don't really like about this cover. But Mario and his canvas are perfect. The colours manage to convey what the game contains, as do the musical notes. Above all, there is one thing that the cover succeeds in doing: demonstrating the creativity that the game offers. For those of us who sat and painted, created music and utilised the various tools on offer, Mario Paint was something truly fantastic in the 1990s. It was a completely different game from anything else we had, something without a goal (except perhaps to finish your work), but something that brought out the painter or musician in you, even if it was with fairly simple tools. I also get really happy every time I look at this cover.

4. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island

As with most of the covers on this list, I don't really know why I like it. Well, I do like Yoshi, I like Baby Mario, and I like the big blue monster. I like that the background kind of paints the same visual style as in the adventure itself. Even though there isn't much happening on it, it still feels fast-paced and exciting. It offers the same kind of charm that Nintendo games often do, which is important in itself when the cover is meant to complement and explain the game.

3. Secret of Mana

There were covers that I stared at for a long time as a child. This was one of them. The characters in the foreground. The giant tree in the background. It doesn't take much to create magic if it's done right. It's a cover that mostly uses one colour scheme and that's why both the title and the characters stand out so well. Then there's the fact that the tree and the rest of the forest environment in the background are so incredibly well done. It's a cover that in so many ways invites imagination and dreams, which are precisely the feelings associated with Secret of Mana.

2. Axelay

Selecting choices at the top of the rankings is difficult. I could probably rank the top three completely differently depending on my mood, but as visually appealing as this shoot 'em up game is, the cover is just as attractive. With the title cutting straight across a spaceship and a monster of fire. The composition is perfect, the details are incredible, and it's definitely a cover I would buy the game for. As with pretty much all other SNES covers, I would have liked to see the entire surface utilised. Instead, we get these black areas with different logos and other clutter. But if you just focus on the image itself, I love it.

1. Super Castlevania IV

No matter what list you make, first place is difficult. Just as I wrote about the cover above, Secret of Mana, Axelay, or this one could certainly have swapped places. But you have to choose. The cover of Super Castlevania IV is incredibly cool. It's another one of those covers that could make me buy the game just by looking at it. Maybe the title could have been a little more stylish, but the image itself is almost perfect. All the monsters and the gothic style is so well captured. I especially like the double dragon heads and the skeleton standing above Simon and I also like that he stands out in terms of colour from the otherwise blue-grey-toned cover. If I had seen something like this today (and knew nothing about the series), I would almost expect an epic open-world game. Simply fantastic.

Games To Look For - March 2026

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 12:00:00 +0100

The dark and dreary winter days are steadily coming to an end and we're now right on the cusp of the arrival of spring. Just because the days are longer and the weather is milder doesn't mean you should be stepping away from your PC or console however, as this March is chock-full of promising new games from a broad array of genres. It's set to be a very busy month, so with that being the case, let's delve into the latest edition of Games To Look For.

World of Warcraft: Midnight (PC) - March 2

Kicking things off is a return to the fantasy continent of Azeroth for the second expansion in the wider Worldsoul Saga for Blizzard's MMORPG. World of Warcraft: Midnight will take us back to the Elven kingdom of Quel'Thalas all on the eve of the grand invasion by Xal'atath's forces, a key and pivotal moment in the wider narrative of this game that explores how the Voidstorm threatens to overwhelm and shroud the world in complete darkness.

Scott Pilgrim EX (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch) - March 3

You need no introduction to this video game legend. The iconic Scott Pilgrim returns to his pixelated beat em' up roots in this brand-new title that explores what happens when the titular hero's bandmates are abducted by shadowy forces. Taking the story in a new direction and seeing Scott face off with three new enemy factions, this evolution of the formula brings fresh combat mechanics, upgradable characters, and plenty of secrets.

