The universally-loved Ghost of Tsushima delivered on the promise of an epic set in medieval Japan, with its revenge-driven protagonist Jin Sakai swapping between katana stances to quickly adjust to deal with every scenario. The sequel, Ghost of Yotei, set 300 years later in the frosty north region of Ezo (modern-day Hokkaido), starring a female protagonist, and featuring multiple weapons instead of different katana stances, delivered multiple spins on the formula, and our fearless leader Carlos really enjoyed the base game (LINK). As for myself? It’s complicated.

One of the biggest influences developer Sucker Punch claims are the samurai epics of Akira Kurosawa. As a massive fan of that director and his body of work, the prospect of playing a game that was supposedly influenced by Kurosawa’s classic films was definitely intriguing, and the most frustrating thing is that it’s halfway there, but fumbles the execution. 

Breathtaking graphics and an auditory treat

The visuals, filled with mountainous vistas and particle effects such as falling leaves and snow, are excellently-realized. The optional “Kurosawa Mode” slaps on a black-and-white filter. It doesn’t look like 35mm film by any stretch, nor does the game attempt to evoke the colors of films like Ran, but it’s a cool addition. I made sure to turn on “Takashi Miike Mode”, which turns up the blood splatters, even if I quickly grew numb to the ultraviolence. Either way, the game runs at a smooth 60fps and delivers fantastic particle effects and draw distance, all the while shining with quick load times. I enjoyed messing around in the Camera Mode a lot, too.

What’s more, whether you’re opting for the raw original score, filled with shamisen, flutes, and drums, or, as I did, perpetually leave on the “Shinichiro Watanabe mode” that occasionally plays one of several vaguely Samurai Champloo-esque trip-hop and chill electro-jazz tracks, the music is atmospheric and inviting. Protagonist Atsu occasionally plays the shamisen too, in one of many “immersive” minigames. 

The English voice acting attempts to go for the old-school campy style of dubbed Asian films, and it really doesn’t work with the stilted animations of characters just standing there jabbering. Erika Ishii’s nasal voice and flat facial performance are a serious mismatch for this character, leading me to immediately switch to the Japanese dub, where she’s portrayed by the very competent seiyuu Fairouz Ai (Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure and Fate: Grand/Order, among nearly 200 credits), who elevates the material as best she can, though it’s perhaps impossible to transcend the utterly pedestrian writing.

Soap operas are better written than this

But no matter how realistic-looking or inviting a game’s presentation is, one needs to be able to either believe in the world that it presents, or else to care enough about the protagonist and their story to want to soldier on. Ghost of Yotei’s writing may have worked for a lot of people, but it doesn’t work for me at all.

Atsu is an impossible badass, which is echoed by literally dozens of character interactions she has with others constantly gassing her up, praising her inhuman ability to take countless lives of men three times her muscle mass, when one would imagine folks would be filled with fear and distrust at encountering a feared outlaw described as a onryo (vengeful spirit/wrathful demon).

Moreover, what little moral nuance there is fails to make any impact due to writing that attempts to walk a line between being historically sensitive and modernly clever, but fails at both, straight-up ignoring or waving away the narrative’s many moral qualms and contradictions. Ghost of Yotei’s writers clearly think Atsu is the coolest thing since sliced sushi rolls, but she is selfish, abrasive, and cares for nothing but her revenge quest. Her attempts to talk like a Toshiro Mifune ronin come off as silly and forced.

When a major character from Atsu’s past reenters the narrative midway through the campaign, this major moment is given none of the emotional weight that it deserves, and the ensuing arc just sucks. The writers keep this character weak, so he never successfully challenges her. In a moral inversion, Atsu’s closest relationship is with a woman who is revealed to have done some terrible things and now lives incognito, but she never truly pays the price for her murderous past. 

A bloodthirsty combat gauntlet one minute, a scenic tour of Hokkaido the next

That would all be forgivable if the game wasn’t so incredibly drawn-out. Climbing sequences are simple. Wolf den bits are cinematic but empty. Sneaking around caves and camps grows old. Robbing homes for items feels dirty, but the game encourages it. The mini-games are fun the first time or two, but skippable. Encounters with the Ainu folk provided the only truly immersive story beats for me, but they are few and far-between. 

Only when the game slapped me into grueling combat arenas did I feel truly awake, let alone alive. You’ll swap between a single katana, dual katanas, odachi, yari (spear) and kusarigama (sickle and chain), but as each weapon has limited utility and you’ll also have access to not only a bow, but quickfire weapons such as kunai and firearms, you’ll be constantly switching tactics on the fly if you want to ace enemy encounters.

I’m no fan of the scissors-paper-rock forced weapon swaps the game puts you through (ala Doom Eternal), but considering Yotei doesn’t have a lock-on by default, the blocking and parrying system is pretty decent, rewarding perfect parries and featuring a stagger system that lets you wear down foes through sheer force if you’re ever caught at a disadvantage. Ghost of Yotei may fit the definition of “parry-slop”, but aside from the occasional cheap shot from behind, it’s done well. I initially felt sad when combat encounters ended, since they comparatively comprised such a small slice of the actual game. When your bounty reward is raised high enough to make you a constant target, you’ll be ambushed more, but I was strong enough at that time that I had to raise the game’s difficulty to sweat even a little.

To-who-gawa Shogunate?

Echoes of Sekigahara, which you’ll be able to kick off about ten hours into the main campaign, had the opportunity to improve greatly on the game’s lackluster story. And for some, it might. Atsu’s mood turns when Nagato, an old flame, shows up on wanted posters. The game sprinkles in flashbacks to three years hence, when Atsu and Nagato were a “will-they, won’t they” mercenary couple just before the Battle of Sekigahara. Subverting expectations, the famed battle, arguably the most important in the history of Japan, is maddeningly not the focus of this DLC as I had expected, since it was teased multiple times in the base game.

Instead, Atsu will mostly be exploring a new area in the present day, to clear more enemy camps, take down would-be contenders for the power vacuum left by The Snake (the first of the Yotei Six she kills), liberate wolves and bears, and brashly dress down Nagato, whom she now despises. By the time we actually get to the famed Battle of Sekigahara, we’re treated to a series of cinematic corridor battles, but no major gameplay innovations. Some might say that it feels as if you’re taking part in a grand battle. To me, this was a pale imitation of the experience you’d get in a musou game, and the conclusion to the DLC’s story was rather unsatisfying.

Related | Full review of Ghost of Yotei

Most Wanted is the Reason for This Game’s Existence

The other major addition to Ghost of Yotei: Complete Edition is Most Wanted, a rogue-lite mode which consists of a series of gauntlets where you will be tasked with taking down each member of the Yotei Six at the end of alternating mob and mini-boss fights. The arenas, vistas, enemies, and mini-bosses differ each time you embark on a run, so the challenges are always fresh. Each of the boss battles is no slouch either, as they’ll summon minions (or, in one case, munitions) to keep you on your toes. This mode not only kept me playing the game long after I felt fed up with the story; to me, it’s almost worth the price of admission alone.

You’re not just limited to playing Atsu here, either. You’ll unlock Oyuki, Nagato, and Jin Sakai, in that order. Each character goes into battle with a different arsenal, and can unlock different perks (you typically pick between three to start with after every level-up). Jin gets bonuses relating to his different katana stances, which is a cool addition.

All four characters have the same basic katana, but the kits and bonuses offered during gameplay differ wildly. Each character is worthwhile, although I couldn’t find much to enjoy in Nagato’s more keep-away style, as he’s more focused on archery and ranged attacks that don’t seem to jive well with the mode’s lightning-fast pace, unless I’m missing something. Oyuki primarily uses the kusarigama (a sickle attached to a chain), which is a great mid-to-long-ranged weapon. When combined with her musket and quickfire kunai, she can play keep-away at first to thin enemy numbers down, then go in for the kill with her katana. Like in the main game, there are basic stealth options such as assassinations, the implementation of which is map-dependent.

Jin Sakai’s Gameplay is Perfectly Suited to Most Wanted

But the real MVP of this DLC is Jin Sakai. Even though I’d never played the original Ghost of Tsushima, in my youth I did study Korean kumdo, and took to Jin’s katana stances like a fish to water. Because his katana strikes have similar speed and range, spacing came naturally. His fighting style felt infinitely better to me than switching between weapons mid-combo with Atsu, which is a physical impossibility to begin with considering the game’s speed. I am now tempted to boot up my PS4 copy of Ghost of Tsushima, gifted by a friend many years ago, and play it once and for all.

As for the bonuses you gain during gameplay, you can choose between buffs to your main weapon/s, ranged weapons, unique abilities such as standoffs, stagger damage, poison/fire damage, wolf abilities, increased massive weapon or depletable weapon drops, and the like. I sometimes felt like I was lacking in options and would have to re-roll, only to be left with only slightly more desirable options and one less re-roll. But that’s all part of the challenge. 

Most Wanted is extremely tough, and it becomes even tougher once you’ve beaten it and unlock the Max Threat difficulty, which turns every bounty into a 5-star one with insane amounts of enemies in every wave.

If you’re anything like me, you will die many times in Most Wanted, and maybe even lower the difficulty before even getting your first boss kill. But it’s definitely worth sticking with, because while progression may seem slow, the feeling of finally clinching each final bounty is incomparable. You’ll also be granted the satisfaction of leveling up your abilities permanently to give a boost in future runs. I spent well over ten hours in this mode, on multiple difficulties. It’s a thrilling, grueling experience and, in my opinion, shows this game at its very best.

Due to issues with my Internet speed, I didn’t try out the Legends Co-Op Mode, but I did watch a few videos. That mode seems fun enough, but for me it’s not really a major selling point.

To buy or not to buy? That is the question.

The way that I feel about Ghost of Yotei: Complete Edition is simple. The Most Wanted mode is an excellent rogue-lite combat experience that stands great on its own, but it’s held back by the drawn-out, joyless slog of a main campaign that drip-feeds mostly excellent gameplay in between a tedious, one-note soapy girlboss simulation that fails to capture the energy of Kill Bill nor the thematic depth of the classic Kurosawa and Miike samurai films it claims inspiration from. 

On the other hand, if you, like many others, like Sony’s brand of cinematic walk-and-talk simulators with hours of leisurely exploration, horse rides over rivers, tons of dialogue, Ubisoft-like world-building elements that reward seeking out conspicuous points and engaging with seemingly endless filler content, then you’ll probably enjoy this maximalist game. As a father with limited time on my hands, I found myself falling asleep while tackling the campaign, but staying up late and really having a blast playing Most Wanted, which respected not only my time, but my patience. Personally, I would wait for a sale or price drop. And definitely play it with the Japanese audio.

Verdict: 4 / 5 (Fantastic)

PROS

• The combat-focused Most Wanted roguelite mode takes this series’ combat to its absolute zenith, especially while playing as Jin Sakai

• Beautiful graphics bolstered by cinematic presentation, vibrant colors, and particle effects

• Excellent performance stays consistent at 60fps with very short load times

• Japanese dub far exceeds the original English dub

CONS

• The story and scenario writing is dull, trope-filled, uninspired, and reeks of western Millennial writing despite evoking traditional Japanese storytelling

• Repetitive, predictable gameplay outside of combat paired with far too much walking and talking

• The English dub is offensive to my ears

What I’ve Played 

• Spent 53 hours total on the game, mostly on Medium difficulty for speed’s sake

• Over 10 hours in Most Wanted mode, completed all skill trees

• Completed Echoes of Sekigahara DLC

*This review is based on a PS5 review copy provided to the reviewer

About the Author - Joseph Choi

Filipino-American gamer, professional shepherd and farmer, author, and filmmaker/videographer living in Central California. First consoles were the Game Boy and Sega Genesis, and I've been gaming since then, with a focus on Nintendo and Sony consoles.

I was finally able to finish The Blood of the Dawnwalker over the weekend, so a full review of that will be out in a few days (Spoilers: it was fantastic). However, most of my free time went to Dragon’s Dogma 2, as I’m now roughly 25 hours into my second playthrough, already over level 50 and climbing. The crazy part is that I entered the Dark Arisen expansion while having a blast with the base game, as the improvements to the fast travel system and the addition of a solid 60 FPS graphics option make a world of difference. Some thoughts.

I Might Have Been Too Tough on It

When I played it in 2024, I gave it a 3.5/5, as there were clear pain points that held back my enjoyment of the game. The fluctuating frame rate, which hovered between 30 and 40 FPS on the PS5, was something that was hard to ignore during busy moments, and the limited fast travel really slowed down the game’s pacing for me.

Now, both are no longer issues. As mentioned last week, new playthroughs are given an unlimited supply of Ferrystones, the items used to fast travel between Portcrystals, which can either be placed by players or found at major locations in the game. I don’t have to ration the use of these rare items, as I can freely teleport back to town, heal and unload items, then port back to what I was doing. The quicker transitions improve the moment-to-moment gameplay of Dragon’s Dogma overall, making it a fantastic action RPG that should have been what it was at launch. Playing it again made me realize how good of a game it actually is now, and I’ve barely touched the content found in Dark Arisen.

