Madrid, Spain – 24 February 2026. Meridiem is pleased to announce that I Hate This Place Elena’s Edition will launch for PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch on 14th May, 2026. Developed by Rock Square Thunder and digitally published by Broken Mirror Games and Feardemic,in partnership with Skybound Entertainment, I Hate This Place is a craft-focused, isometric survival horror game filled with twisted monsters and warped realities, all wrapped in a bold comic book art style and dripping with an ’80s horror vibe.
Meridiem is responsible for designing and manufacturing the physical Elena’s Edition of I Hate This Place for PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch, which will be the only physical boxed edition available during the launch period, and will include a copy of the game, a special effect cover, a secret letter from Elena, and an artbook.
I Hate This Place is inspired by Skybound’s Eisner Award-nominated comic book series created by writer Kyle Starks and artist Artyom Topilin.
Players take on the role of Elena, whose fight for survival begins when she and her friend unwittingly summon a malevolent force. Outmatched and hunted in a hostile world, players will need to stay vigilant, loot their surroundings, and pick their battles carefully against formidable foes, many of which hunt you by sound.
Features
Classic craft-based survival horror: scavenge every corner of Rutherford Ranch to stay alive. From haunted forests, a derelict town, to infested bunkers. Explore a world teeming with danger as you gather vital resources, craft essential gear, upgrade your campsite, and rebuild outposts to have somewhere to hide.
Day prepares you, night hunts you: a dynamic day-night cycle that changes the world. Use daylight wisely to explore, scavenge supplies, craft what you need, and prepare for what’s coming. When night falls, the real nightmares come out to play. More enemies appear, stronger and more aggressive than before. The landscape becomes harder to navigate with just your flashlight. Sometimes your best hope is to find shelter and hunker down till morning.
Deadly silence goes a long way: stealth and combat go hand-in-hand here as many of the twisted creatures in Rutherford Ranch hunt and stalk you by sound alone. Brute force will often just land you in an early grave. Use sound to your advantage, luring creatures away from your path or cleverly leading them straight into deadly traps you laid.
80’s vibes meets coming book flair: inspired by the award-nominated comic book series created by Kyle Starks and Artyom Topilin, I Hate This Place comes to life with bold colors, a punchy retro comic book style, and a heavy dose of ’80s flair. A unique blend of horror, dark humor, and just the right touch of camp and gore where unsettling dread meets stylized charm.
I Hate This Place will launch as a physical edition for PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch on May 14, 2026. You can now pre-order the physical edition via specialist stores across Europe and America.
For more information, visit Meridiem’s I Hate This Place product page here
ABOUT MERIDIEM
We are Meridiem, a video game publisher and distributor in love with its culture, which we protect and pass on in order to preserve it. We do this by fostering talent through investment in independent projects with potential, bringing back classic titles, promising indies and AAA games while continuing to support the physical format.
When we stop working on video games, we celebrate by playing video games. https://meridiem-games.com/ #PLAYTOREMEMBER.
ABOUT BROKEN MIRROR GAMES
Founded in 2024, Broken Mirror Games is a co-development horror label under Bloober Team, known for its commitment to pushing the boundaries of the horror genre. With a focus on immersive experiences, innovative gameplay, and captivating storytelling, Broken Mirror Games creates unforgettable, spine-chilling titles that leave a lasting impact on players.
ABOUT FEARDEMIC
Feardemic is a horror indie game publisher focused on out-of-the-box experiences, driven by creativity… and fear. The company works with studios across the globe to bring eerie, emotional, and atmospheric experiences to players on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. Founded by Bloober Team, Feardemic is dedicated to bringing horror games that will haunt you for days.
ABOUT SKYBOUND ENTERTAINMENT
Skybound is the leading entertainment company built to create, produce, scale, and sustain world-class IP across comics, television, film, video games, audio, merchandise and collectibles. Co-founded by visionary creator Robert Kirkman and CEO David Alpert, Skybound owns and controls a portfolio of hundreds of globally recognized franchises and cultural hits including The Walking Dead, Invincible, Impact Winter, Stillwater and others. Through a creator-first model, Skybound has become the go-to launchpad for original stories across all forms of entertainment. The company’s video game division Skybound Games, publishes, produces, and globally distributes games across all genres. Its latest expansion includes Skybound’s first in-house game development studio Quarter Up, which will release the highly anticipated tag fighter Invincible VS in 2026.