Marathon (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - March 5

After well over a decade of being known as the Destiny developer, Bungie is flexing its creative skills once more and returning to one of its oldest franchises. Marathon is this grand launch, an extraction shooter set in a cold and dark sci-fi world where players must hunt, scavenge, loot, and assemble stronger builds in a bid to rinse and repeat to access even more bountiful and risky missions. Do you have what it takes?

Pokémon Pokopia (Switch 2) - March 5

The major Nintendo Switch 2 launch of the month comes shortly after the annual Pokémon Day and offers a very unique experience compared to what we've come across in the past from the series. Pokémon Pokopia is an Animal Crossing meets Viva Pinata-like adventure where players take on the role of a curious Ditto tasked with bringing life and pocket monster charisma back to an otherwise rather desolate plot of land.

Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2) - March 5

By this point, we've already seen a few major triple AAA titles make their arrival this March, so why not have a bit of a palette-cleanser and explore the indie space for a few hours. The folks over at Wishfully are set to make their return by debuting the long-awaited Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf, a striking and colourful adventure that sees a girl and her unusual-looking cat ally traversing various biomes in the hunt for a cure to her sister's illness.

John Carpenter's Toxic Commando (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - March 12

Monsters, trucks, guns, and cooperative action. Need we say any more to convince you about John Carpenter's Toxic Commando? This FPS title will be debuting and serving up a Back 4 Blood-like experience where a group of up to four players must traverse a dangerous level, completing tasks, finding upgrades, and all while dealing with hordes of attacking monsters. Expect hectic chaos in this action title.

Greedfall II: The Dying World (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - March 12

A sequel that in a narrative-sense is actually a prequel. That's what developer Spiders has served up with Greedfall II: The Dying World, a follow-up chapter that after years of improvements in Early Access is now primed and ready for a full-scale launch on consoles too. Again, this chapter explores how the Deutan Empire originally found itself on the shores of Uxantis and proceeded to form a force that would restrict and subjugate the natives of the land.

1348 Ex Voto (PC, PS5) - March 12

If you're hunting for another grim and more authentic representation of medieval Europe, let us direct your attention to 1348 Ex Voto, an adventure game that follows a young knight errant that heads out on a brutal journey through Italy to save the person she holds most dear. Don't expect glitzy high-fantasy in this gruelling and muddy title that features the voice talents of Jennifer English among others.

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2) - March 13

Capcom has done an admirable job at serving up a new Monster Hunter adventure each year as of late, and following up from 2025's Wilds, we now have the next instalment in the Stories series in 2026, a game known as Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection. Following a Rathalos Rider, this RPG explores the relationship that humans can form with monsters and sees how one hero attempts to prevent a shocking civil war.

Crimson Desert (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - March 19

What was originally lauded as a very ambitious game has since developed into one of the year's most anticipated titles. Pearl Abyss' Crimson Desert debuts this March and brings with it a stunning and immensely broad RPG adventure that follows a hero in the fantasy realm of Pywel that's inhabited by men, monsters, and supernatural powers. With danger around every corner, will you have what it takes to carve out your legend and embrace your destiny?

Screamer (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - March 26

The folks over at Milestone are traditionally known for all things simulation racing, but they do have experience in the arcade racing segment too, something they will be flexing further with the imminently arriving Screamer. This anime-inspired racing game takes us to a fictional dystopian world where every character takes to the road in search of glory or revenge and where every car is a weapon meant for destruction.

Life is Strange: Reunion (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S) - March 26

The latest chapter in Square Enix's beloved narrative-heavy adventure series will be debuting at the end of March and serving up a story that will look to conclude the ongoing saga of two of its most famous protagonists. Max Caulfield is back in the driver's seat in this anticipated instalment, where she's joined by the returning Chloe Price, both of whom try to solve how the latter has found herself back in Max's life all while hunting down the culprits responsible for a highly destructive fire.