Think of Dark Arisen as the game’s next evolution of endgame content, as you can expect a significant difficulty spike if you’re roughly level 40 to 50 and playing on hard mode. It’s a fun challenge, as the items I picked up in my first few hours in the new region, Norgan, outperform most of the endgame gear you can upgrade and pick up in the base game.

The jump in power is quickly noticeable, as this gear even features improved versions of class skills. I’m excited to experiment with different builds, as my second playthrough now has multiple Vocations (classes) at max rank.

Dragon’s Dogma 2 Base Game is Now Fantastic

The overall story of the base game and its quest designs are pretty vague and mostly forgettable, but the combat is really carrying my return to Capcom’s high-fantasy action RPG. For those who aren’t aware, or have just heard of a game called Dragon’s Dogma, it’s not a Soulslike at all.

It’s an action RPG that embraces the idea of a group of adventurers banding together to topple massive, fantastic creatures. Whether it’s climbing a Cyclops to gouge out its one eye or holding on to a gryphon’s back to keep it on the ground, the game delivers on that fantasy. Medusa, Ogres, dragons, stone elementals: there are monsters you fight that feel bigger than life itself, and taking them out with competent NPC companions created by other players has been a blast that hours just go by without me knowing. I can see myself spending another 70 hours on this game.

I’ll share more about Dark Arisen, but let it be clear: Dragon’s Dogma 2 alone is a much better game. If you haven’t played it, get it.

More this week as we have a few reviews lined up to be published. Will also be sharing my adventures of Enshrouded’s 1.0, which started just recently.

How was your weekend?

Respawn Monday #15: How Time Works in The Blood of Dawnwalker

Respawn Monday #16: Jean Fart Gas and Onimusha Goodness

Respawn Monday #17: Still Processing the Madness that is Control: Resonant

Respawn Monday #18: Onimuasha: Way of the Sword is GOTY Materials

Respawn Monday #19: RuneScape Dragonwilds isn’t Blowing Me Away

Respawn Monday #20: Dragon’s Dogma 2 is Feeling Good in 2026

About the Author - Carlos Hernandez

Carlos Hernandez is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Too Much Gaming, where he writes about video games, reviews, and industry news. A lifelong gamer, he would do anything to experience Final Fantasy Tactics for the first time again and has a love/hate relationship with games that require hunting for new gear to improve your character.

Video game movies are always an enigma. They can never truly be compared to their source material due to the interactive nature of video games as a form of media. Liberties to the story will always happen, because you can’t fit a game-length’s worth of lore and exposition into two or so hours without losing something along the line. And someone somewhere will always complain that the real life actor does not exactly look like the fictional character made up entirely of pixels. That being said, the new 2026 live action Street Fighter movie is a great adaptation of Capcom’s most influential fighting game franchise, and it’s definitely worth your time.

Anime in My Live Action Movie

The movie opens with an incredible 2D animated section of Ryu vs Sagat facing off at the finals of the first World Tournament in 1987, setting the backstory for the events that take place in the present year of 1993. The animation quality is so intense that it left me wanting an entire separate movie done in that style… Is what I would say until I was delighted to see more animated segments sprinkled throughout the film. Major character flashbacks were shown using these awesome 2D animated scenes.

The Most Important Details

The quality of the action scenes in previous live action Street Fighter media isn’t a high bar to clear, but the fights in this new movie are some of the best I’ve ever seen. Gorgeous choreography combined with pretty tasteful, and surprisingly, not too campy inclusions of iconic special moves you know and love. And while I would consider this to be a turn-off-your-brain-and-enjoy type of film, the story isn’t something to dismiss either. They cram a lot into the nearly 2-hour runtime, and it’s refreshing to have it not only be about Ryu this round. As far as references go, they pull the best parts from what seems to be every (!)  source of Street Fighter media. From the games, the fighting game community, the original live action movie, to even the American animated TV series. If you’re a Street Fighter fan, this film is truly a love letter to you.

About the Author - Miguel Mendoza

Primarily known for creating and managing video content for TMG, Migoy can also be found writing a review and/or article here and there. Has a great fondness for giant robots and masked superheroes. He is commonly seen yelling at a microphone while playing videogames.

Sony Interactive Entertainment has revealed the limited edition Gran Turismo DualSense controller, set to release on December 10, 2026. This is part of the celebration of Gran Turismo’s 30th anniversary.

Pre-orders for this limited edition DualSense controller will go live on October 22 at select retail stores.

It will cost $84.99 USD, but Sony has yet to announce an actual SRP for Southeast Asian countries like the Philippines. However, expect prices to fall within a similar range to those of recent limited edition controllers.

Gran Turismo 7 Spec IV Update (Part 1)

The announcement of the limited edition controller comes with the release of Gran Turismo 7’s 1.72 Spec IV free update, which went live today for all owners of the game.

The update adds six new vehicles, the Sportsland Sugo circuit, new events, Scapes locations, gameplay features, and more.

New cars

• Xiaomi Vision Gran Turismo

• Ferrari F355 Berlinetta ’94  

• Honda Civic Si Group A version ’87  

• Mazda RX-Vision GT3 Evo ’26 

• Honda Step WGN Spada Premium Line ’23

• Citroën 2 CV 6 Charleston ’86  

Gran Turismo first released on the PlayStation on December 23, 1997, delivering what was then one of the most realistic driving simulators ever released on a console platform. To this day, it remains one of the most realistic driving sim franchises, with Gran Turismo 7 having launched in 2022 and continuing to receive updates from developer Polyphony Digital.

About the Author - Carlos Hernandez

Carlos Hernandez is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Too Much Gaming, where he writes about video games, reviews, and industry news. A lifelong gamer, he would do anything to experience Final Fantasy Tactics for the first time again and has a love/hate relationship with games that require hunting for new gear to improve your character.

According to report from GamesBeat, the PC version of Grand Theft Auto VI is slated for a Q1 2027 release.

This report is based on “four industry sources familiar with the studio’s plans.” Rockstar Games has yet to comment on whether they are indeed aiming for a PC release within 2027’s first three months.

Grand Theft Auto V released on consoles first, but was eventually released on PC roughly a year and a half later. Red Dead Redemption 2, their last title, got a PC port a year after its initial release.

With how big the GTA V community has become on PC to this day, it’s not a big surprise if Rockstar plans to release the PC version sooner rather than later. But consoles still dominate, so priority still goes to PlayStation and Xbox.

Grand Theft Auto VI is due out for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on November 19, 2026.

About the Author - Carlos Hernandez

Carlos Hernandez is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Too Much Gaming, where he writes about video games, reviews, and industry news. A lifelong gamer, he would do anything to experience Final Fantasy Tactics for the first time again and has a love/hate relationship with games that require hunting for new gear to improve your character.

Soon after finishing Onimusha: Way of the Sword and marking it as my Game of the Year contender for various reasons, I quickly jumped into another Capcom franchise that will likely consume half of my October. Dragon’s Dogma 2’s paid expansion Dark Arisen was released, and my weekend was spent getting myself reacquainted with the game by playing a completely new playthrough. After 10 hours, I still find joy in playing this unique action RPG, as its recent patches and other changes since launch have made it a better game overall. Some thoughts.

A Journey No Longer As Troubling

Right off the bat, it was clear that many new and old players of Dragon’s Dogma hate that fast travel is limited. Players can only teleport to areas with Port Crystals, which are placed in key locations or placed by you, the player. The next problem is that to teleport to a Port Crystal, you’ll have to use a Ferrystone, a rare item that isn’t easy to come by and is even expensive to purchase in-game.

So, walking is mostly half the journey to new places, and when to use a Ferrystone is a major decision. It’s also painful to actually spend 40 minutes in a new area, then realize you forgot to bring a Ferrystone, so walking back becomes my only option.

It was painful, and many agree.

And Capcom listened. A few months ago, they patched the game to give players an infinite Ferrystone, pretty much easing the pain of traveling to new locations. You still need to place Port Crystals in locations you wish to revisit, but being able to teleport anywhere is a great change. Just don’t forget to put the infinite Ferrystone in your inventory.

This does a lot for the game, as it makes it friendly to new players while not alienating those who love the original approach. If you love how fast travel originally works, you just need to store the Infinite Ferrystone in your storage. No harm, no foul.

Beyond the fast travel issues, the game is what I expected from the first time I played it. You command a group of adventurers with one pawn you created and equipped yourself, and two others created by other players. They are not controlled by you, but they are competent and weirdly reliable during a fight. Thanks to how they are programmed, they make battles against Cyclops, Gryphons, and other fantastical creatures epic battles of the ages. They are even competent at relaying key information, like where a chest may be, what materials I could gather nearby, and even where I have to go to reach my current quest.

I’m having a blast so far, and the game now being playable at 60 fps also makes it much better. Not sure how I played it at 30 fps before, as it’s now smoother and consistently maintains the given frame rate, whereas on launch day, it tended to dip in busy areas.

Dark Arisen Expansion Is Slowly Showing

As for the expansion, I can’t say much about it, as it’s meant for players above level 40. I’m currently level 20 on my new playthrough, but I did come across new trial dungeons added by the expansion, giving me a bit of a challenge early in the game as I explore an enclosed dungeon where I fight unique monsters. When you defeat them, a magical door unlocks and reveals another encounter behind another locked door, and so on.

I have yet to complete the one trial dungeon I found, as it’s not easy, but thankfully, I can leave and come back. Also worth noting is that I’m playing on the game’s new Hard difficulty, which definitely forces me to play a bit more tactically, something I’m appreciating, as there’s a lot in this game you can utilize to gain an advantage.

Now is probably the best time to jump into Dragon’s Dogma 2, even with just the base game alone. I have yet to see what the whole expansion has to offer, but the changes to fast travel and a 60 fps option are more than enough to consider the game if you were on the fence before. It still requires you to be a bit patient, as there are still some unconventional design choices that might confuse people, but they’re part of the game’s charm, as there’s still no other game like it.

How was your weekend?

Respawn Monday #14: Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 Beta and my Return to R6

Respawn Monday #15: How Time Works in The Blood of Dawnwalker

Respawn Monday #16: Jean Fart Gas and Onimusha Goodness

Respawn Monday #17: Still Processing the Madness that is Control: Resonant

Respawn Monday #18: Onimuasha: Way of the Sword is GOTY Materials

Respawn Monday #19: RuneScape Dragonwilds isn’t Blowing Me Away

About the Author - Carlos Hernandez

Carlos Hernandez is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Too Much Gaming, where he writes about video games, reviews, and industry news. A lifelong gamer, he would do anything to experience Final Fantasy Tactics for the first time again and has a love/hate relationship with games that require hunting for new gear to improve your character.

We are now on the second reset for Bungie’s extraction shooter Marathon, a game that could have been in its third season but was delayed and mixed into their December update. I returned and spent a day with the shooter and found the new reset economy is finally doing what it was supposed to do in Season 2, which many didn’t experience thanks to the developers being a bit too generous in drops and premium kits.

How does it feel on day one? Better than how it was when season 2 started, but that’s all we are getting really.

It’s more of a take 2 of the season 2 reset as there’s nothing significantly changed here beyond the balance patch notes and the full economy reset. I still think the onboarding needs work, and it’s still a punishing experience to new and returning players. At best, it will appeal to those who accept and appreciate Marathon’s gameplay loop, who, honestly, aren’t that many at this point.

It’s still not a game worth recommending, despite me having fun with it. I’m the minority, like the rest of the remaining Marathon player base, as I enjoy the thrill of extraction shooters, the short time to kill, and the gunplay still remains to be one of the best in the business.

Bungie is really going all in, as the roadmap shown sees a plan to give them a variety of gameplay features to hopefully appease the PVE and PVP crowd. Will it work? Only time will tell because the Symbiosis update in December looks packed with content, that if, it doesn’t work, Bungie needs to change priorities soon, as it’s still hard to see Marathon as being their main cash cow.

It’s really hard to be optimistic about Marathon these days as we have months before the December update. It’s a blessing at this point that the game has been running since March despite its ups and downs with much of Bungie’s fanbase practically rejecting the idea of Marathon existing.

Marathon has the potential to be great, I still believe that, but everything around it makes it impossible to see it have enough runway to reach that point. If Destiny 2 were still in the forefront while Marathon slowly grows on the side, maybe, but this much pressure on a niche shooter is a painful watch. But i’ll be there in December to see what they’ve been working on, as I’d expect many will.

About the Author - Carlos Hernandez

Carlos Hernandez is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Too Much Gaming, where he writes about video games, reviews, and industry news. A lifelong gamer, he would do anything to experience Final Fantasy Tactics for the first time again and has a love/hate relationship with games that require hunting for new gear to improve your character.

Developer Auroch Digital has announced that the fast-paced roguelite bullet heaven Warhammer Survivors will launch on November 10, 2026 for PC (Steam and GOG), Nintendo Switch 1 and 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and mobile (iOS and Android).