Sydney, Australia, February 24, 2026 – Microids is pleased to announce the upcoming physical release of Formula Legends, developed by 3DClouds. This racing game pays tribute to the golden age of high-speed competition, delivering an accessible, stylised experience that is firmly focused on pure driving fun.
Through its game modes (Story, Time Attack, Online Multiplayer) and unique artistic direction, Formula Legends offers an immersive experience into the world of car racing.
Starting from the 1960s up to the present day, the game features 16 cars inspired by real models as well as 14 tracks based on historic locations, each evolving over the years.
Each era also has its heroes. Fictional drivers inspired by real icons, each with unique skills: tyre masters, rain specialists, pit stop strategists… Their talents could make all the difference.
Offering different driving styles (Arcade or more realistic, the choice is yours), Formula Legends demands cool-headedness, a deep knowledge of the track, and quick reflexes to avoid ending up at the bottom of the rankings.
Microids unveils a physical edition dedicated to fans
Microids will offer players and collectors a unique opportunity to discover Formula Legends.
Formula Legends – Legacy Edition will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and Nintendo Switch, and will include:
Full game
8 DLCs included
4 lithographs
Poster
About Formula Legends:
DRIVE THROUGH TIME: Slide into the cockpit of legendary cars spanning decades of motorsport history. 16 unique models inspired by creations from the 60’s through to modern day.
ICONIC CIRCUITS, REIMAGINED: Race across 14 circuits inspired by historic racing locations, each evolving through the years. From sun-soaked yacht docks to sweeping elevations, these tracks blend nostalgia with a fresh twist.
MASTER THE ELEMENTS: Rain-soaked asphalt, strategic pit stops, and changing eras demand more than just speed. Fine-tune your racecraft, from battery management to slipstreaming, and chase the perfect lap.
CREATE AND COMPETE: Create your own custom races and championships, climb the global leaderboards in time attack.
Formula Legends – Legacy Edition will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series and Nintendo Switch on June 4, 2026.
About Microids
Microids is a French video game publisher founded in 1985 that has established itself as a key player in the international industry. By collaborating with renowned studios and creators, Microids delivers immersive experiences based on popular licenses, allowing players to embark on new adventures alongside iconic characters.
About 3DClouds
3DClouds is one of Italy’s biggest and most prolific video game development studios. Located in the outskirts of Milan, the developer boasts veterans from Microsoft and Milestone as well as some of the brightest development talent in Italy. Known for producing celebrated licensed video games including Paw Patrol World, Transformers: Galactic Trials, Hot Wheels: Monster Trucks Stunt Mayhem and more; the studio is also developing and publishing their own original IP, including the swashbuckling RPG adventure Trident’s Tale and the cherished sim-cade racer, Formula Legends.
Players Around The Globe Can Now Access The Rainbow Six Experience On The Go, On Android And iOS Devices
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – 24 February 2026 – Today, Ubisoft announced that Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six® Mobile, a free-to-play, tactical first-person shooter mobile game from the renowned Rainbow Six franchise, is now available worldwide for all players on iOS and Android devices.
Developed by Ubisoft Montreal with the help of many Codev studios, Rainbow Six Mobile delivers a true Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six® Siege experience, where tactical gameplay meets fast-paced action. Players will face off in 5v5 Player-vs-Player (PvP) matches in the core game mode: Attack vs. Defense. Attackers will deploy observation drones to gain intel and strategically breach through destructible walls, floors and ceilings; while defenders will barricade all entry points and use spy cameras or traps to secure their location. With its focus on strategy, tension, teamwork, and high-stakes decision-making, Rainbow Six Mobile keeps the full DNA of Rainbow Six intact, offering an experience that feels instantly familiar to long-time fans, fully adapted and optimised for mobile.