Mega Man Star Force: Legacy Collection (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch) - March 27

With so many nostalgic game collections making their arrival these days and proving to be big hits among fans, it felt only natural to end this month's GTLF by spotlighting Mega Man Star Force: Legacy Collection. Coming to all platforms, this bundle brings together all seven games in the Mega Man Star Force series into one unmissable whole that should appease the hunger of even the most ravenous arcade and retro gamers.

That concludes this month's GTLF. Be sure to return in a few week's time when we delve into what April 2026 has in store for video game fans around the world.

OutRun turns 40: We rank the five best games in the series

marcus@gamereactor.eu (Marcus Persson) — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 14:00:00 +0100

I still clearly remember my very first encounter with that red test car. It whizzed along winding roads at impossible speeds, dodging lorries and cars with a strange disregard for death, and in the seat next to the world's coolest driver sat that anonymous but iconic blonde with her pixelated hair fluttering in the wind.

Sega's sun-drenched arcade racer was impossible to take your eyes off, and finding it standing in a smoke-filled, dingy room aboard one of TT-Line's Trelleborg-Travemünde ferries was not quite what mini-Marcus had expected. Of course, my parents refused to give me any coins to "waste" on the machine, so I had to content myself with standing there, holding the small hard plastic steering wheel and pretending.

It was a memory that stuck with me for a long time, and in fact even sowed the seed that later blossomed into a shameless love for arcade racing in all its forms. Yu Suzuki's masterpiece not only changed me but also the entire racing genre, and in the same breath managed to create a completely unique aesthetic. It was as much about the aesthetics as it was about the atmosphere.

Outrun was almost too cool for its own good, laying the foundation for everything from the Ridge Racer and Cruis'n series to today's synthwave culture and retro wave. Yes, even the music genre "OutRun" bears its name as a digital monument to neon-coloured nostalgia, and without the game, we might never have heard Kavinsky's fantastic music.

For four decades, the series has skidded between arcades and home consoles, with mixed results. The road has not been entirely without its potholes, so to speak, but the heart has always been in the right place. The dream has always lived on, even during the darkest periods when Sega's future was at stake: the open road, freedom, adventure and a summer feeling that always amazes you. So to celebrate 40 years of magic, we're taking this opportunity to rank the five best games in the franchise.

5. OutRun Online Arcade (2009)

Sadly, it turned out to be the last OutRun game we would ever get. Or at least until Sega decides to breathe new life into the franchise. And even though the content was somewhat slimmed down compared to previous versions, and licensing issues meant that the game later disappeared from digital stores, the memory lives on today. Because damn, it was incredibly fun to sit online and skid around against other happy OutRunners in pursuit of those last milliseconds. The soul of OutRun 2 was intact, complete with playful arcade physics, winding roads and landscapes whizzing by at breakneck speed, and (of course) that magical music. The online mode also offered something the series had never had before: the opportunity to share the road trip with other players around the world.

4. Turbo OutRun (1989)

How do you actually create a sequel to what was, at the time, a veritable phenomenon? With turbo, of course - more of everything - faster, more aggressive and a clearer focus on competition and adrenaline. Here, holiday driving was partly replaced by pure racing. You compete against rivals on the roads of the United States, upgrade your car between stages and get a sense of progression that the original lacked. It was almost proto-Need for Speed before the series even existed. Purists snorted and the relaxed atmosphere was gone, but it also showed that the OutRun concept had plenty of room to grow, and Sega dared to try out a lot of new ideas. Nowadays, the game feels like the franchise's unruly and slightly mischievous cousin. Loud, rebellious and a little edgy, but also equally fascinating and daring - an important step in the series' development, even if it's hardly the most iconic.

3. OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast (2006)

Sega and AM2 were in high spirits in the mid-2000s, and with Coast 2 Coast, they not only built on the outrageously charming OutRun 2, but also nearly overdosed on content. There were tons of tracks, game modes, challenges, and licensed red stallions to unlock - for those who were up to the challenge. The Coast 2 Coast mode also gave the game a completely different structure than before, and variety is something that pleases. It was playful and balanced, with a drifting system that rocked even the greenest of drivers, but also offered plenty of depth for the scarred veteran. Many consider this to be the most complete game in the series, and it's easy to see why. It was OutRun at its most maximal: bigger, better looking and more confident than ever.