The game will be available for £6.39 | $7.99 | €7.49, with a 10% launch and pre-order discount available on select platforms. Warhammer Survivors will also be available on Xbox Game Pass at launch.

Auroch Digital is known for their work on Warhammer 40K: Boltgun and is partnering with developer Poncle (Vampire Survivors) to deliver a similar Vampire Survivors experience, but only this time within the Warhammer 40K setting.

Demo Now Available

If that’s your jam, you can try the game out now through the game’s playable demo available on Steam and Xbox (PC).

The demo features two new playable Champions: Catachan, and Lyssa Revenya.

Pre-orders are available for PlayStation, Switch 1 and 2, and even Android and iOS (pre-registration). Xbox pre-orders start on October 27, 2026.

Warhammer Survivors will feature over 40 playable characters set in Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer: Age of Sigmar universes, and even features Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun’s Malum Caedo. Players will be able to use over 75 weapons through multiple game modes and stages.

About the Author - Carlos Hernandez

Carlos Hernandez is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Too Much Gaming, where he writes about video games, reviews, and industry news. A lifelong gamer, he would do anything to experience Final Fantasy Tactics for the first time again and has a love/hate relationship with games that require hunting for new gear to improve your character.

Capcom is currently on this generational run where it feels like everything they release turns to gold. Resident Evil: Requiem I heard is fantastic, Street Fighter 6’s Year 4 started strong with the release of Yasmine, and their newest IP Pragmata is one of 2026’s must-play games of the year. We then have Onimusha: Way of the Sword, the latest title of the once dormant classic franchise coming back in the best way possible as it very well might be my game of the year contender.

Capcom could have taken the easy route, delivering their take on the soulslike formula by riding the Onimusha name, which would be fitting, considering that Nioh found some form of success during the peak Soulslike era. Instead, they delivered an action game that befits the Onimusha name, a game that knows what it wants to be and sticks with it. Onimusha treads carefully so as not to lean too heavily into familiar systems where other games dominate, as it has combat that lets you feel like you are part of the choreography, where each successful or failed attempt is slightly more emphasised when it occurs on-screen.

A perfectly-timed parry results in a spectacle of sparkles between two blades, while a well-timed dodge slows time, allowing you to do significant damage. Further, proper use of resources from the player can make or break an encounter.

Each time I get into a fight, I feel like I'm building momentum, as a successful parry gives a certain amount of confidence that makes me think I can take on the remaining demons currently on-screen. But at the same time, repeated hits from foes and missed dodges create an opposite snowball effect that eventually leads to the Game Over screen. It’s rewarding and challenging, something best found in From Software games, but Onimusha: Way of the Sword reminded me that Soulslike design doesn’t own these risk and reward momentum swings.

A Battle of Patience

There’s nothing overly flashy or complicated in the combat, as you have a fast attack, a heavy attack, dodge, block, parry, and abilities that aren’t always about dealing damage. You are not looking for the best possible playstyle or finding the best possible attack combination when you juggle the enemy in the air, or doing certain combo strings once you see an opening. It’s all about using the right tool that fits that particular moment, a bit of patience, and a reasonable understanding of the enemy in front of you.

It’s a game that leans heavily on the old saying “a good defense is a strong offense”, as each parry or dodge gives Musashi an opening. Depending on execution, you can dish out more effective versions of these defenses, like a deflect to really hurt an enemy’s stamina bar. Posture is visible by a bar that, when depleted, allows you to execute a normal enemy, or severely damage a boss with a unique choreographed animation for that particular fight.

Breaking a boss’s stamina gauge involves some decision making, as before you execute the move, you can choose either a move that deals a significant amount of damage, one that breaks a part of the boss (to make it somewhat easier), or else damage them to absorb spirits from them, which effectively gives you life and other resources.

It’s fantastic that breaking one’s stamina bar isn’t just one-note, as I found myself constantly choosing what I needed in the heat of the fight. And that also goes for the Oni Armaments you gather during the game. These are special weapons Musashi can wield that don’t outright replace his katana, but serve as a special move that can be used when you absorb enough of the blue souls floating in the air.

They all have their own uses, as they are not simply for the sake of doing damage. The daggers can serve as a way to gain a good chunk of life back, the Earth-Shaker hammers are the perfect stamina bar breaker due to how much damage they do, the double-bladed naginata does area-of-affect damage, perfect for dealing with multiple enemies, and so on. I found myself using each one depending on the situation.

With how Musashi’s arsenal is structured, the game is all about choice and how much confidence you have when committing to a specific approach. You can dodge, but get a better payoff if you parry, or commit to deflecting an attack when you are confident you understand an attack’s timing, specifically an unlockable move coming your way. This resulted in satisfying boss encounters, which are the true highlights of the game.

Each Boss Fight Is as Good as the Last

Each boss fight was fun to learn and master and is a treat to engage with thanks to all the systems mentioned, and topping it off with blade lock and blade barrage, where one has you spamming the attack to overpower this arm-wrestling mini-game to deal a good amount of stamina damage, then blade barrage, a series of blade clashes that only stops if you press a different attack type. All of these beat the lazy quick-time events we see in action games that give the illusion that you are part of the cutscene as each encounter feels like an actual cutscene when watching from afar.

For upgrades, I messed up this portion of my time with the game, as when you progress, you are given basic and advanced skills that essentially expand Musashi’s skill set. You eventually have the ability to teleport to an enemy archer when doing a successful arrow deflect or charge one of the attack buttons to deal a big blow. The Oni armaments can be improved as well. But most of these upgrades are pretty straightforward, as you need the resources you find and the red souls you collected to unlock them.

I realized pretty late that to get access to more skills to unlock, you need to complete Oni Portals found in Eastern Kyoto, which is where most of the game’s side quests and side activities reside.

I thought these skills naturally became available to unlock whilst playing the campaign. I wasn’t aware that most of them are unlocked on the side, so I essentially played the game with just tier 2 of unlockable skills, essentially making the game a bit more challenging for me.

This is an oversight on my part, but it made me realize how effective the game’s basic mechanics are, because I never felt completely underpowered at all. I understood why I died and adjusted. I never felt cheated, despite spending at least 2 hours in one boss fight. Maybe this is the Soulslike nature in me being a bit stubborn, but the wins in the game’s most difficult encounters rival the feeling of beating an Elden Ring boss.

The Many Facial Expressions of Musashi

What ties the combat together is Musashi himself, as he was animated in both face and body, emitting this likeable personality that’s hard to ignore. Capcom injected this character with a series of mannerisms that keep him from looking stiff or boring to watch as he struggles to face these demonic enemies. When blades clash, you see his struggles in his face. When he slices an enemy in half vertically, you see him slightly losing balance after performing the execution. Before some fights, you see him blowing his dominant hand holding his katana. Small details like that do a lot to make it easy to enjoy spending over 30 hours with a character.

Some segments see him doing more unconventional approaches to attacks, which is fitting considering he’s fighting hulk-like monstrosities. But how he acts never crosses the line of being goofy. He’s clearly having a hard time, but his expertise with a blade is still at the forefront as there are multiple instances where they showcase his expertise with the katana.

His drive was purely to face the strongest opponents, and that never really changed throughout the course of the game. At first, it felt like they were building towards his being an anti-hero who could sway in any direction, but he clearly grows into a typical hero protagonist that loves a challenge, big or small, and has a heart, as he shows sympathy to those affected by Genma attacks.

The Journey of an Onimusha

While the rest of the cast that joins Musashi are forgettable, the antagonists do shine in Onimusha Way of the Sword. Ganryu, Musashi’s rival, is a constant thorn throughout the game, being the polar opposite, as he, too, has the same goal of being the best swordsman, only he takes a sadistic approach when compared to Musashi’s honorable one. The other antagonist, the man in white, is also a treat when he’s on the screen, as he grows from a mystery to a threat that feels increasingly dangerous despite his nonchalant attitude, which he turns off to become sinister at the best possible times.

A Few Rough Edges 

Some side quests are usually to kill enemies, but there are quests called Mysteries of Kyoto that act like a separate episode not related to the main plot. They act like side episodes where Musashi investigates strange events happening in the city. These are fun activities, as there’s some thought put into these quests, but there’s only a handful of them, as other sides act like fodder quests, and collectibles like finding Lion Dogs are still the brunt of the side activities in Way of the Sword.

It’s a rather long game to my surprise, as while most of the side content is stationed in one location, Musashi goes through a series of different locations to reduce the presence of Genma in certain parts of Kyoto. Way of the Sword is another game that greatly highlights the best side of Capcom’s in-house game engine, the RE Engine, as performance and visual quality were never in question here. The game looks fantastic, but in terms of the location a player gets to explore it’s not big in scope, as the action is isolated in one location at a time, so there isn’t much change in scenery that goes beyond dense forest and mountainous terrain.

Eastern Kyoto in particular was an interesting location, as they were able to populate this section with many different closed off areas for each side activity, making it a pool of secrets and unlockables hidden in plain sight. If you didn’t pick up a certain side quest, you wouldn’t know a certain house had a prompt to crawl under to enter, or that there’s a path that leads to narrow pathways to Genma hiding chests containing resources for upgrades.

The amount of bosses and enemy types felt varied, but the game did have a tendency towards reusing certain bosses. While it was fun to revisit them as they are one of the many tough encounters, redundancy can creep in for some, especially those looking to do side content.

A New Era for Onimusha

The amount of effort seen here gave me hope for Capcom’s future attempts at reviving classic titles. This could have been a one-and-done deal before the franchise retreats back into the vault, but no. Onimusha: Way of the Sword is proof that the franchise didn’t need to be benched for so long, as all it needed was the opportunity to embrace the kind of game it wants to be without following obvious trends, and simplicity can do so much, as long as there’s enough effort to back up each action with the weight it deserves.

Verdict: 5 / 5 (Exceptional)

PROS

• Stellar boss fights that are entertaining to watch and fun to conquer

• Musashi is packed with personality and mannerisms

• Despite its simplicity, the defensive mechanics make each fight more satisfying

• Challenging without feeling unfair, with a surprisingly lengthy campaign

CONS

• Some bosses are reused in certain sections

• Most side content feels like fodder for the most part

What I’ve Played

• Completed the game after 30 hours

• Completed the game on Action difficulty

• Completed a good amount of the Mysteries of Kyoto side quests and other side activities

• Upgraded a good amount of healing pouches and charms, and reached tier 3 of the available skills

• Currently exploring New Game+ 

*This review is based on a PS5 review copy provided to the reviewer

About the Author - Carlos Hernandez

Carlos Hernandez is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Too Much Gaming, where he writes about video games, reviews, and industry news. A lifelong gamer, he would do anything to experience Final Fantasy Tactics for the first time again and has a love/hate relationship with games that require hunting for new gear to improve your character.

It’s October, and I would like to mark the spooky month as more of a survival builder month. Yes, the new Call of Duty is on the way, and other titles have been jammed thanks to the monster that is Grand Theft Auto 6, but there’s a handful of new survival building open-world games now fully out, and one of them is RuneScape: Dragonwilds, a game that I’m struggling to fully get into compared to how I felt when playing the 1.0 version of Palworld. It’s a fun game, but it’s a slow burn in the first 10 hours, especially when you are playing alone and on the highest possible difficulty. Some thoughts.

Dragonwilds, Alone, and Fighting for My Life

My first playthrough and the struggles I’m facing are self-inflicted, as this game’s Hard mode makes enemies swarming you a clear threat to your survival. As I was learning the ropes, I was targeted by raiding Goblin parties and a dragon that shoots poisonous flames towards my direction if I’m out in the open and visible. It’s weirdly satisfying to have this much pressure as I build my little home near the game’s starting point.

It’s a fun tough game, but it has its cons, as long journeys that result in a death can be discouraging when you have to travel back to where you died to retrieve your gear. An expected outcome when you die in games like this, but it feels more painful considering there aren’t fast travel points everywhere like Palworld and other games like it, at least in the starting area. This adds a bit more pressure when pushing into the unknown.

Dragonwilds has the same bells and whistles you’d expect from a good survival game. Building so far is easy to control and manage with a controller and mouse, plus they have features that make it easier to manage all the items you gather in your journeys.

As the difficulty stares at me each time I dare to do something new, I see my character slowly growing with each activity I do. If I chop down trees for wood, I level up my woodworking, which eventually gives me unique spells and perks for reaching certain levels. The same goes for mining, fishing, melee fighting, and even sprinting. Just being active and doing anything pushes you forward to a level up, which is how it should be as that’s what RuneScape is known for.

The original game has people grinding specific specialties like farming and such, making their character one of its many specialties. In a way, RuneScape is the same way, as you can focus on one over the other, but with me as a solo player, I’m forced to do almost everything, pushing me to simply be the jack of all trades.

It starts to make me wonder how the game will feel with other players by your side. With a group, one might chop wood more than you, or another might spend more time cooking for the group. Naturally, roles are assigned based on the time spent on them, making me think that the nature of the game’s progression just delivers two completely different experiences.

Which is better? In a game like RuneScape: Dragonwilds, that doesn’t really matter much, as the beauty of games like these is that you can tackle them any way you want.

