July 2025

Star Wars games have been around for longer than many gamers have been alive at this point. You have played as clone troopers, Jedi, fighter pilots, and now in Star Wars Outlaws, you will be playing as a scoundrel. This is a slightly more grounded story than the ones many players have experienced before and […]The post https://thegamefanatics.com/is-star-wars-outlaws-any-good-review-in-progress/ appeared first on The Game Fanatics,.

During the most recent Xbox showcase, they announced three new SKUs of the Xbox Series X|S consoles. While we didn’t get an announcement of a new handheld like many were hoping there may still be a possibility in the future. Phil Spencer was questioned about this during IGN live and he seemed excited about the […]The post https://thegamefanatics.com/what-is-the-future-of-xbox-hardware/ appeared first on The Game Fanatics,.

If you are not familiar, SolForge Fusion is a CCG (Collectable Card Game) created by Richard Garfield (Magic The Gathering) and Justin Gary (Ascension). It started as a physical card game and it is now making its way over to Steam. I have been having the best time in its single-player campaign mode. It reminds […]The post https://thegamefanatics.com/a-collectable-card-battler-lets-play-solforge-fusion/ appeared first on The Game Fanatics,.

For those who are not aware, Gigantic was originally released in 2017. It is a third-person MOBA Hero hero shooter originally developed by Motiga and published by Perfect World Entertainment. I had a ton of fun with the game when it was originally released but unfortunately, the servers shut down a year late. Now, in […]The post https://thegamefanatics.com/gigantic-is-back-and-you-should-be-playing-it/ appeared first on The Game Fanatics,.

Most people who have used a PC or had some sort of laptop bag have heard of Targus. They are a well-known name in the PC peripheral space and have been around since 1983. Targus has continued to innovate when it comes to laptop bags and things like PC docking stations. We saw a ton […]The post https://thegamefanatics.com/targus-targets-sustainability-and-innovation-with-their-ecosmart-line-of-products/ appeared first on The Game Fanatics,.

Many people are most familiar with Moon Studios from their games in the Ori universe. Those games are filled with some of the best and most complex platforming mechanics and amazing art. With No Rest For The Wicked, Moon Studios is partnering with Private Division for a totally new experience. They will be applying their […]The post https://thegamefanatics.com/no-rest-for-the-wicked-launch-trailer/ appeared first on The Game Fanatics,.

People have questioned the benefit of Game Pass since its original release in 2017. Subscription services can have amazing benefits for the consumer but does it negatively impact developers? The amount of content that is available continues to grow (along with the prices of said content) but people’s time and budgets continue to stay the […]The post https://thegamefanatics.com/are-subscription-services-like-xboxs-game-pass-good-for-developers/ appeared first on The Game Fanatics,.

When we say that Shidosha has an interesting taste in games, we are not exaggerating. Are you into bullet hell shooters? How about dating sims? Well if that piques your interest, Kamikaze Lassplanes may be a game you need to check out. This may not be the style of game you expect from a Polish […]The post https://thegamefanatics.com/a-plane-dating-sim-kamikaze-lassplanes-pax-east-2024/ appeared first on The Game Fanatics,.

No Love Lost is a new extraction shooter from Ratloop Games Canada. You are dropped onto an alien world and have to compete against not only the enemy team but the environment as well. The concept of an extraction shooter is not new but the team-based competitive elements make things feel a little fresh. There […]The post https://thegamefanatics.com/a-colorful-competitive-extraction-shooter-no-love-lost-pax-east-2024/ appeared first on The Game Fanatics,.

PAX continues to deliver new and unique gaming experiences. This year, one of our favorite games was Heartworm, a PS1 style horror game with Tank controls. Inspired by games like Silent Hill, Resident Evil, and Dino Crisis, Heartworm aims to scratch that nostolgic itch that some many people have been feeling. You play as Sam, […]The post https://thegamefanatics.com/a-ps1-styled-masterpiece-heartworm-pax-east-2024/ appeared first on The Game Fanatics,.

Digital Extremes held their most recent Devstream live during PAX East 2024, celebrating 11 years of Wareframe. One of the most exciting bits of news was the deeper look into the upcoming Warframe 1999. This included a new cinematic trailer launching later this year: Jade Shadows. Here you are introduced to the 57th Wareframe, Jade […]The post https://thegamefanatics.com/warframe-and-soulframe-make-an-apprearance-at-pax-east-2024/ appeared first on The Game Fanatics,.