2. OutRun 2 (2003)

After ten years of silence, Sega did the seemingly impossible: they revived OutRun — and actually managed to exceed expectations. OutRun 2 was a perfect reinterpretation. The graphics were dazzling for their time, the sense of speed phenomenal, and the brand-new operating system added a whole new layer to the summery soup. It was still a romantic road trip, just upgraded to 21st-century technology. The tracks wound their way through European coastal roads, deserts and alpine landscapes, all to the sounds of remixed classic songs — nostalgic but modern. Most importantly, however, was how well OutRun 2 handled the tone, and Sega was smart enough to truly embrace the series' distinct charm rather than attempting some cynical "coolness." The result was perhaps one of the most beloved arcade racing games ever.

1. OutRun (1986)

There's probably nothing that beats that enchanting feeling of settling into one of those hydraulic cabs. Grab hold of that rock-hard plastic steering wheel, insert a coin and accelerate towards the pixelated horizon. And despite so many years having passed, that red test car still sparkles just as beautifully as ever. OutRun is video gaming in its purest form. Unbridled joy and a feeling of sunshine, freedom and digital romance. From the (at the time) astonishing scaling of sprites to those beepy tones. Magical Sound Shower, Passing Breeze and Splash Wave - which still live on today and thrive as part of the DNA that shapes Synthwave, indie and retro aesthetics around the world. Whether you think about it or not. OutRun is not only the best game in the series. It is one of the greatest experiences in arcade history.

Do you agree with the list, and what are your fondest OutRun memories?

Samsung Galaxy S26 and Buds 4 announced during Unpacked 2026

johan@gamereactor.eu (Johan Vahlström) — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 10:00:00 +0100

If you're going to San Francisco... you can visit Samsung Galaxy Unpacked. The event has wrapped, and it can really be summed up in two letters: AI. These two letters are a huge dividing line among people. The fact is that Samsung no longer makes mobile phones; they make AI phones.

There have been many leaks, but now we have officially seen the new Galaxy S26 series.

"Our belief is that AI should be something people can rely on in their everyday lives, designed to work consistently for everyone without requiring any technical expertise. With the Galaxy S26 series, we have focused on making AI as smooth and natural as possible, with the technology working discreetly in the background so that people can focus their energy on what really matters.", said TM Roh, Chief Executive Officer, President, and Head of Device eXperience (DX) Division of Samsung Electronics, to us gathered inside the beautiful Palace of Fine Arts building in San Francisco. It felt somewhat paradoxical to be in a place designed to look like a Roman ruin while listening to what the future holds.

The big problem was that most of what was shown did not come as a surprise, as far too much had already been leaked online long ago. Personally, I find this disappointing, as those wow moments always feel special. The Samsung Galaxy S26 offers some excellent features, one of which is something we have never seen before in a mobile phone and which I believe will become standard in the future. What I'm talking about here is something called Privacy Display. You may have experienced this before at, say, a bank, where the screen cannot be seen from the sides and only the person sitting directly in front of the computer can see what is on the screen. This usually involves a sticker-type screen protector, whereas in the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, it is built into the screen. It will be possible to hide the entire screen at all times, hide notifications, protect you when you enter passwords, and hide the screen when you open apps that you have chosen to enable the feature for. If you were to ask me which single feature makes the S26 Ultra stand out from the crowd, it would be this one. A genuinely useful feature in real life.

The Galaxy S26 and Buds4 were what was showcased this time around.

In short, it works by blocking the amount of light emitted by certain pixels, and in which direction, using physical rings. Like a frame, basically. Pixels are usually designed to emit light at as wide an angle as possible for better visibility. Privacy Display uses a technology that Samsung calls Black Matrix, which makes the light go straight ahead, as if you had put a toilet roll in front of a torch. According to a previous press release, this is something the company has been working on for five years, and after holding the phone in my own hands, I can only say that they have succeeded.