The Future Feels Scary

I’m over 10 hours in, and it feels like a slow crawl, as going out feels like a risk in itself. I love the challenge, and those that look for a more punishing open-world survival game might get a kick out of this. I tackled my first dungeon yesterday, and it took so much out of me and the resources I brought over. I can’t even imagine how much preparation will be needed to fight the bosses or even the raid content available in the game.

I won’t research what’s out there for me, as I enjoy the mystery of it all. I’m curious about how in-depth the game will become as I get access to new zones. Will it be a complete chore tackling any of the future dungeons alone? How much of the gameplay will change in the next tier of weaponry and armor? Repetition kicking in feels like a genuine worry this early on.

I have this feeling that what I’ve played so far won’t change much based on what I saw in each skill tree available, but I will continue to give this a shot, as this is yet another successful early access title that launched not looking like a barebones alpha title.

As far as comparing this with other recent titles in the same genre, this isn’t giving me the same feeling as Palworld during my time with the 1.0 version, as that game had me spending hours on it with the need to keep going. Dragonwilds doesn’t have that appeal. The small wins aren’t enough to push me to keep playing, as I felt the need to take a break.

But it’s a great month for the genre, as we have Enshrouded’s 1.0 release just around the corner, and Valheim was updated to its full release last month. With Dragonwilds and even Palworld’s full release, there are so many survival games just waiting to be played, as each of the recently released titles launched not half-baked. If Enshrouded launches in the same manner, it’s clearly a good year for the genre, as there is a lot to love in either of the titles mentioned.

How was your weekend?

Respawn Monday #13: Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Long Weekend

Respawn Monday #14: Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 Beta and my Return to R6

Respawn Monday #15: How Time Works in The Blood of Dawnwalker

Respawn Monday #16: Jean Fart Gas and Onimusha Goodness

Respawn Monday #17: Still Processing the Madness that is Control: Resonant

Respawn Monday #18: Onimuasha: Way of the Sword is GOTY Materials

About the Author - Carlos Hernandez

Carlos Hernandez is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Too Much Gaming, where he writes about video games, reviews, and industry news. A lifelong gamer, he would do anything to experience Final Fantasy Tactics for the first time again and has a love/hate relationship with games that require hunting for new gear to improve your character.

For someone born in the late ‘80s, it’s hard to believe that the Nintendo 64 is turning 30 years old this month. The console may not have stacked up against the financial success of the PlayStation, but it absolutely innovated in many ways, including being the first major console to support 4-player local multiplayer straight out of the box and introducing force feedback with the Rumble Pak. Its games revolutionized first-person gaming (Goldeneye 007, Doom 64, Turok 1-3), 3D platforming and movement (Super Mario 64, Banjo-Kazooie), and set the template for adventure games that still persists to this day (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask). 

The N64 Games You Must Play

In no particular order, these are some of my very favorite games for the console, including many must-play titles, and some for which I hold very fond memories, even if I haven’t revisited them in many years. 

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

It’s no exaggeration to say that Link’s first 3D adventure changed the entire videogames industry. This game practically invented Z-targeting, which evolved into the lock-on mechanics seen in games like Dark Souls. It also broke ground for puzzle-solving in 3D environments, allowing Link to swap between items on the fly and swap between first- and third-person views practically anytime. Building on A Link to the Past’s concept of a game set in two time periods, Ocarina features both a peaceful Hyrule as well as a fallen one under Ganondorf’s rule, and for millions of kids in 1998, this game felt like their own personal coming-of-age. With its cinematic presentation, incredible soundtrack, and mature tone, Ocarina’s influence continues to this day, and I can’t wait to see what Nintendo has in store for the 2026 remake. 

GoldenEye 007

In the days before Halo and Quake II deathmatches, there was Goldeneye. Rare’s adaptation of one of the best James Bond films ever just so happens to also be one of their best and most iconic games. While the overall gameplay would come off today as clunky on the N64 controller, I still remember late nights playing with my friends and nailing them with the proximity bombs, while each of us was a different Bond or Bond villain. 

Diddy Kong Racing

Rare’s massively ambitious kart-racer threw down a gauntlet that has still not been properly eclipsed to this day. Boss battles, multiple multiplayer modes, an open-world hub, a plethora of tracks, iconic characters both unique and beloved (namely, Diddy, Banjo, and Conker), and THREE drivable classes of vehicles - a kart, a hovercraft, and an airplane, provide many dozens of hours of fun and challenging racing. While there’s been a DS port, this is one title that’s way overdue for a proper HD remaster. 

Mario Kart 64

There will always be a special place in my heart for Mario Kart 64. Its graphics were mind-blowing at the time, the performance was unusually solid for a N64 game, and the excellent track selection, hopping mechanics, off-road shortcuts, and more complex drifting mechanics added new dimensions to the original’s gameplay. My friends and I spent countless hours on Battle Mode, especially on Block Fort, lining up Fake Item Boxes and bananas and attempting to snipe our buddies with shells. You had to have been there. 

Banjo-Kazooie & Banjo-Tooie

Rare’s dual N64 bear-and-bird outings expanded upon the potential seen in Super Mario 64. Their odysseys to stop Gruntilda the witch are joined by a lively cast of characters, populated by endless collectibles, and scored by British legend Grant Kirkhope, who also provides voices for Mumbo Jumbo and Jamjars the Mole. The back-and-forth between the plucky Banjo and the abrasive Kazooie, as well as their fun temporary transformations and wide variety of moves to traverse the often large levels, plus a “anything can happen next” attitude to level design and boss encounters, made for a rich and rewarding gameplay experience. Banjo-Tooie also features several multiplayer modes which eclipse even Goldeneye 007 in terms of variety and level design. I have been meaning to replay these titles, which provided such fond memories. Perhaps the time has come.

Donkey Kong 64

I never owned DK64 as a kid, and only experienced it much later, but this game is often credited as the one that took the collect-a-thon 3D platformer subgenre to its zenith. With a plethora of Golden Bananas to earn, many collectibles, and an often tedious forced character-switching mechanic that nevertheless allows you to swap between DK, Diddy, Tiny, Lanky, and Chunky Kong, this unique platformer is truly one-of-a-kind and can be played on the Nintendo Switch Online N64 Classics app. 

Mario Party 1, 2, and 3

The first 3 titles in the chaotic Mario Party series really set the tone for the long-running party game franchise, with Mario Party 2 in particular being a standout for classic 4-player games such as Lights Out, Hot Rope Jump, Bumper Balls, Platform Peril, Hexagon Heat, Roll Call, and Bombs Away. I played these games a LOT with my siblings, and it taught us a lot about not taking these kinds of games too seriously. Others have reported that they strain their relationships, so YMMV. I much prefer just playing the mini-games to embarking on the full boards, fun as they are. 

Blast Corps

Rare’s unique game about blowing up various environments to make escape paths for runaway trucks with explosives is one of the most criminally underplayed and underrated in the N64 library. It’s endlessly creative, brutally tough at times, and rewards careful planning and swapping between different vehicles to get through each of its many challenging levels. And the music ain’t half bad either. 

Bomberman 64

The first of three N64 Bomberman titles (Bomberman Hero and Bomberman 64: The Second Attack! being the other ones), Bomberman 64 drastically mixes up the original formula by having the gameplay take place on a full 3D map, allowing Bomberman to charge up his explosives, and featuring a quite non-traditional multiplayer versus mode where you can kick bombs diagonally and toss them over obstacles, as well as a lengthy campaign featuring many puzzles to solve and boss battles. You’ll be jumping on bombs, using timed and oversized bombs, and traversing a wide variety of environments, all to a cool electronic soundtrack. 

Tetrisphere

This little-known spin on Tetris remains one of the best-rated games on the N64. It boasts a sweet electronic soundtrack, a plethora of challenges to overcome, and a totally unique gameplay style that challenges you to match up similar shapes atop one another to whittle down your puzzle sphere to open up a large enough portion of its center. The gameplay is highly addictive and something I’d wholeheartedly recommend to my fellow puzzle game fanatics. 

Conker’s Bad Fur Day

Rare’s “mature” game proved to be anything but, with tons of potty humor and silly pop culture references. But while it didn’t quite accomplish its goal of ending Nintendo’s reputation for making kiddie games, it certainly stirred up a storm with its provocative content, especially in a world before GTA3. Conker’s Bad Fur Day references A Clockwork Orange and Aliens one minute, then makes you fight a boss called The Mighty Poo, whose intro is complete with a musical number. It’s a zany romp in totally bad taste that also happens to have that good old-fashioned Rare gameplay. Oh, and it has 4-player Total War multiplayer built upon a Saving Private Ryan parody. What’s not to love?

F-Zero X

One does long for the days when Nintendo didn’t try and cram all of their racing ideas into Mario Kart. F-Zero X and the GameCube’s F-Zero GX were the pinnacle of this franchise, delivering a full force of futuristic anti-gravity racing, with some of the most inventive and hardcore tracks seen in a racing game, and a hard-rocking soundtrack that seriously earns its place among some of the all-time best in videogame history, period. The game boasts many modes, including an impressive 4-player multiplayer, an elimination mode where you’ll race in a loop and attempt to ring-out or destroy a full track of foes, a plethora of cups to unlock, and 30 unique drivers and hovercars, each with a slider that lets you prioritize top speed or acceleration. I honestly can’t recommend this game enough to racing enthusiasts who’ve never played it.

Sin and Punishment

Legendary studio Treasure developed this classic on-rails futuristic shooter, which was initially a Japan-only release until the days of the Wii Virtual Console. Sin & Punishment can be beaten in an afternoon, but mastery takes ages, as you have multiple movement and aiming abilities that highly raise the skill ceiling. This game was far ahead of its time in terms of presentation, and the 2-player multiplayer experience is fantastic. The superior Wii sequel, Sin & Punishment: Star Successor, is also worth checking out, if you can find it.

Mischief Makers

Marina Lightyears may not be a household name, but the robotic maid protagonist of Treasure’s other N64 title, a 2D side-scroller where you use her to pick up and throw your foes, Klonoa-style, boasts a lot of charm. Marina was also an early fan favorite for a Super Smash Bros. sequel, though she never got her shot. While the N64 struggled with sprites, Mischief Makers’ 2.5D gameplay and excellent level design was far ahead of its time, as was the amount of levels available, with 52 levels over 5 worlds to explore. 

Pilotwings 64

My brothers and I were obsessed with this game, having spent many hours to get every Gold medal. This was our second game for the system, after Super Mario 64, and those many hours were time well-spent. In addition to the jetpack, hang-glider, and gyro-copter challenges, there’s various challenge levels, including a cannonball firing one that required a high level of precision. The physics engines for each of the vehicles is so immensely precise, and the challenges so finely-tuned (complete with wind speed and direction and updrafts greatly influencing your runs!) that I would go so far as to say this game holds up to this day. 

Snowboard Kids 1 & 2

Atlus’ arcade snowboard racing duo made for a happy marriage of Mario Kart chaos, a cast of colorful kid characters, and wild, unforgiving slopes to tackle. The physics strike a great balance, there are many characters and boards to unlock, and both of these titles boast 4-player modes that my brothers and I played often. This franchise is sadly forgotten by most, but I’ve got my fingers crossed for a NSO online release. 

Star Soldier: Vanishing Earth

My close friend Tim lent me his copy of this vertical space shooter with 3D graphics, which got rave reviews upon release, and for good reason. While it’s got the traditional 1945-esque top-down level layouts, Hudson Soft’s shooter boasts three different ships to control, each with unique abilities. There’s also a defensive roll maneuver, which reflects enemy fire ala StarFox 64’s barrel roll. 

Super Mario 64

There’s no doubt as to the massive influence of Super Mario 64, Nintendo’s first foray into 3D platforming. The camera is jank and the levels are small by modern standards, but Mario’s movement is smooth and still feels great, plus the creativity on display is impressive. Charles Martinet’s vocal performance as Mario peaks here, too, as the Italian plumber sounds joyful and spirited at his best, while wildly animated upon getting hit by lava or fire, and slightly peeved after being tossed from a painting. I’ll never forget falling for that early Internet trick that lied about being able to unlock Luigi. Thankfully, they put him (as well as Wario and Yoshi) in the DS port. Super Mario 64 is remembered today for its amazing soundtrack, memorable levels, and the jaw-dropping feats of the speedrunning community behind the game, which has kept many categories alive. 

Star Wars: Episode I - Racer

To me, this is still the best Star Wars game. I played both the N64 and Dreamcast versions for hours on end. Featuring all of the racers from Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, the campaign in this game sends you all across the galaxy to far-flung courses in places unseen in any other visual media, such as Malastare. Your pods are fully customizable, and at top speeds, the 2-player multiplayer delivers a sense of speed that is unmatched by any game on the system that isn’t called F-Zero X.