It’s been a while since we first got word that the great Amy Hennig was working on a new Black Panther and Captain America game. After creating something like Uncharted, many couldn’t wait to see what was next from Amy. Her highly anticipated Star Wars game was canceled so many were delighted when they got […]The post https://thegamefanatics.com/get-a-closer-look-at-the-new-black-panther-and-captain-america-game-marvel-1943/ appeared first on The Game Fanatics,.

I have been on the search for a decently priced wireless keyboard and there is no shortage these days. Our friends over at Mad Catz sent over their S.T.R.I.K.E. 11 mechanical keyboard for us to try out. The first thing you will notice is its unique design. The red and black colorway is striking (no […]The post https://thegamefanatics.com/mad-catz/ appeared first on The Game Fanatics,.

Nanoleaf has been one of the market leaders in the gaming lighting space for years now. They have a variety of products to level up not only your office space but your entertainment system. The Nanoleaf 4D kit is definitely one of the best led kits that I have tried. The camera takes the immersion […]The post https://thegamefanatics.com/level-up-your-set-up-with-nanoleaf/ appeared first on The Game Fanatics,.

On a recent episode of the TigerBelly podcast, hosted by Stardew Valley superfan, Bobby Lee (Borderlands, Mad TV) Stardew Valley creator Eric Barone said that a sequel is a possibility. "I might eventually make a Stardew Valley 2, to be honest," Barone said during his extended discussion about the game with Lee. He followed up that statement talking about how money is not the driving force behind creating Stardew Valley (or, by extension, Haunted Chocolatier), which is why the game's updates have all been free.

Reviewed on: PlayStation 5
Platform: PlayStation 5, PlayStation VR2, PC
Publisher: Fast Travel Games
Developer: MoonHood
Release: May 8, 2025

"Cozy" and "horror" seem like words with opposing definitions, but developer MoonHood Studio has repeatedly marketed its debut game, The Midnight Walk, as a cozy horror game. I understand where the studio is coming from; despite jump scares and chase sequences, the Tim Burton-esque art style is nostalgic, reminding me of watching Corpse Bride or The Nightmare Before Christmas as a kid. That said, cozy and horror are both genres that describe a game's aesthetics rather than its mechanics, and while The Midnight Walk's visuals, story, and soundtrack are compelling, its mechanics are less exciting. Still, that core paradox of "cozy horror" and its accompanying style was plenty to motivate me to see the game's satisfying end.

Platform: PlayStation 5
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: Kojima Productions
Release: June 26, 2025
Rating: Mature

I don’t think it’s controversial to say that the first Death Stranding is a confusing game. Between the strange lore surrounding BTs and the world of the dead, as well as bizarre terms like DOOMS, Chiralium, and Timefall thrown about, it’s a lot to remember, let alone understand. With Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, Kojima Productions wisely takes a page from Final Fantasy XVI’s storytelling playbook (one of the game’s best features) by introducing Corpus, a new interactive in-game encyclopedia.

Platform: PC
Publisher: CCP Games
Developer: CCP Games

EVE Online is arguably the most obtuse MMO ever made. Famous for its headline-making space battles, it continues to entertain its audience 22 years after its release. Icelandic developer CCP Games aims to transform how players can approach its persistent sci-fi world, New Eden, with the development of its upcoming extraction shooter, EVE Vanguard. The studio wants players to inhabit the same world through the two games and seeks to answer the question: “What if the events in one game affected the other?”

Reviewed on: PlayStation 5
Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Publisher: Raccoon Logic Studios
Developer: Raccoon Logic Studios
Release: May 8, 2025
Rating: Teen

In 2020, Journey to the Savage Planet offered enticing exploration and inventive combat as you scoured an unaccommodating alien planet for resources and catalogued its inhabitants. Five years later, Revenge of the Savage Planet delivers the same basic concept, but thanks to a new third-person perspective, multiple planets, and a more thoughtful world design, it offers players a more consistent and enjoyable experience.

Bungie today pushed forward an array of new details regarding Destiny 2 and what players can expect to discover in the game over the next year. The scope and range of topics touched upon was extensive, though it’s clear that many of the more comprehensive details will arrive in other formats in the coming weeks and months. Even so, there’s a lot to unpack from what was shared.

Much of the stream focused on The Edge of Fate, an expansion set to arrive on July 15. The Edge of Fate takes players to a new destination – a planetoid floating through the Oort Cloud at the edge of the solar system – called Kepler. Here, players navigate a Metroidvania-inspired destination of mysteries and secrets, fueled by new powers granted through dark matter. Kepler will feature multiple world tiers of challenge that unlock over time as you play. Mysteries and puzzles might be solved one way in an early tier, only to change as you acquire new abilities and power in later tiers.