Then there was the matter of AI. It has been very difficult to avoid these two letters during our days in San Francisco. At a preview event at City View at Metreon, I couldn't even go for a coffee without seeing Galaxy AI on top of muffins. While waiting for the big Unpacked event to start, it wasn't the Galaxy S26 rolling across the screen, it was Galaxy AI. And the idea is that Galaxy AI will reduce the steps between intention and action.

Big brother and little brother.

This could be anything from the Now Nudge feature, which automatically finds relevant information for you. If a friend asks you for a photo from a specific trip, you don't have to go into the album and scroll through hundreds of photos if you don't want to. Now Nudge will instead suggest relevant photos from the album based on what your friend asked for. Or if you receive a message from someone wanting to meet up for lunch, the Galaxy S26 will automatically check your calendar to see if you are free on that day and at that time. There's also the improved Circle to Search with Google feature, where you can circle something in your photo and the identification now works on multiple objects at the same time.

For anyone worried that AI will take over our lives, I can only say that our mobile phones have already been taken over, in the Galaxy S26 by Bixby, Gemini, and Perplexity. I will go through how well all these features actually work in real life, and not just on paper, in my review of the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra once I have had a little more time to spend with it.

As you have probably already noticed, I have not written anything about the other two variants of the Galaxy S26. However, I am not alone in this. The phones that most people will buy, the S26 and S26 Plus, were not mentioned much by Samsung themselves either, with the focus being more on the Ultra model. My experience of the S26 and S26 Plus therefore doesn't extend much further than what I was able to feel and squeeze on the evening before Galaxy Unpacked. The base model Galaxy S26 has a larger screen (6.3-inch FHD+) than the Galaxy S25 and is therefore also larger and wider, 149.6 x 71.7 x 7.2 mm compared to 146.9 x 70.5 x 7.2 mm. As for the S26 Plus, it is almost identical to the S25 Plus in terms of size and many other features. It has the same camera system, the same RAM and storage sizes, and the same battery capacity of 4900 mAh, although wireless charging is faster at 20W instead of 15W. The question is whether these two models are not a little too similar to each other. Both the S26 and S26 Plus have the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy processor, Exynos 2600.

Galaxy Buds4 and Buds4 Pro.

What about the price? The Galaxy S26 Ultra starts at a recommended price of £1,279, the Galaxy S26+ at £1,099, and the Galaxy S26 at £879. They can be ordered now ahead of the launch on 11 March. As I said, I will be reviewing the S26 Ultra and giving you my thoughts on the phone in the not too distant future.

However, I will not be able to do the same for the second of the two products announced by Samsung, namely the Galaxy Buds4 earphones, which also come in a Pro model. The difference is that the Galaxy Buds4 Pro are in-ear earphones, while the Galaxy Buds4 have an open design. For someone like me, who finds it difficult to find in-ear headphones that fit well and don't try to fall out every other minute, it was nice to hear that they had taken into account that people actually have different ear shapes. One size doesn't fit all. Apparently, they used hundreds of millions of global ear measurements and over 10,000 simulations. I have to say that they actually fit like a glove, wedged snugly in my ears, during the admittedly very short time I had with the Pro model. And hidden beneath the surface is a speaker area that is almost 20 per cent larger than the previous generation, as they have maximised the vibration surface and minimised the speaker's edge. This is supposed to support 24-bit/96kHz audio. It's difficult for me to give any greater opinion on the quality after only having them in my ears for a few minutes, but they play music and the active noise cancellation (ANC), which is also said to be improved, works.

"Our design philosophy with the Galaxy Buds4 series is to offer comfort without compromising on sound performance, as that is what users value most. We have combined our most powerful HiFi sound with our most secure and ergonomic fit to enhance each other and deliver the best listening experience we have ever created," said Ikhyun Cho, Corporate VP of Mobile Enhancement R&D Team, Mobile eXperience (MX) Business at Samsung Electronics.