Paper Mario

This groundbreaking Mario RPG might not sound that revolutionary on paper, but its charm and innovations persisted in a franchise that remains alive to this day, albeit in a form that has lost the simple but effective storytelling and combat present in the first two entries, Paper Mario and the GameCube’s Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. Mario may not talk past simple gibberish, but the side characters here carry the narrative, the soundtrack rocks, and the QTE-based RPG combat still holds up.

Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire

LucasArts’ proposed launch title was delayed three months, but that didn’t save it from a myriad of minor issues that plagued an otherwise insanely ambitious experience. Even so, upon its December 1996 release, there was truly nothing like Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire. After beginning with the Battle of Hoth from Empire Strikes Back, you’re thrust into a Galaxy-spanning narrative that takes you to Tattooine and beyond as your hero, bounty hunter Dash Rendar, helps Luke uncover and foil a sinister plot. Speeder bike chase scenes, Stormtrooper firefights and all abound aplenty for this release, which coincided with the novel of the same name, but regrettably, its reach exceeded its grasp, as this game is notorious for its janky physics and clunky controls. It’s still worth watching, at least, to see Lucas’ full vision realized and to appreciate a major piece of the Star Wars Expanded Universe (what Disney calls “Legends”).

Pokemon Stadium 1 & 2

If you weren’t there, you probably couldn’t comprehend the jaw-dropping awesomeness that was the N64 Transfer Pak, which allowed select GameBoy games to interact with select N64 games in a clever display of Nintendo’s programming magic. Not only could you trade Pokemon between your friends on Gameboy, now you could stick them on your TV and have them battle one another in full 3D. But that wasn’t all in store for the Pokemon Stadium titles. They also boasted a ton of in-game challenges, such as Lvl 50 and Lvl 100 challenges with Pokemon you could rent, not to mention a plethora of multiplayer mini-games that my brothers and I spent many exciting hours mastering. I still long for a modern update to a proper Pokemon Party game filled with wholesome, self-contained mini-games like these.

Buck Bumble

Ubisoft’s unique 3D shooter saw you control a cybernetic bee armed with all sorts of advanced weaponry and are tasked with saving the world from an invasion of The Hive, mutant bugs who are bent on taking over the world after being afflicted by a chemical spill. This game received mixed reviews upon release due in part to its often frustrating difficulty and the heavy fog which afflicted many N64 games due to the console’s low onboard RAM and visual memory, but it’s since garnered a cult following, to the point where Argonaut’s teasing of a potential remake has set a small corner of the Internet aflame with speculation. I for one simply love the theme song, the vibes, and the ambition on display. I hope every day that they drop this on the NSO service.

Pokemon Puzzle League

We may have lost Panel De Pon 64, but what we gained in its wake was Pokemon Puzzle League, which is probably still among the most feature-complete releases in the history of Panel De Pon-likes (known as Tetris Attack in some territories). This title sees you matching between 3 and 5 blocks of the same color and chaining blocks together to make combos. While there are no Puzzle Quest-like elements, in true Pokemon fashion, there are gyms and challenges to tackle, and a story to progress through. There’s also a 3D mode, where you can rotate a full 3D cylinder rather than a 2D grid, for maximum challenge. I spent many, many hours on this game late into the night and have nothing but fond memories of it.

Pokemon Snap

If taking pictures of Pokemon, tossing fruit at them, and replaying one of six levels (and one bonus one) over and over again sounds like your idea of fun, you might get a kick out of Pokemon Snap. You play as Tracey, a Pokemon trainer from the anime, and are tasked with grabbing certain photos for Professor Oak. While just getting through the game may feel short, there are countless secrets to uncover. The photo scoring system may seem unfair at times (an issue largely addressed in the Switch’s New Pokemon Snap), but this remains a fun, simple romp and is available to play on the Nintendo Switch Online Classics service.

Super Smash Bros.

It’s funny to think back on the original Super Smash Bros. and recall that it only had 12 total characters, a far cry from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s 87 (including DLC). But Masahiro Sakurai’s outrageous platform fighting game blended the concept of sumo with the wacky antics of the Looney Tunes, all tied together with iconic Nintendo characters. My friends, my brothers, and I spent countless hours on this game. While it’s been eclipsed by later entries, the original is still popular among fans for its combo contests, as it still features the most hit-stun and the most powerful offstage spiking  

Perfect Dark

I’ve never actually beaten Rare’s original follow-up to Goldeneye 007, but it improves upon that game’s ideas in nearly every way. The enemy AI is dynamic and intelligent, there are fully-voiced cinematic cut-scenes, the lighting and various effects are much improved, and weapons have secondary fire modes that multiply your approaches to any situation. The catch, of course, is that it required the N64 Expansion Pak in order to play (there is a basic tutorial level thrown in for those who don’t have it), so that limited its audience somewhat. The multiplayer offerings were also much expanded, with multiple modes such as Capture the Briefcase and King of the Hill added on to the typical Deathmatch options.

Jet Force Gemini

Like Perfect Dark, Rare’s other underrated N64 gem, Jet Force Gemini, can also be played on the Nintendo Classics service. As one of the last major games they released on the N64, this third-person action shooter lets you pick between one of three characters and tackle hordes of bug-like aliens on 120 levels spread out among 15 non-linear worlds. In typical Rare fashion at the time, there are way too many collectibles, making 100% completion a bit of a chore. There’s something like 282 Tribals to rescue, and 12 ship parts to find, but if you’re anything like me, you’re here for the frantic, fast-paced action, which runs about as well as you’d expect from an N64 game, with infamous frame drops and hiccups, though the Nintendo Online emulation is an improvement.

StarFox 64

Speaking of games getting recent remakes, this reimagining of the SNES title upped the game for rail shooters and is still hailed by its fans (like me) as one of the greatest games of all time. (The remake isn’t far behind either.) It’s my personal favorite game ever, and along with F-Zero X, I think it’s the N64 game that holds up the best, as I still return to it often for high score runs. It’s easy to fall in love with the coolness of the StarFox mercenary team and root for them against the evil Andross and his forces. The game boasts top-notch voice acting, a timeless soundtrack, branching pathways between excellent levels, and fast-paced, precise gameplay held together by tight physics. Also, it came bundled with the Rumble Pak, which really immersed players right into the action. 

I recently played the remake of StarFox 64, and it’s a must-play as well.

Space Station Silicon Valley

I was a subscriber to Electronic Gaming Monthly at the time this charming game was released, and I can recall it winning the Silver Editor’s Choice award and being described as an extremely innovative and unique puzzle game where you are put in charge of a kind of space station zoo and utilize a micro-chip to hop between various robotic animals to solve puzzles on the station. Developed by the studio DMA Design (who would later become Rockstar North) and published by Take-Two Interactive, this hidden gem eluded me for many years, until I finally played it via emulation. If you want to give this novel game a spin the legit way, good luck finding it. Used copies of just the cartridge go for around $80 on eBay, while I saw one with the box and manual listed for $200.

Chameleon Twist & Chameleon Twist 2

I owned both of these unique platform action games as a kid, but only really had the time to play (and beat) the first one, while my brothers tackled the sequel. Developed by Japan System Supply and published by Sunsoft in the West, they saw you using exaggeratedly long tongues of its chameleon protagonists to eat and spit out enemies Kirby-style, pull yourself across gaps, swing, pole jump, and navigate otherwise treacherous levels. The first game at least had an Alice in Wonderland-inspired story that took the player on an almost psychedelic journey by transforming your chameleon from an everyday one into a cartoon avatar once he leaps into a cauldron portal. Oh, and like so many other N64 games, they featured multiple multiplayer modes, including one that was popular between myself and my brothers where we’d camp out on platforms and attempt to tongue-poke one another into the abyss.

Gauntlet Legends

This was Atari’s swan-song as far as their producing the Gauntlet series, and they certainly went out with a bang. Gauntlet Legends was so ambitious, it required the N64 Controller Pak to save your individual characters, which was both a blessing and a curse for multiplayer, as you could bring your character anywhere, but everyone needed to have one in order to keep their progress. With a variety of level designs, bright colors, epic fights, and a lengthy campaign that keeps the series’ arcade roots while also feeling at home on consoles, Gauntlet Legends is a game that many are hoping receives new life in some form.

Doom 64

This poorly-titled game developed by Midway Games and published by iD Software confused many at the time, who thought that it was simply a port of the original Doom, when in reality it was a totally original campaign developed from the ground-up for the Nintendo 64, and it really delivered the goods as far as gameplay level design. While it unfortunately flopped at 0.47 million sales, the game was finally made more widely available recently, after the complex rights issues were sorted out.

Extreme G, Extreme G 2: XG2, and Extreme G-3

Developed by Probe Entertainment and published by Acclaim, these futuristic motorcycle racing games are often forgotten when stacked up against WipeOut and F-Zero, but they shouldn’t be, because they (especially the sequels) stand out thanks to a strong emphasis on vehicular combat, slick presentation, and a pumping electronic soundtrack. I think that I played Extreme G 2: XG2 the most, and Extreme G-3 was primarily known as a GameCube game, though it did get a N64 version as well.

Resident Evil 2

Given that the FMV and audio was severely compressed to fit on the 64MB N64 cartridge format, this miracle port from Capcom is certainly not the optimal way to play this legendary survival horror title, but it’s amazing that it works at all. The game also features unique aspects not present on the PSX version, such as a Randomizer that allows you to replay sections with new and different item locations, and additional unlockables that flesh out the story between RE2 and other titles such as Code Veronica. Also, there’s an optional “relative to the camera” 3D movement option (as opposed to the traditional tank controls), probably added due to the expectations of N64 players and the janky trident controller.

Mario Tennis

What’s funny is that 26 years after its 2000 release, some would say that the N64’s Mario Tennis, developed by Camelot Software Publishing, is still the franchise’s best entry. In addition to flawless tennis physics complete with charged and lob shots, Mario Tennis has a robust amount of gameplay modes, features the debut of Waluigi as a character, and connects with the GameBoy Color version of Mario Tennis via the N64 Transfer Pak. Had I known this at the time, I might have bought the GameBoy Color game, which by all accounts provides a full-on RPG experience and a story to match. 

Mario Golf

Camelot’s 1999 golfing game is considered the genesis of the modern Mario Sports franchise (I guess everyone just collectively forgets about Mario’s Tennis on Virtual Boy). It also sets the stage and tone for the franchise going forward, which arguably peaked with the GameCube’s Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour. With 8 full courses, 14 playable characters, and many modes including Mini Golf, there’s a lot of replay value here, especially compared to recent franchise entries on Switch and Switch 2, which have felt barebones in terms of game modes.

Star Wars: Rogue Squadron

Along with its younger brother Star Wars: Rogue Leader for GameCube, Rogue Squadron represents a great middle ground between the cockpit simulated space flight of the X-Wing and TIE Fighter games and more arcadey mission-based gameplay. I grew up as a huge Star Wars fan, so being able to play these games and see more into the character of Wedge, as well as partake in the challenges facing the Rebellion both on and off-screen, was a real treat. 

Rayman 2: The Great Escape

It’s easy to forget that the N64 hosted the first console version of Ubisoft’s excellent 3D platformer, and that it’s superior to the PSX version, which was missing several stages and environments. Of course, the N64 release was eclipsed by superior ports on both Dreamcast (which is where I played it) and PC, which were also able to host a higher-quality version of the soundtrack. This game marked the introduction of Globox as Rayman’s trusty sidekick, although he wouldn’t be playable until Rayman 3. Excellent 3D platforming is broken up by various chase and sneaking sequences, making for a game that hardly ever feels like it’s repeating itself. I still think it’s one of the best games in the long-running series.

Turok 1-3 and Turok Rage Wars

I’m listing all of these games, although I have only personally played the first two Turok games, because from what I’ve read, they are all worth checking out if you like the central conceit, that of a dinosaur-hunting Native American badass fighting to stop a very evil dude (the Campaigner) from using a time-altering device to take over the universe. The series was based on a Valiant comics series, and it shows. The first game is the one I remember most. While the awkwardness of N64 controls on that trident of a controller (it apparently ran fine on PC) and platforming elements could have used a little more work, the gunplay and variety of enemies, both saurian and not, held a lot of appeal for their time, and the animations in general were quite strong for the time. Hats off to Iguana Entertainment and Acclaim for this one.

Wave Race 64

Before Nintendo decided that they would call it quits on ‘extreme’ franchises like Pilotwings, Excite Bike, 1080 Snowboarding, and this early N64 gem, we could occasionally expect more arcade-like offerings from them. Developed with the direct involvement of Shigeru Miyamoto, Wave Race 64 was especially notable to me for its excellent-looking and performing water physics, which are still cited today as some of the best-programmed waves of all time, not just in how they look and how water moves so realistically, but also because of how directly they affect your movement and gameplay. I never got to play this game until many years later and was shocked at how well it not only held up, but conveyed the very visceral and hard-to-capture feeling of driving a wave runner through choppy waters.