Kepler will also bring an array of new powers. The premier ability is called Matter Spark, which allows players to use a special pad to transform into a ball of bouncing arc energy and zip about the environment, jumping, electrocuting enemies, squeezing through tight spaces, and rolling along ramps for distant leaps. It was visually reminiscent of Samus Aran’s morph ball feature from the Metroid games.

Today brings news of a new art book highlighting the unique visual and art palette that makes up Marvel Rivals. In the early months since its launch, Marvel Rivals has received high praise from critics and fans alike, and one of the features most commonly mentioned is its distinctive art. The comic book-inspired visuals always manage to capture the essence of the game’s myriad characters, even while frequently adding new twists on the typical presentation of the character. Likewise, many of the environments manage to reimagine that Marvel magic from the comics, presenting familiar locales, like the Norse-inspired Yggsgard or a sprawling Hydra base, but with an exaggerated and colorful flair that connects all the stages together.

“For Marvel Rivals we developed a distinctive artistic style and visual language that not only carries the vast and rich worldview of the Marvel Universe, but also conveys the hero's story through the visuals,” says art director Dino Ma. “We drew inspiration from various sources such as animation and graphic design, infusing our style with bold colors and rough brushstrokes. This book details the birth, evolution, and application of this ‘Dynamic Comic’ style we developed, and I hope it will inspire others."

Grand Theft Auto VI is the gaming industry's most anticipated game, but after last Friday's news that it would be delayed into May of next year, it seemed like it would be a while before we saw any new details about the game. Today, Rockstar decided to surprise the internet once more, but with good news this time: a second trailer. You can check it out below.

This trailer spends a bit more time introducing the audience to Jason Duval, the game's male protagonist, by giving us a glimpse into his day to day life. It seems to be as much about showing off the new and improved Vice City, as Jason lifts weights on the beach, cruises down the highway, and avoids police at night. Eventually, he picks up Lucia Caminos, the other protagonist, from prison, and the game wastes no time showing how head over heels they are for each other. It's almost an even split between action shots and intimate romance, further suggesting that GTA VI's story will have a Bonnie and Clyde vibe.

Additionally, developer Rockstar has updated its website to include more information and images, including screenshots, new characters, and more. Here's the new synopsis of the game's plot, revealing more of the story's stakes:

Platform: PC
Publisher: Strange Scaffold
Developer: Strange Scaffold
Release: May 22, 2025

Jackbox Party Pack 11 is coming at some vague point later this Fall, and up until today, its inclusions were also vague. Suspectives is the first game revealed for the new pack and you can check out the trailer for it below.

The game takes inspiration from party games like Mafia or Werewolves Within where one player is a secret criminal and the others must deduce who it is. This is done by players sharing personal anecdotes about themselves and then those details become part of the investigation process.

According to the press release for the new game, "Suspectives is a detective-themed social deduction game where players work together to uncover the secret criminal hiding among them. The only clues left behind? Facts that players share about themselves. Suspectives turns players’ quirky personal details into the key evidence for solving a crime. Players must put each other in the hot seat to determine if the evidence stacks up against them."

The game is designed for 4-8 players and rounds can be played in about 10-15 minutes. As mentioned previously, The Jackbox Party Pack 11 is coming later this year.

We’ve seen more and more Xbox first-party franchises launching on PlayStation over the last year or so, and arguably Microsoft’s second-biggest exclusive franchise is next in line. Gears of War is finally making its debut on Sony platforms in the form of a remaster dubbed Gears of War: Reloaded.

Reloaded, which is also coming to Xbox, is billed as the definitive version of the original Gears of War, first released in 2006. It has been natively optimized for modern platforms, boasting a 4K resolution and support for 120 frames per second gameplay. Multiplayer includes cross-play across all platforms, and a Microsoft account is not required for online play (most relevant for PS players). The game also features cross-progression, letting you carry campaign and multiplayer progress across multiple platforms. 

Content-wise, Reloaded includes everything included in the previous remaster, Gears of War: Ultimate Edition. That includes all post-launch DLC, the bonus campaign act, all multiplayer maps/modes, and the complete roster of characters and cosmetics unlockable through progression. 