It's all about AI.

As you may have noticed, there are currently no over-ear headphones available, and this was something that Han-gil Moon, VP of Technology at Samsung Electronics, was asked about during an interview. It does not appear that any are in the pipeline in the near future, but the response was that the company is always looking at opportunities to meet customer demands.

So as I begin my journey home from San Francisco, away from the Golden Gate bridges, roaring sea lions, and very steep hills, with a Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra in my pocket, I look forward to trying out all the things they talked about. Super-Fast Charging 3.0, which charges up to 75 per cent in 30 minutes. Improved Nightography Video. AI ISP, which now also includes the selfie camera, even though I very rarely take selfies. The Photo Assist suite, where I can edit an image by typing in a prompt, such as removing all the fog around the Golden Gate Bridge and instead adding some very happy Golden State Warriors basketball players dunking huge balls into the water below. AI-based tools such as Document Scanner, which can turn even crumpled papers into neat PDF files. And last but not least, the aforementioned Privacy Display, which will actually affect the people around me more than myself. Will everything work as advertised? That remains to be seen, but at least I've already started tinkering with it.

Thank you for all the entertainment, Phil Spencer.

jonas@gamereactor.eu (Jonas Mäki) — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 15:00:00 +0100

Things moved quickly on Friday when major changes were confirmed in the leadership of not only the Xbox division, but also Microsoft's overall gaming ventures. Gaming boss Phil Spencer was confirmed to be leaving the company on the same day, only to be followed by his closest colleague, Sarah Bond. She was also confirmed to be leaving, and the new gaming boss for Microsoft's gaming venture is Asha Sharma.

But... let's talk more about Spencer. How will his contributions to Xbox be valued in the future? Xbox will turn 25 in 2026, and Phil Spencer has been at the helm for 12 of those years. It is therefore doubtful that anyone else has had the same impact on the brand as he has. But let's rewind even further. The fact is that 58-year-old Phil Spencer started his career at Microsoft back in 1988.

Phil Spencer is no longer the head of Xbox.

Spencer's interest in gaming meant that he was already involved in the company's gaming ventures at that time, and in the early 1990s he led the development of CD-ROMs, such as Encarta. From there, he continued to work with various consumer products (including Works, for those of you who remember it) and games, until he joined the then newly formed Xbox team full-time in 2001. So he has literally been there since the beginning.

His first role for Xbox was actually as general manager of Microsoft Game Studios EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa division), so he had the honour of managing Xbox in our part of the world with responsibility for recruiting developers, managing marketing and other tasks. Phil Spencer was one of the key players who led to the acquisitions of Lionhead and Rare, among others.

When Peter Moore took over the Xbox division after Sega's departure from console manufacturing in 2003, Spencer was heavily involved in the work, and in 2008 he was promoted to general manager of Microsoft Studios, making him one of the real Xbox bigwigs. 2008 was also the first time we at Gamereactor wrote about Spencer, when he was mentioned in a news item on the network.

The first time we wrote about Spencer was during the Xbox 360 era.

Since he became head of gaming, it was largely thanks to him that we got all the exciting initiatives during the Xbox 360 era. There are plenty of stories from colleagues who say that Spencer, who was interested in gaming, was often involved in games at a detailed level and enjoyed beta testing and giving his opinion. However, he was not as involved in Kinect. After Peter Moore left Microsoft in 2007, Don Mattrick took over, and he had a different view on how to run the console business. He wanted to focus on a few major brands and try to create something as popular as the Wii remote.

Many have pointed out that Spencer was also one of the top brass in the Xbox team at the time, and even though he himself did not want to disassociate himself from Kinect, there is much to suggest that it was not his creation. Spencer had a "gamer first" philosophy, which did not go hand in hand with this. When it came to the Xbox One, it seemed that everything but gaming was important, and there was a lot of talk about TV initiatives and Kinect - while the console had worse performance than the PlayStation 4 but cost $100 more.