WWF War Zone

My good friend Ramon had this game at his house, and between him, Carlos, and our other close friends, we spent many hours both on the character creator and slugging it out among the many available options. Between tag team fights, steel cage matches, or hell in a cell, the options were robust and the recreations of real-life wrestlers looked great for the time, even if the physics were probably pretty janky in comparison to later games, such as the popular WWF Wrestlemania 2000.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask

Although it’s one of the few titles to require the N64 8MB Expansion Pak and misses out on the universal appeal of its older brother, there really is no Zelda game quite as unique, dark, and thematically cohesive as this apocalyptic dive into the Groundhog Day-afflicted world of Termina. It’s also one of my top ten games of all time.

Rather than a focus on combat, this Zelda prioritizes side-quests, environmental puzzles relating to Link’s three transformations, and an oppressive, haunting, but beautiful atmosphere. 

Honorable Mentions

• Ogre Battle: Person of Lordly Caliber

• Yoshi’s Story

• Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon

• NBA Jam ‘99

• Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards

• Mega Man Legends 64

• StarCraft 64

So what did you think? Did I miss your favorite N64 games? What hidden gems are you curious about? Please let us know in the comments below and thanks for reading!

About the Author - Joseph Choi

Filipino-American gamer, professional shepherd and farmer, author, and filmmaker/videographer living in Central California. First consoles were the Game Boy and Sega Genesis, and I've been gaming since then, with a focus on Nintendo and Sony consoles.

The upcoming RPG Final Fantasy Resonance is set to release on October 22, and its confirmed that the physical copy of the game will be available for those in Southeast Asia, specifically for the PS5 and Switch 2.

Final Fantasy Resonance Digital Deluxe and Collector’s Edition

If you are planning to go digital, a Digital Deluxe Edition of the game was announced, which will feature the following in-game items:

Magitek & Grimoire Deluxe Pack

　 • Magitek Armor Key x1
　 • Archwitch’s Grimoire x1
　 • Mastery Ring x1
　 • Tent x5
　 • Mist Potion x5
　 • Mist Ether x5
　 • Phoenix Down x5
　 • Remedy x3

Pre-ordering the game will reward you with the Magitek Airship and Squire Starter Pack, which contains:

• Magitek Airship Passkey x1
• Knight’s Greatsword x1
• Chestplate of Preparation x1 (Increases EXP gained in battle by a certain amount)
• Magicite Shard x1
• Tent x3
• Mist Potion x3

Most of the items added in this edition are items to be used in the game.

A Collector’s Edition of the game is also coming and will feature four unique physical items, including an acrylic block set, an artbook, a soundtrack, and a unique Final Fantasy card game promotional card.

Final Fantasy Resonance is the first Final Fantasy title in HD-2D, a visual style made popular by the Octopath Traveler series. This isn’t an entirely new entry, as it is based on the free-to-play RPG Final Fantasy Brave Exvius. Resonance strips away the free-to-play elements and turns it into a full RPG based on the first story arc of Brave Exvius.

Those curious about Resonance can try the game right now, as a playable demo is now available on all platforms.

About the Author - Carlos Hernandez

Carlos Hernandez is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Too Much Gaming, where he writes about video games, reviews, and industry news. A lifelong gamer, he would do anything to experience Final Fantasy Tactics for the first time again and has a love/hate relationship with games that require hunting for new gear to improve your character.

Sony Interactive Entertainment and Santa Monica Studio revealed new information about their upcoming action game God of War Laufey, sharing the pre-order goodies, the Digital Deluxe Edition details, and more.

God of War Laufey Pre-Order Bonuses

Pre-orders are now officially live for God of War Laufey, and if recent pre-orders are anything to go by, you’ll likely need to pay around PHP 500 to secure a standard physical copy of the game at local retail stores in the Philippines.

Pre-ordering, either for the physical copy or digitally, will reward you with these bonuses:

• Last Wish Armor Set

• Phranque Golden Leaves Appearance (cosmetic) 

• In-game resource pack

God of War Laufey Digital Deluxe Edition Details

If you want more out of your purchase of the game, the Digital Deluxe Edition gives you more cosmetics and other bonuses, including access to the game’s digital mini artbook and official soundtrack.

The God of War Laufey Digital Deluxe Edition contains:

• Dark Alchemy Armor Set

• Dark Alchemy Blade

• Dark Alchemy Bow Scales

• Dark Alchemy Catalyst

• In-game resource pack

• Digital Mini Artbook

• Official God of War Laufey Digital Soundtrack

In the official post, we are given details of one of Laufey’s weapons, the Serpent Bow. She can fire either from the hip or while aiming, and will feature different arrow types.

All pretty vague and expected when bows are concerned, but it’s clear it’s not just a ranged weapon but another tool for extending combos. What’s interesting about the post is how players can customize her arsenal, as she can customize her blade and bow not only for looks but also for the element attached to those weapons.

They then also mention different Catalysts, which will feature different perks and effects. All pretty vague, but we are slowly getting an idea of how God of War Laufey will play.

God of War Laufey launches on the PS5 on February 16, 2027.

About the Author - Carlos Hernandez

Carlos Hernandez is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Too Much Gaming, where he writes about video games, reviews, and industry news. A lifelong gamer, he would do anything to experience Final Fantasy Tactics for the first time again and has a love/hate relationship with games that require hunting for new gear to improve your character.

This weekend was a renewed focus on Onimusha: Way of the Sword, an action game where I am now 20 hours in and realizing that this is a solid Game of the Year contender. Each time I progress through Musashi’s journey of ridding the world of the demons pouring out of Hell, I’m realizing that Capcom didn’t take any shortcuts when reviving one of their classic IPs. They reinvigorated it to a point that it’s capable of standing alongside their top franchises. Some thoughts.

The Effects of Onimusha Parrying

There’s a lot popping out from the overall presentation to even how the game feels when playing it. Everything about the game makes me appreciate Capcom’s level of detail, and the importance of the game’s parry system, which is simple on paper but effective thanks to how it is displayed on the screen.

Way of the Sword has simple controls where you have a fast attack, a heavy attack, dodge, block, and blocking at the moment an attack would land triggers a parry. Simple stuff as far as action games are concerned, but the delivery brings everything about Musashi’s arsenal to the next level.

Parrying is a spectacle in itself as Musashi can parry most attacks, and when you execute it successfully, you are rewarded with Musashi’s expertise with the katana. A parry on a boss or even small enemies has unique animations, and successful parries reduce the enemy’s stance bar. When reduced to zero, it allows the player to execute a painful attack that comes with a satisfying animation of the main protagonist dishing out a punishing blow to an enemy. Parry an attack from behind and you get a slow-mo parry of him deflecting it without turning his back, while certain attacks that are parried see Musashi redirecting the flow of the enemy blade to leave them exposed for a chain of attacks.

The sound of the blade clashing during a parry, the sparkle seen between the blades clashing, and the camera angle that slightly shifts to add more focus to the parry, all of it makes a timely press of the block button make you feel like a winner, a feeling that actually helps build momentum during difficult encounters.

It’s nothing like The Blood of the Dawnwalker or even Wolverine, both recent games I played that focus on melee encounters, with both also having the ability to parry. Wolverine has parry but can get lost in the chaos of attacks you can unleash as Logan, while Dawnwalker does have more weight, but nothing like I described with Way of the Sword.

Onimusha: Way of the Sword Has Game of the Year Potential

Onimusha: Way of the Sword would have felt like a completely different game if the parrying didn’t have this much detail when executed properly. It truly shines during boss fights as we get these unique animations, and Onimusha’s parry also has two versions of it, with one being more rewarding for doing so as it’s a tiny bit harder to execute since it involves two buttons instead of one.

Then, we have Musashi, a Capcom protagonist that is just pouring with so much personality in both the game’s cutscenes and in combat. The facial animations of the game’s protagonist are so defined that you know when he’s struggling, confused, or irritated. Musashi is seen mostly blowing on his open main sword hand before a fight, and dealing a massive horizontal blow that would result in cutting a demon in half can sometimes see him lose his balance just a bit. The way he moves, reacts, and stays idle as others converse stands out more than other protagonists, making it hard not to notice these types of mannerisms.

This is quite an impressive delivery from Capcom, as the Onimusha franchise has been dormant for years, and they could have easily released a new title and just marked it as the company’s version of the soulslike formula. But no, they intentionally avoided that path to deliver an action game closer to the original games, and I believe they succeeded in doing this. More importantly, they did it while making it challenging, as this game can kick your ass, especially in boss fights. It’s not on the same level of difficulty as Elden Ring, where you can stay on a boss for hours or days, but you will need numerous tries to get some attacks memorized to win a fight.

There’s more I can say about Way of the Sword, but I’ll save it for the full review, as I am so close, and honestly wish it won’t end any time soon.

How was your weekend?

Respawn Monday #12: Why Beast of Reincarnation Felt Rough at the Start

Respawn Monday #13: Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Long Weekend

Respawn Monday #14: Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 Beta and my Return to R6

Respawn Monday #15: How Time Works in The Blood of Dawnwalker

Respawn Monday #16: Jean Fart Gas and Onimusha Goodness

Respawn Monday #17: Still Processing the Madness that is Control: Resonant

About the Author - Carlos Hernandez

Carlos Hernandez is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Too Much Gaming, where he writes about video games, reviews, and industry news. A lifelong gamer, he would do anything to experience Final Fantasy Tactics for the first time again and has a love/hate relationship with games that require hunting for new gear to improve your character.

I’ll never forget that fateful day in 1997 when my Grandma came to visit from the States and brought over a copy of StarFox 64, complete with the Rumble Pak. I was ten years old at the time, and my love for this on-rails, mission-based arcade space shooter quickly turned to obsession. I scoured for fanfic and fanart on the early Internet and joined videogame forums in part because of my love for the original StarFox 64 and desire to seek out games like it.

StarFox 64, for the uninitiated, sees you piloting the experimental Arwing starfighter as Fox McCloud, head of the titular mercenary team, in a quest to retake the Lylat System from exiled mad scientist Andross, a Planet of the Apes Dr. Zaius wannabe reject who nevertheless has shown great genius in turning the tables of the Cornerian Army and enslaving the solar system, populating planets with on-rails and all-range levels, unique foes, and troublesome and iconic boss fights.

One of Nintendo’s Most Memorable and Iconic Translations

My younger brother was watching closely and internalized the majesty of StarFox 64 on an even deeper level, going so far as to call Fox McCloud, a confident leader who takes up his late father’s mantle to risk it all in saving the entire Lylat System, the modern epitome of the heroic archetype. But it’s not just the furry and feathered team who are exceptionally well-realized and voice-acted.

The localization of StarFox 64 is as flawless as its over-the-top performances, walking a fine line between campy and theatrical. So how do you follow that up? Turns out, they never did. The subsequent writing, puns, and acting never topped this title. And you can’t fault either Nintendo, Rare, Bandai Namco, or Platinum Games, who all made progressively less successful sequels. They honestly did their best with what they were given (not enough time or money). 

And after nearly three decades, one of which is dormant, imagine being a game developer tasked by Nintendo to accomplish the impossible: reboot StarFox 64 for a new generation. One might think that perhaps trying to top StarFox 64 might appear to be a fool’s errand. I am extremely grateful to Velan Studios for taking on this challenge and not just delivering on but blowing away fan expectations with a remake that faithfully captures nearly everything iconic about the original StarFox 64, delivering on its promise in surprising ways.

One of the Greatest Space Dogfight Archetypes

StarFox 64 is not just my favorite videogame. It is one of the greatest works of art mankind has ever produced, top to bottom, succeeding in every element a game can excel at - gameplay, story, design, music, sound design, and as an entertainment package on the whole. I’ll die on that hill, as I have been for almost thirty years now. To wit, Nintendo, seeing the buying power of the Millennial parents in Universal Studios and LEGO sales data, have inevitably decided to trot out Fox McCloud for one more Lylat War tour.

I was over the moon at this sudden announcement in the form of a random mid-week Nintendo Direct, long-rumored but much anticipated. Watching the reveal on my phone in the middle of a work day, it took me all of five seconds to forgive Nintendo for remaking my all-time favorite videogame rather than giving us a new entry. Why shouldn’t we have a modern HD remake of StarFox 64, given the technical state it was in, with it being prone to bouts of slowdown?

But Isn’t the Slowdown Part of the Charm and Challenge?

My main question then became whether this new StarFox could retain 64’s pace and rhythm without certain quirks, like the very specific weight to Arwing movement and the iconic slowdown that was a result of the N64’s limitations but made certain very clutch situations doable. To this end, Velan Studios are acquitted by more clear timing windows thanks to a silky smooth 60fps gameplay and extremely responsive controls that can thankfully be customized, so you can swap the Y and B buttons for quicker button travel time when performing aerial maneuvers. The cut-scenes run at 30fps, but that’s barely noticeable.

Somersaults and U-turns can now also be activated with a single button press on the d-pad, a very welcome addition. I actually think that most tough time-based challenge maneuvers feel easier to pull off reliably here, as I remember the slow framerate really getting in the way of my reliably activating the Meteos and Sector X warps in the original. Not only can you go into cockpit mode again, but you can stop the screen from flipping whenever you turn. Instead, the HUD moves to indicate your position. It’s a brilliant move that makes first-person flying actually feasible for once.