Click to enlarge

Here’s the complete list of Reloaded’s features:

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Believe it or not, we play a lot of games here at Game Informer, but it isn’t always easy getting our hands on everything, let alone finishing them and writing a proper review. We’re always looking for more ways to point readers towards the most interesting games available – especially those that could easily slip through the cracks – so we’ve created Spotlight to highlight the cool games we’ve been dabbling with recently that we believe may be worth your time. We love chatting with each other about the games we check out each day, and we want to add you to the conversation. Here is a selection of noteworthy titles some of the editors have been sampling and want to shout out.

Shotgun Cop Man

Platforms: Switch, PC - Release: May 1

DeadToast Entertainment’s previous 2D gun-blasting physics side-scroller, My Friend Pedro, didn’t totally click with me, but it had neat ideas. Shotgun Cop Man feels like an ultra-refined follow-up. As a shotgun-wielding cop (and perhaps the strangest-looking game protagonist ever), you’re on a mission to arrest Satan himself. This means blasting through dozens of short levels where you can only propel yourself using firearms like pistols, automatic weapons, and, of course, shotguns.

Don’t be alarmed – Game Informer is here now and we’re hard at work at getting the magazine back up and running (sign up for an account to be alerted to when we will be selling subscriptions again!). But back in August, we were unexpectedly shut down and at the time, we had made significant progress on the next issue, an issue that would ultimately never see the light of day.

I made reference to the fact that we were about 70% done with the next issue when the publication was closed, and many mistakenly assumed I was referring to our Casting of Frank Stone issue, which was not the case. That issue was completed and went out to subscribers.

Game Informer has been closed down by GameStop and the entire, incredibly talented staff (including myself) have all been laid off. A frustrating turn of events (especially considering we were about 70% done with the next issue and it was going to have a GREAT cover).

Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Publisher: Embark Studios
Developer: Embark Studios
Release: 2025

ARC Raiders, the upcoming extraction shooter from developer Embark Studios, has blown me away with its level design, world-building, and tense, often white-knuckle combat encounters with players and enemy AI alike. The up-and-coming studio’s veteran team proved its mastery of multiplayer design with the release of The Finals, a first-person shooter I praised for bucking trends. After playing ARC during a recent three-day press event, the sophomore release seemingly follows suit. 

Grand Theft Auto VI, which may be the most highly anticipated game of all time (an admittedly difficult metric to quantify), has been delayed to May 26, 2026. The game was set to release some time this year, with periodic soft assurances from Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick that the game was on track, but that is no longer the case. In a statement on social media, Rockstar games announced the delay and wrote, "We are very sorry that this is later than you expected. The interest and excitement surrounding a new Grand Theft Auto has been truly humbling for our entire team. We want to thank you for your support and your patience as we work to finish the game."

Grand Theft Auto VI is now set to release on May 26, 2026. https://t.co/YgaIn1cYc8 pic.twitter.com/cyeK7GM6Ob

MercurySteam is most recently known as the developer behind Metroid Dread. But it is arguably more famous for developing the acclaimed 2010 game Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, which it created for Konami (with help from Hideo Kojima and Kojima Productions).

Its new game, Blades of Fire, which releases on May 22, is not a sequel to Lords of Shadow. It is an original game and universe, but it feels reminiscent in ways that are intriguing.

Join Game Informer's Kyle Hilliard and Marcus Stewart as they check out gameplay, take on a boss, and discuss the unique layout for the game's combat.

Battle Suit Aces, the next game from developer Trinket Studios, the team behind Battle Chef Brigade, is getting a free demo, but it will only be available for a limited time. You can download the demo on Steam here, which is being released as part of LudoNarraCon 2025.

The sci-fi mecha RPG features a fully voiced branching narrative alongside its 5v5 card-based gameplay. You also have a ship you can customize that will play into your strategies, as well as a number of mecha Battle Suits. You can learn more about the game here from its announcement back in June of last year.

Ahead of May 4 (or May the Fourth) this weekend, Star Wars is returning to Fortnite and Rocket League. Beginning tomorrow, May 2, players can indulge in a variety of Star Wars-themed activities across different experiences. 

Fortnite promises to hold its most expansive Star Wars celebration yet by giving the franchise its own themed battle royale season. Dubbed Fortnite: Galactic Battle, each week will feature new and returning weapons, abilities, and vehicles from Star Wars. That includes TIE fighters and X-wings. Players can once again cut down opponents using lightsabers, but now they can zap them using force lightning for the first time. 

Earning XP to progress the Star Wars Battle Pass will reward outfits for characters such as Palpatine, General Grievous, Apprentice Evie, and more. 

Lego Fortnite players can find Rebel Evie hanging out at the festival grounds. Completing her mission rewards the Lightsaber Bench. The First Order Lego Pass also features Captain Phasma, the First Order Built Kits, and more.