However, Spencer's role seems to have been primarily gaming again, with investments in Halo and Titanfall, among others. When criticism of Xbox One was at its worst, Microsoft realised that they had developed a concept that did not appeal to the audience willing to shell out for new hardware, and that also had regulations that were perceived as consumer-unfriendly (although, in fairness, it should be said that they were probably ahead of their time, as most of their proposals have now been implemented).

Kinect was a huge success, but perhaps also something that ultimately damaged the brand. However, Spencer does not appear to have been involved in that.

Don Mattrick was more or less forced to leave his role, and Spencer said he wanted to take over as Xbox boss, with proposals on how he could pick up the pieces of a brand that had been so beloved just a few years earlier. This included scrapping the new rules, abandoning the idea of requiring Kinect and increasing investment in games again.

However, the Xbox brand was in a sad state, and to make matters worse, Sony seemed to be doing everything right after making a series of wrong decisions with the PlayStation 3. This meant constant headwinds for Microsoft, which was unable to launch the console simultaneously worldwide, with delays in many places, including Europe. In addition, the console was beaten by the PlayStation 4 in virtually all console comparisons made, as it simply wasn't powerful enough.

If there is one bright spot to highlight, it is that Spencer did a good job in his role as head of gaming, and the fact is that Xbox One had more exclusive games than Sony's format in its early years. Thanks to titles such as Ryse: Son of Rome, Forza Motorsport 5, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Forza Horizon 2, Sunset Overdrive, Titanfall and Ori and the Blind Forest, the Xbox One managed to keep up despite the poor conditions. With a better console and a more gamer-friendly image, it could probably have done really well.

It's easy to forget that Xbox One had some really great games in its early days, something we have Spencer to thank for.

But it's hard to understand if you weren't there, how criticised Xbox was at the time. Not even the sleek Xbox One S, which arrived three years into the generation and offered the most attractive Xbox design ever, could change that. Microsoft seemed unwilling to invest in the battered brand, and Sony caught up with its games, leaving Xbox One in the rear-view mirror. According to several sources, Microsoft considered simply leaving gaming behind, and Spencer had meetings with CEO Satya Nadella to formulate a strategy for the future.

This later resulted in the impressively powerful Xbox One X and investments to strengthen development capacity. For two years, it felt like Microsoft had new acquisitions to announce at every new event, and optimism slowly began to return to the green team. But... making games takes time, and none of Microsoft's new studios would have time to release anything completely new before it was time to launch the current console generation. Spencer said at this point in the generation, the Xbox One was the worst possible console to make a mistake with:

"We lost the worst generation to lose in the Xbox One generation, where everybody built their digital library of games."

In short, people were reluctant to switch consoles when the new generation took over because they already had a library for the PlayStation 4. It was better to buy a PlayStation 5 so they could continue using their games.

During the PlayStation 4 era, digital games really took off. It was the worst generation to lose, according to Spencer.

However, Spencer had more ideas for how to turn things around for Xbox One, the most notable of which was Game Pass. The idea was to consume games in the same way as Netflix, i.e. a subscription that gives you a wide selection, including new games. For a long time, it was an incredibly good deal, but surprisingly few people took advantage of it - simply because they didn't have an Xbox. And, of course, few people bought an Xbox just to be able to subscribe, as it would have been an expensive subscription.

Another new approach Spencer tried was to fully support PC with new releases. Windows is also a Microsoft format, so it felt logical. Many people opposed this, arguing that it undermined the point of buying an Xbox, but if we look at today's market, Sony has largely adopted the same strategy.