Growing up, my brother and I didn’t know about the whole advanced scoring system where you’re supposed to use unlocked charged shots on surfaces to get an additional bonus hit, but even so, I think we got scores in the 1,600-1,800 range. That is very achievable here even without min-maxing, as I managed near 1,400 on my first go-around, on a suboptimal pathway, and felt that I was just beginning to see the ceiling of what was possible, score-wise, with this new game.

In terms of other changes, you need to actually lose Slippy on Sector X now in order to change course to Titania. Also, restarting a level will not utilize any of your extra lives, which somewhat blunts the challenge. I wish there were a way to turn this off to preserve the original game’s challenge, but that’s a very minor nitpick. 

Is This More the Fantastic Mr. Star Fox, or “A Fox In Space”?

The primary new addition to the game are fully-voiced cut-scenes that take place between levels and show off both the decisions Fox and company must make, as well as flesh out the characters themselves. The visuals have been updated to more closely resemble the SNES ads and promotional material, evoking a more animalistic style, and therefore a more grounded presentation, that may be kind of an acquired taste. While I would have been happy to see a more StarFox Assault-like art style, this isn’t badly realized. I feel like future entries might want to tweak certain details, but New York-based developer Velan Studios wisely limits the models’ movements and emphasizes facial expressions, restricting between-mission cinematics mostly to the bridge of the Great Fox mothership. The cinematic intros and exits to each level are rendered faithfully as well, with some new camera angles that really show off the world they’ve recreated and built up, adding fresh new details here and there to really sell it all.

My sole complaint with this game is that some of the most iconic sequences just don’t hit the same. The ending of Katina is perhaps the most egregious. In the original game, once you downed the Saucerer boss, there was a break in the soundtrack, and Bill would yell out “Yee-haw! You did it!” as everyone scrambled to avoid the ship exploding in a screen-blinding blast. The entire fight felt bigger in the original StarFox 64, despite way worse graphics. The ending of Macbeth was also a little dampened, as the track switch happens rather quickly and loses its once-awesome cinematic power. 

But most of all, Andross’ voice is very different to the point of being jarring, and he sounds less like a cunning manipulator and more like a Saturday morning cartoon villain. There’s also a crucial moment at the very end of Venom 2 that simply doesn’t hit the same way. Fox also seems more like a heartless mercenary towards General Pepper now, somewhat trivializing the seriousness of their mission. In any case, it’s really not too bad overall, but worth mentioning because it does harsh the vibe a little, especially because otherwise, the Star Fox team is excellently realized.

More Than Just A Fresh Coat of Glossy Paint

While the core gameplay experience is faithfully recreated, some may lament that StarFox doesn’t include any new single-player levels. Count me in with that crowd, as I think that Velan have shown that they’re more than capable of playing in this universe, and I’d love to see some DLC down the line.

In the meantime, what they have included are a few nice easter eggs. There’s a Challenge mode now, where you can replay already beaten levels and take on certain challenges (such as down X amount of a certain type of enemy, make it through a certain section without taking damage, etc.). These add significantly to the replay value, especially the Expert Mode challenges, which are nothing to shake a stick at. I am still working on Expert Mode medals and challenges, and that says something regarding their relative difficulty, which requires mastery.

The game also supports couch co-op play, with one player taking on the role of the pilot and the other functioning as the gunner, each using a different Joy-Con controller. This was a great way to introduce my son to the game, as we would take turns on the different roles. I can see people try-harding this method to achieve high scores, as the ability to move independently of your reticle opens up way more opportunities. I tried playing this mouse mode alone, but the awkward button placement on the Joy-Con and reliance on using the mouse Joy-Con buttons to pull off aerial maneuvers such as boosting and braking made it tough for my hands. Perhaps if Nintendo one day released a proper Joy-Con mouse with programmable buttons a la the Razer Naga, I could see myself seriously attempting a solo mouse mode run.

Additionally, there’s the Holoviewer, which acts as an in-game art gallery and dossier with unlockable content, providing information on the ships, the pilots, and the world in general.

The newly recorded soundtrack provides the game’s score the operatic heft that it was always reaching for, and even adding vocal accents to certain key battles for a final gut punch of dramatic effect.

Split-Screen Multiplayer - Not At Launch, But Coming Soon

September’s Nintendo Direct confirmed three very welcome new maps for the multiplayer mode, as well as the addition of local split-screen multiplayer, which I was hoping would be there right from the start. In any case, it’s great to know that StarFox will continue to be supported via updates, because the multiplayer mode is quite simply excellent. While I did enjoy the original multiplayer on a basic level, in that you could unlock both the Landmaster tank and on-foot fighters, the maps were bland and had the characteristic N64 fog, and an update was sorely needed.

Nintendo and Velan Studios redesigned the multiplayer from the ground-up to be a 4 VS 4 team battle, with gameplay modes unique to each of the three released maps. All of them are worth playing, and all have been a blast to play online or offline, whether with friends or randos. You’ll pick up power-ups, attempt to hold key zones, shoot down your foes, and tactically plan your approaches and exits, keeping track of everyone on the map as best as you can. It’s a fun and frantic time and I recommend it highly to those who love dogfighting games.

The multiplayer also has the ability to utilize the Nintendo Switch 2 camera in a unique way, by tracking your facial movements and mapping them onto your in-game character. It’s a fun addition especially for GameChat, but despite picking a camera up on sale, I haven’t really taken the time to mess with it.

The N64’s Most Timeless Classic Improved In Nearly Every Way

I was skeptical at first, but StarFox won me over in so many ways. I fell in love with my favorite game all over again, and in ways that I never expected. StarFox delivers a fast, fun, frantic, and focused arcade shooting experience, preserving and in many ways enhancing what makes it timeless, unique, and singular in the highly technical on-rails shooter genre. There has been no game from my childhood as worthy or in need of such a loving remaster as this one, and while the jury’s out on the presentation and cinematic scenes, every one of the gameplay tweaks has been for the better.

Literally the only thing that could make this better for me would be slightly tweaked cinematics, and the addition of DLC levels, perhaps even remastered versions of the levels from the original StarFox, or even StarFox 2. And who knows? If this sells well, maybe we’ll even get more of Fox McCloud’s adventures (especially seeing as how the GameCube classic StarFox Adventures was just released on the NSO service). A guy can dream.

Verdict: 5 / 5 (Exceptional)

PROS

• Faithfully recreated gameplay and levels now run at 60fps with much better draw distance and consistent performance

• Excellently reimagined multiplayer mode with 3 fun levels and 3 more yet to come

• Additional challenges for both Normal and Expert Mode playthroughs encourage mastery and extend the playtime

• Delightful new recording of the soundtrack enhances the epic vibe

CONS

• Some of the game’s key cut-scenes and iconic moments just don’t hit the same

• Not everyone will be on board with all of the character redesigns and changed dialogue

What I’ve Played

•  Played about 10 hours of the Campaign and 7 hours of multiplayer

• Got all medals on Normal Mode, 10 on Expert Mode

• Beat all Normal Mode challenges, still working on Expert Mode challenges

About the Author - Joseph Choi

Filipino-American gamer, professional shepherd and farmer, author, and filmmaker/videographer living in Central California. First consoles were the Game Boy and Sega Genesis, and I've been gaming since then, with a focus on Nintendo and Sony consoles.

I’ve spent over 40 hours with Control: Resonant, and what I said in my review-in-progress remains true. This is easily my favorite title from Remedy Entertainment, as the world of the unexplained paranatural continues to pull me in. The final act of the game was a visual overload and a flex of Remedy’s ability to create complex level designs and turn them into a fun open-world playground. 

*This serves as the second part of my review of Control: Resonant. The review-in-progress covers all other aspects of the game from gameplay, traversal, more context on narrative and characters, to the performance and visuals seen in the game. This finalizes the review with a verdict and adds more about the game that I observed in the second half of the game, spoiler-free.

If you want my full opinion of the game, check out the Control: Resonant Review-in-progress

The world of Control is a fascinating one, as this isn’t about good or evil, or a protagonist going against an antagonist with destructive goals. Control: Resonant is all about humans being thrown multiple curveballs at once when it comes to what’s real and what is possible. It’s a conflict and change we just so happen to be in the middle of, and we are all trying to understand it just enough to survive. 

Half the time, characters are just dumbfounded by what's happening, then seconds later accept what’s in front of them and move on to how to deal with it. Be it an entity that speaks in riddles and influences people near it, a mold endlessly growing and mind controlling those who eat it, or something else entirely, it’s all weird and fun to see through as I slowly grew to enjoy the idea of the Objects of Power and the entities that weirdly find their way into our own reality. 

The funny thing about this world is that it’s not that hard to follow when everyone around you is just as confused. Each time Dylan explores something new, he reports back to his handler Zoe, and it’s mostly her either reassuring him that it's normal, even when it's not, and that they knew about it, or being completely shocked by what we found. It’s a nice back and forth between a person that was imprisoned for years and a representative of an agency that specializes in these sorts of situations. 

A Backstory that Didn’t Do Anything Different

During the second half, we get a deeper understanding of the Faden siblings and their role in what is happening to the city. It doesn’t necessarily explore new ground, as sci-fi enthusiasts will see similar beats to popular shows and other games, making it a bit of a letdown, as I was hoping for a more unique backstory to support Dylan and Jesse Faden’s history with the government organization known as the FBC. 

Control: Resonant tries to carefully balance its story beats to not completely feel overwhelming, but still feel a bit relatable to some degree. It really helps that most characters are just as dumbfounded as Dylan and us, as no one has a clear understanding of everything that’s happening. It felt like we are all learning as we go, and that helped when taking in this world and accepting each beat that occurs. 

I’m Not Stuck in With You, You are Stuck Here with Me!

Beyond story beats, I really enjoyed my time with the game, as doing all the side activities with fun narratives kept me looking around well after the credits rolled. 

Combat evolved to the point where I could really flex, as the later parts of the game felt trivial, going from dying every now and then due to being overwhelmed to mopping the floor of every enemy I encountered. 

Even the final encounters were not a big challenge, but were more of a spectacle to witness. The enemy designs, especially the Resonant bosses, are a good mix of modern, weird, and body horror, showcasing Remedy’s specialty. While I was hoping for a big challenge towards the end, it didn’t diminish the overall experience, as the whole experience was a fun spectacle and a nice final act to all the weirdness. 

The exploration of what’s possible in Dylan’s builds continued right into the final section of the game, where the resource to reset talent points and skills became one of the most valuable resources you can obtain. 

The Final Location was Insane

The final location in the game was insane to navigate and is a twisted space that encapsulates the uniqueness of this world. I don’t want to spoil it but it utilizes the concept of gravity manipulation and the many traversals that give Dylan full control of his movement either on the ground or while in the air. It was a trippy space that was fun to understand and navigate. It was such a big highlight, and confirmed my decision of delaying my full review because this section was worth taking in at my own pace.

I couldn’t recommend Control: Resonant enough, especially to those coming off either Alan Wake 2 or Control. This sequel captures Remedy’s unique specialty in the video game space, as there’s no other studio that can deliver a sci-fi world like Control. 

It may look a bit too much visually, which is a reasonable reaction, as it sometimes feels like the game is set inside a kaleidoscope. There are certainly moments where the visual overload can be a lot to take in, and the story doesn't always reach the same heights as its strange world. By the end, I had also become powerful enough to make most encounters feel trivial. 

But it grows on you, as once you give it a chance, it can easily be one of your favorite open-world action games that doesn’t involve magic or the supernatural. Sometimes, just accepting something that can’t be explained isn’t always a bad thing.

Verdict: 4.5 / 5 (Near Exceptional)

PROS

• Amazing level design and fun use of Dylan’s movement abilities.

• Captivating visual designs in both enemy designs, bosses, and certain environments only the Control series can deliver.

• Freedom of choosing your combat style is present early on and encourages experimentation.

• Dylan and Zoe are a likeable pair that serves as the perfect guide to the weird.

CONS

• Backstory of Dylan is significant but doesn’t explore anything new in the sci-fi space.

• Frame rates can dip randomly during busy moments in combat.

• Bosses are more of a visual spectacle than a challenge to overcome.

What I’ve Played 

• Finished the main story after 40 hours of play

• Explored New Game+ for a few hours

• Cleared most side stories and have leveled up each area to at least level 5

*This review is based on a PS5 review copy provided to the reviewer

About the Author - Carlos Hernandez

Carlos Hernandez is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Too Much Gaming, where he writes about video games, reviews, and industry news. A lifelong gamer, he would do anything to experience Final Fantasy Tactics for the first time again and has a love/hate relationship with games that require hunting for new gear to improve your character.

Xbox gave us the second major update of the ongoing Xbox reset and it’s a rough one as 268 employees have been affected across various studios.

Xbox's Latest Restructuring Changes

Here's a snapshot of the reorganization:

• - World's Edge and Rare will move under Activision. Nearly half of World's Edge was reportedly laid off.

• - Obsidian Entertainment will move under Bethesda, with its current projects continuing.