Microsoft has announced a series of price increases for its Xbox consoles, accessories, and upcoming games. Beginning today, hardware will see significant price changes based on country/region. Microsoft has also confirmed it will begin launching some first-party games at $79.99 this year.

A post on the Xbox support page details the adjusted prices for consoles, controllers, and headsets. These prices vary across the United States, Europe, the United Kingdom, Australia, and other territories. We’ve included the US price changes in this article and recommend our international readers visit the support page to view the pricing updates for their respective countries. 

Recommended Retail Pricing for Xbox Console and Controllers as of May 1, 2025 (US)

Consoles

• Xbox Series S 512 GB - $379.99 (originally $299.99)
• Xbox Series S 1TB - $429.99 (originally 349.99)
• Xbox Series X Digital - $549.99 (originally 449.99)
• Xbox Series X - $599.99 (originally $499.99)
• Xbox Series X 2TB Galaxy Black Special Edition - $729.99 (originally $599.99)

Controllers & Headsets 

Gearbox Software gave us our first big deep dive into Borderlands 4 courtesy of its own dedicated PlayStation State of Play. The 20-minute presentation revealed two of the game’s four new vault hunters, broke down its new loot and progression systems, and new streamlined approaches to co-op.

The State of Play introduced us to Vault Hunters: Vex the Siren and Rafa the Exo-Soldier. Vex is a winged mercenary capable of conjuring ghost-like minions to fight alongside her while empowering her own abilities. Rafa is a former Tediore soldier proficient in a variety of firearms. Vault Hunters are accompanied by Echo 4, a new robotic companion that guides players toward objectives, can hack terminals and machines, and scan the environment to find useful objects. Confirmed returning characters include Claptrap, Moxxi, Lilith, and Borderlands 3’s Vault Hunters Zane and Amara. 

The game’s setting of Kairo is a new planet boasting four distinct biomes players can travel between seamlessly. This world had been kept hidden for thousands of years by its ruler and the game’s antagonist, the Timekeeper. This dictator rules his citizens by implanting them cybernetic parts called Bolts and polices Kairos using his own personal army of synthetic soldiers called The Order. Regarding the series’ signature comedic tone, Gearbox founder Randy Pitchford noted that Borderlands 4 will return to “a more grounded tone” reminiscent of the first two games. 

Watching a great game receive the critical and commercial success it deserves is always gratifying. It’s certainly not always the case. But Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 seems to be on track to succeed in garnering both. Our review was one of many that sing the game’s praises, and an audience voracious for a great JRPG-style release also seems to have found the game. But it’s not just that Clair Obscur scratches an itch for fans of games like Persona or Final Fantasy. While leaning heavily on inspiration from some classics in the genre, Sandfall’s RPG establishes a mature, artistic, and complex web of narrative, mechanics, and themes and challenges its audience to keep up.

Video games had their birth and early days as a children’s pastime, and even as the medium has grown over the decades and many of its players have aged into adulthood, it’s a reputation that’s been hard to leave behind. That reputation comes, in part, because some games, even while targeting an adult audience, continue to wear “kid gloves” about the content within. Even when games like The Last of Us, Cyberpunk 2077, or Elden Ring prove the potential of a more nuanced approach to storytelling or game systems, the prevailing wisdom in some circles seems often to be that every game must somehow cater to all.

Ubisoft has laid out its Year 1 content roadmap for Assassin’s Creed Shadows. The open-world title will be treated to new story content, parkour improvements, quality-of-life and accessibility updates, and more over the next several months.

The biggest content drop will be the game’s first expansion, Claws of Awaji. Arriving later this year (and free for pre-order customers), it unfolds after Shadows’ epilogue and takes place in the new island of Awaji. Expect to meet new friends and foes, and Naoe will be able to wield a new weapon, the bo staff. 

Free, smaller narrative updates called Story Drops will add quests introducing new characters, fleshing out existing allies’ backstories, along with new abilities and activities. The first story drop arrives in early May, and is titled “The Works of Luis Frois”. It centers on the real-life Portuguese missionary and Jesuit historically famous for his work in Japan during the Sengoku period. 

Parkour will be improved and expanded following fan feedback. In late May, an update will add height-gaining back-ejects, re-animated height-gaining side-ejects, and a wholly new vertical ledge jump allowing Naoe and Yasuke to grab and climb awnings and lower overhangs. Ubisoft promises additional tweaks and improvements to parkour will arrive throughout the year.