The biggest game acquisition Microsoft had made up to that point was when they bought Mojang and Minecraft in 2014. However, this game did not become exclusive, but continued to be released and supported on all formats. When the current generation began, Microsoft announced that they would make an acquisition that led to an uproar, namely Bethesda. Once the acquisition was complete, it seemed that Spencer was ready to fight to seriously strengthen Xbox and take on Sony. He said this about why Microsoft wanted to take over the Elder Scrolls developer: "This is about delivering great exclusive games on platforms where Game Pass exists."

The acquisition of Bethesda shocked the gaming world. Suddenly, it felt like nothing was sacred. A clever move by Spencer, who was chasing exclusives.

Just a few years later, he had completely changed his mind and announced that exclusive games were nonsense, as Microsoft would support all formats. Things probably didn't go quite as Spencer had planned. The desire to spoil Xbox players was probably there, but the new studios they had acquired had nothing in the pipeline, so there was a poor flow of new games. Halo Infinite received a lot of criticism when it was unveiled and was delayed by a year, and when it was finally released, all support disappeared immediately. The Gears of War series failed to replace the old protagonists, Forza Motorsport received lukewarm reviews, and it's no exaggeration to say that the Xbox Series S/X had a miserable start, despite initially flying off the shelves during the worst of the pandemic.

Something that has definitely fuelled the perception that multi-format is the future is the record-breaking acquisition of Activision Blizzard. A bold move, but it still seems to have led to some unforeseen consequences. For example, they couldn't really remove Call of Duty from PlayStation because it would mean losing huge revenues, and because they wouldn't have been able to buy the company in the first place. In addition, many Xbox fans commented that they didn't think they were getting anything of value when Microsoft was in fact just stopping releasing games for a competing format. It was impressive that Spencer and Sarah Bond still managed to push through the purchase, but perhaps it contributed more to the dilution of Xbox than it actually added?

The fans were understandably disappointed, and the previously acclaimed and well-liked Phil Spencer was increasingly criticised. After four weak years with the new console, rumours began to surface that major changes were afoot at Microsoft, with frequent talk that exclusive Xbox games were on their way to the PlayStation 5. Today, we know that this turned out to be true, and since then, the Xbox brand has taken a huge beating.

Game Pass is one of the enduring phenomena that Spencer has created.

Prices have been aggressively raised on both Game Pass and hardware, and without exclusive games to attract customers, they have flocked to alternatives, both console and PC. Microsoft has consistently struggled to explain why you should buy an Xbox, while actively advertising that you don't even need one, because everything could be an Xbox.

A new console appears to be on the way, and judging by the latest rumours, it will be a PC hybrid, which would mean that in the future, Xbox will be exclusively an ecosystem and a competitor to Steam. For two years, Phil Spencer has made fewer and fewer public appearances, and rumours and credible insiders have said that he has been tightly controlled from above and is no longer able to act as he might have wished.

As of yesterday, Phil Spencer is no longer head of the Xbox division. There are conflicting reports as to whether he left voluntarily or after discussions with his boss (Satya Nadella), but he has been with Microsoft for nearly 40 years and has been part of the entire Xbox journey, half of which as boss, and is now only a few years away from retirement. He is 58 years old - which happens to be exactly how old Reggie Fils-Aime was when he left Nintendo of America to retire.

The Activision Blizzard acquisition was a huge project, but perhaps not one that delivered what Microsoft had hoped for.

Xbox has changed significantly under Spencer's leadership, not always for the better (such as the closure of Everwild and Perfect Dark), but most seem to agree that he has been a positive force in the gaming industry. Whether his plans for the next generation will lead to the return of Xbox as hardware remains to be seen, but at present, many would say that it has a somewhat tarnished reputation as a result of Xbox having been at a significant disadvantage since the Xbox 360 days and being so much smaller than PlayStation in particular that many games have simply not been released.

At the same time, there is a certain irony in the fact that Sony has had a fairly empty slate of games for two years, while Microsoft's many studios have really gotten going. Had Microsoft gone ahead with exclusive games, they could probably have attracted PlayStation fans with their deluge of heavyweight titles. But if that is the case, we will never know.