“The entire Rainbow Six Mobile team is incredibly proud of what we’ve built, and we can’t wait for players around the world to finally get their hands on it,” says Olivier Albarracin, Game Director on Rainbow Six Mobile. “Bringing the intensity, strategy, and teamwork of Rainbow Six into a truly mobile-first experience has been both a challenge and a thrill. We’re excited for players to discover the depth of the gameplay, the care our team has poured into every detail, and the new ways this version of Siege can be played and enjoyed on the go. ”Rainbow Six Mobile has been developed exclusively for mobile, blending new features created specifically for this version with key elements carried over from Rainbow Six Siege, including:
Game modes: Bomb, Bomb Rush, Team Deathmatch
Access to more than 20 Operators, including Ash, Mute, Dokkaebi and more
Iconic maps, including Bank, Border, Clubhouse, Oregon, Villa, as well as Restaurant and Summit – new maps exclusive to mobile
The onboarding tutorial, which focuses on key Rainbow Six fundamentals
Private matches, Ranked matches and Quick Play
With new content being added each season
With the game’s worldwide launch, Rainbow Six Mobile also kicks off its first global season: Operation Sand Wraith. Arriving one week early, this season brings a desert-inspired atmosphere, fresh content, and a new Operator, Deimos. Designed as a precise and methodical hunter, Deimos uses his unique DeathMARK Tracker ability to lock onto a single enemy and force a tense one-on-one duel until one of them is taken out.
Operation Sand Wraith sets the tone for what’s ahead and welcomes players into a new chapter of Rainbow Six Mobile.
For more information about other Ubisoft games, please visit news.ubisoft.com.
About Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege
Developed by Ubisoft Montreal* and with more than 100 million registered players, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege puts players in the middle of a fast-paced, ever-evolving multiplayer experience grounded in the selection of unique Operators. Using the right mix of tactics and destruction, Rainbow Six teams engage their enemies in sieges, where both Attackers and Defenders have exclusive skills and gadgets at their disposal.
About Ubisoft
Ubisoft is a creator of worlds, committed to enriching players’ lives with original and memorable entertainment experiences. Ubisoft’s global teams create and develop a deep and diverse portfolio of games, featuring brands such as Assassin’s Creed®, Brawlhalla®, For Honor®, Far Cry®, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon®, Just Dance®, Rabbids®, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six®, The Crew® and Tom Clancy’s The Division®. With a Ubisoft+ subscription, players can access new releases, premium editions and extra content on Day One on PC, console and cloud. For the 2024-25 fiscal year, Ubisoft generated net bookings of €1.85 billion. To learn more, please visit: www.ubisoftgroup.com.
In The Island’s new storyline, Roman Reigns is no longer the top dog. Three Orders, each with a distinct identity and methodology, are now vying for control: The Order of Tradition, led by Rhodes himself, The Order of Shadows, led by Rhea Ripley, and the Order of Anarchy, led by WWE 2K26 Standard Edition cover Superstar CM Punk. Players must choose which Order to join, which will influence their viewpoint as the story unfolds.
A new brawl environment, The Scrapyard, is available not only as a centrepiece of The Island, but also selectable for Exhibition matches. The Scrapyard offers interactive environmental elements, including a launch pad, shopping cart and steel beam, and increased verticality, allowing combatants to take their battles to new heights.
New customisation options for the MySUPERSTAR builder include the Photo Face feature and World Taunts, which allow players to better express themselves in The Island’s social setting, while the new Prestige System rewards players’ advancement with Prestige Quests, higher OVR levels, and more power, badges, and rewards.
The new Towers repeatable PVE experience offers players the opportunity to choose from small, medium or large tower runs to earn Order Reputation and rewards. Mega-Challenge Tower Events tied to each season’s theme will offer rare rewards for players able to complete them.
Additional updates include the new co-op MyTAG multiplayer feature, allowing two players to form a team and participate in cooperative PvP matches, Seasonal Ranked Play, which rewards the top 10 players on the weekly leaderboard with a Championship belt, and new match types including Triple Threat, Fatal 4-Way and 2v2 PvP.