• - Playground Games and Turn 10 Studios will merge into one studio focused on the Forza and Fable franchises.

• - Compulsion Games, Undead Labs, and Double Fine Productions have transitioned to independent management.

• - Ninja Theory to close after two separate deals fell through, it is said Microsoft and the studio is still finding other options

• - Activision will develop the next Halo game with a new, purpose-built team.

• - A small team at Halo Studios will remain to support the Halo community and existing games.

• - Microsoft Casual Games will move under King.

• - Arkane Lyon's future is still uncertain

The painful reality of this is that they are not even done with the reset, so expect more major changes in the coming months. Xbox says the actions completed since July have brought it roughly three-quarters of the way through the previously announced restructuring.

The good thing to come out of this is that Compulsion Games, Double Fine Productions, and Undead Labs found their outs during this whole reset, so they get to stay as studios and work on future titles. Undead Labs, specifically, is still on track to release State of Decay 3 under a new publisher, and it will still be available on Xbox Game Pass on day one.

Ninja Theory and Arkane Lyon Face an Uncertain Future

The really bad thing is the state of studios Ninja Theory and Arkane Lyon. Ninja Theory lost two separate deals to save the studio, and if they don't find a solution, Microsoft could shut it down. Microsoft has begun consultation on a proposed closure while still exploring other paths forward. Arkane Lyon is also on the chopping block, with consultation still underway and expected to continue through the end of the year.

It's rough to see, but It feels like Microsoft and Xbox grew too big, too fast, and the company's heavy investment in Xbox Game Pass is now coming back to bite it years later. One could hope this is the worst it can get, but I wouldn't be surprised if the next wave is just as brutal.

About the Author - Carlos Hernandez

Carlos Hernandez is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Too Much Gaming, where he writes about video games, reviews, and industry news. A lifelong gamer, he would do anything to experience Final Fantasy Tactics for the first time again and has a love/hate relationship with games that require hunting for new gear to improve your character.

Bungie has heard the constant feedback from their fans for weeks. Good or bad, it was loud enough to give the studio a clear understanding that there’s a dedicated player base for Destiny 2, and with that, they announced that they are working on restoring vaulted content currently not available in the game.

Bungie Will Restore Vaulted Destiny 2 Content

This announcement was made months after the studio released what was supposed to be their final content update for Destiny 2. Not so final anymore, as Bungie has now changed course and begun work on restoring some of the content that was previously vaulted.

“As we shared in the video, we are beginning the work of bringing vaulted Destiny 2 campaigns, destinations, and raids back into the game, where they will be available to all Destiny 2 players.” says Bungie in their announcement post.

“Bringing this content back is not as simple as restoring old files. Changes made to Destiny 2 since Beyond Light require us to update lighting, encounters, combatants, and other underlying systems. That work will take time, but it is necessary to ensure returning content meets the stability and gameplay standards of Destiny 2 today.”

If done right, a new player can play Destiny 2 from start to finish narratively, as it’s currently not possible in today’s latest build. The original reasoning behind the DCV was to make the game more sustainable and manageable as Bungie continued adding new content, while making room for new content. In 2020, Bungie vaulted the base campaign Red War, along with destinations including Mars, Mercury, Io, and Titan, as well as Curse of Osiris and Warmind. Forsaken and the Tangled Shore were later vaulted in 2022. Some raids and other activities were also vaulted over the years.

It’s not clear how much will be restored and what will be the first to be unvaulted, but Bungie does plan to share more in the coming months.

The Future of Marathon

With Destiny 2 getting some support back, the future of Marathon doesn’t look as bleak as many would hope. Despite the delay of the September update, Bungie is shifting their focus toward expanding the game beyond the extraction shooter space, which is why the next update will have a permanent PvE mode. They even scrapped the planned seasonal content.

We don’t have a clear picture of everything Bungie has planned, but the studio has outlined a significant roadmap for the coming months, with a smaller update in October followed by the larger Symbiosis update in December.

Somehow, Bungie has a plan, and it feels like it doesn’t involve completely scrapping one title for another, as there was one line that was very important to hear for both Destiny and Marathon fans:

“Marathon is an important part of shaping where Bungie goes next, but it was never intended to replace Destiny.”

It never made sense to have Marathon without Destiny 2, and hopefully the player base that still has faith in the studio realizes they need both to move forward.

Finally, some good news, but time will tell.

About the Author - Carlos Hernandez

Carlos Hernandez is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Too Much Gaming, where he writes about video games, reviews, and industry news. A lifelong gamer, he would do anything to experience Final Fantasy Tactics for the first time again and has a love/hate relationship with games that require hunting for new gear to improve your character.

This weekend focused on Control: Resonant, my latest coverage, which I approached as a review-in-progress because I wasn’t finished with the game’s final act. I didn’t want to rush it, as I was enjoying exploring each area of this twisted version of Manhattan, especially the last area. Thankfully, I finished the game last Sunday at my own pace, and it was worth it. Some thoughts.

Clearly My Favorite Work from Remedy Entertainment

Remedy is known for the weird, and they leaned on that when Control was released. Alan Wake 2 was a solid entry, but I love how expansive and densely convoluted the whole story and its world has become. From the Pattering, Objects of Power, the threat of the Hiss, and the backstory that haunts the protagonist Jesse Faden, Resonant is such a compelling sci-fi epic that nailed the landing, leaving me wanting more.

It’s a unique game in the sense that this isn’t about good or evil. A protagonist versus an antagonist. This is just humans trying to understand what’s happening in front of them and being caught in something far bigger than themselves. Jayden’s backstory is the only relatable element that lingers and slowly emerges on the right moments, and the focus on him in particular gives more weight and context to why the first game even happened.

The Urge to Keep Exploring

I knew I was enjoying the open world and its combat when I felt the urge to just not do the main quest. I wanted to see why an FBC agent wanted me to save his pet cat, why the expert in Mold went AWOL, and I wanted to face every possible boss available.

The biggest win is the game’s traversal, as Remedy played around with the manipulation of gravity and the perception of what the right side is up so much that the camera was constantly rotating to match my current orientation, which makes this game a big no-go for those who get dizzy easily.

It really established the freedom of movement early on, as instead of double jump and double dash being upgrades later in the game, you have them after the game’s tutorial. It then opens up even more, as I mentioned, as you will constantly find yourself zipping from one ledge to another, executing Hiss, floating to avoid danger, then dishing out abilities in the most effective way possible. It’s been a blast, and it’s one of those games that I might just go for the Platinum on PlayStation.

I’ll stop here, as I won’t delve any deeper. I want to save any other thoughts on Control: Resonant for my full review, which will be out in a couple of days. But my review-in-progress does cover the broad strokes in case you were wondering why I highly recommend it.

I have other games in the pipeline that I want to share, but thanks to moving to a new place last week and other commitments in life, all my free time was thrown at this game. Will have more soon.

How was your weekend?

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Respawn Monday #13: Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Long Weekend

Respawn Monday #14: Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 Beta and my Return to R6

Respawn Monday #15: How Time Works in The Blood of Dawnwalker

Respawn Monday #16: Jean Fart Gas and Onimusha Goodness

About the Author - Carlos Hernandez

Carlos Hernandez is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Too Much Gaming, where he writes about video games, reviews, and industry news. A lifelong gamer, he would do anything to experience Final Fantasy Tactics for the first time again and has a love/hate relationship with games that require hunting for new gear to improve your character.

This is the sixth platform Bandai Namco and From Software have ported Elden Ring to, and they have become exceedingly efficient at it. A solid contender for one of the greatest games of all time, the Hidetaka Miyazaki-directed Elden Ring took the world by storm in 2022, with the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion dropping the following February. I played the game originally on my PS4, then on a more souped-up gaming PC, where it ran flawlessly. The long-awaited Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition on Nintendo Switch 2 marks the third time I’ve taken the plunge, and while I was mostly expecting the game to be comparable to the PS4 version, I was very pleasantly surprised by the results… mostly.

Two New Classes, Lots of New Toys

Right off the bat, I was quite curious about the two new classes and weapons introduced in this expansion. I opted first for the Heavy Knight, which kits you out with the Steel Armor set and the new Hefty Scimitar, and also tried a bit of the Idus Knight, a more balanced dexterity-based build with Faith and Mind, which starts with the Silver Grooved set and Shield, and Idus Sword. Both swords are unique to the expansion, but I found the Idus Sword to have more utility in general if you’re comfortable with its thrust damage attack. The Hefty Scimitar has a great moveset, but IMO is outclassed by other heavy Strength-focused options available in early game, such as the Claymore and Greatsword. There are also three skins for Torrent and four new armor sets, plus new gestures as a pre-order bonus.

I mostly played my Heavy Knight character, quickly tackling side content from memory. I was surprised at how well I remembered the old shortcuts. After tackling most of the Weeping Peninsula and making the mad dash to Caelid for the Greatsword, I snuck up the path to bypass Stormveil Castle to make it to Liurnia of the Lakes early and level-up before tackling Godrick the Grafted (I don’t like using Spirit Ashes or Summons for bosses). My plan is to hit Rennala, and then Starscourge Radahn, in that order. I also dipped my toes into the DLC and got summarily bodied.

Plays Surprisingly Well For A Handheld

All throughout, I paid special attention to the performance, since that was always going to be the deciding factor for those on the fence. I was expecting the worst, but Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition has been extensively polished after its first GAMESCOM showing and it delivers when and where it counts. It runs at an unlocked framerate with a cap of 40, but realistically, you’ll almost never hit 40fps. The game generally targets 30-35fps, with occasional dips under 30 that make it more stable generally than the PS4 build. 

Camera movement felt smooth to me, with none of the frame pacing, screen tearing, or motion headaches that I typically associate with titles on the original Nintendo Switch. In very rare circumstances where you’re surrounded by foes, their frames may drop even below 20, with enemies appearing almost like stop-motion animation puppets from Ray Harryhausen’s Jason and the Argonauts or The 7th Voyage of Sinbad. However, I rarely ever felt like my own performance was affected by the framerate. In other words, it was never a guessing game as to whether the game would eat my inputs.

In terms of draw distance, objects such as trees and bushes render sooner than the PS4 version, thus limiting the amount of pop-in, but overall, the foliage detail is lower than on PS4 to maintain performance. The density of small objects such as grass on the plains are also noticeably reduced in comparison to the PS4 version. Shadows may be a little blurrier, too, if you look at them closely. However, the Switch 2 trades off graphics for performance, and it acquits itself well when it comes to performance under pressure, keeping things smooth during the game’s intense boss battles so you never feel like you’re dropping inputs due to frame pacing.

Lighting-Fast Loading and A Wealth of Content… For A Price

On the more positive side, Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition has fast load times that are second only to the PS5 platforms, slightly edging out the Xbox Series S and X. Needless to say, loading is significantly faster than on PS4, with the longest I’ve had to wait being 12 seconds and the average being far less (6-10 seconds). This suits handheld gameplay especially well.

While Tarnished Edition translates the Elden Ring experience passably to Nintendo’s little handheld that could, it does so with several understandable graphical and performance caveats, especially given the fact that it does not use DLSS but instead uses From Software’s proprietary upscaler, which results in an uneven dynamic image resolution that fluctuates depending on what’s happening on-screen. This isn’t at all a dealbreaker and you may not even notice it a lot of the time if you play handheld (I typically play on a TV), but it is noticeable on a 4K TV and certainly does constitute a slight downgrade from what’s available on the PS5 and Xbox Series X, at least.

With all of this said, Elden Ring remains one of the greatest games of all time, and this version is no slouch. To quote King Theoden, Tarnished Edition can at last go to the halls of its forebears, in whose mighty company it will not now be ashamed. I recommend Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition to those interested in either reliving the Elden Ring experience on the go, embarking on the punishing DLC after a lapse, or even those trying From Software’s masterpiece for the first time, since the new classes are a big help in the early game. I just wish that the asking price wasn’t so steep. I think that the $79.99 MSRP is a bit of a pill to swallow, but considering that it’s for a platform where third-party games typically go on sale, this is one release you’re going to want to keep your eyes on.

Verdict: 4.5 / 5 (Near Exceptional)

PROS

• The Elden Ring experience in the palm of your hands, running at a fairly stable framerate that provides a smooth experience

• Two new classes, new weapons and armor, and new skins for Torrent

• Excellent loading times that are second only to the PS5 platforms

CONS

• Some details such as the quantity of grass seen in the Lands Between are downgraded from even the PS4 release

• The resolution fluctuates and the upscaling tech used is not optimal

• In some circumstances, when the screen is filled with enemies, they will have lower framerates

What I’ve Played 

• 7 hours of the base game, 1 hour of the DLC

• Experienced both of the new classes

• Had a couple of online experiences

*This review is based on a game code provided by Bandai Namco.

About the Author - Joseph Choi

Filipino-American gamer, professional shepherd and farmer, author, and filmmaker/videographer living in Central California. First consoles were the Game Boy and Sega Genesis, and I've been gaming since then, with a focus on Nintendo and Sony consoles.