Four editions of WWE 2K26 are available: Standard Edition, King of Kings Edition, Attitude Era Edition, and Monday Night War Edition. The Show Never Stops!
Leamington Spa, UK – February 23, 2026 – UK publisher Kwalee and independent developer, Bun Muen, have launched a new co-op demo for upcoming game, Shift at Midnight. For Steam Next Fest, the new demo comes with a host of new content and gameplay features.
Players will encounter a new pool of randomised customers, with the first shift remaining the same to ease them in. New tasks include filling car fuel tanks and searching vehicles to identify potential doppelgangers. The update also adds hats and store decorations, alongside expanded systems such as an inventory, personalised store reviews, a health system and save file support. From night three, rats roam the store, and players can access a randomised in-game shop via the computer for upgrades and items.
Managing a gas station is tough work, keep your stock shelves full and sell enough products to meet your quota each night, take deliveries and keep your store nice and clean.
Oh, and make sure to interrogate each customer as you serve – as some are not human and are in fact doppelgangers – miss one and they will return later that shift to try and kill you and your friends… Execute on site if you think they are not human – just be sure to clean up after.
If you mess up, be prepared to set traps, barricade the doors and hide as the doppelgangers return as horrible monsters.
Manage your gas station
Stock the shelves, take deliveries, keep your store clean & serve customers. Each shift is randomly generated… meaning no 2 shifts are the same.
Not all customers are human…
Managing a gas station these days also means you have to be a detective… You may ask each customer 5 questions, examine their ID, cross-check their details in the computer, and observe their behaviour. Make sure they are human before you let them leave, or they will come back…
Board Up, Lay Traps and Hide
If a creature manages to leave the store, all hell breaks loose. Barricade the doors, place traps, and find a place to hide. Survival is no longer guaranteed.
Better with friends!
Multiplayer is where the game thrives, work together or at least be together… proximity chat enhances the experience.
Features:
Multiplayer
Proximity chat
Interrogate customers
Randomly Generated Shifts
Gas Station Management
Character customisation
About Kwalee
Kwalee is a multi-award-winning games publisher and developer based in Leamington Spa, UK. The company has built a growing catalogue of PC and console titles, including Wildmender, ROBOBEAT, Voidwrought, In Sink, Hordes of Hunger, The Precinct, Town to City and Don’t Stop Girlypop! alongside upcoming releases such as Hark the Ghoul, Call of the Elder Gods, Grime II, Ground Zero, Retro Space, Lost Hellden, BPM Bitcrushed, Shift at Midnight, Welcome to Elderfield, Lily’s World XD, Rune Dice, Modulus and more.
Founded by games industry icon and Codemasters co-founder David Darling CBE, Kwalee is supported by a global team of games experts, with studios in the UK, India, and remote locations worldwide. The company is actively seeking high-quality games to publish across all platforms and welcomes developers to get in touch.
Officially recognised as ‘Best Publisher’ at the TIGA Awards 2022, Kwalee is also a committed industry advocate—serving as an ambassador for the non-profit organisation Women in Games and regularly supporting charities such as Safe In Our World, GamesAid, and SpecialEffect.
Tokyo, Japan – February 23, 2026 – Soar the skies of a vast alien world and take off for an all-new survival adventure with the first playable demo of ATMOSFAR, a sky-high, sci-fi survival odyssey, available to download today as part of Steam Next Fest.
ATMOSFAR – Steam Next Fest Demo Official Trailer:
Discover an exclusive first look at the opening hours of the game as you take off to explore Caligo Cays, an epic archipelago of gravity-defying islands. Traverse tricky terrain, cruise above the clouds, and take the first steps to building your outpost on an uncharted alien planet.
Navigate extreme weather conditions, including the deadly Firesky phenomenon, and discover the flora, fauna, and occupational hazards of an astronomical pioneer. Pilot your trusty Utility Wasp and take off for an aerial adventure, scavenging scrap, deploying camp, and discovering tools to aid in your long-term survival.
Launching on Steam Early Access later this year, ATMOSFAR is a story-driven survival sandbox adventure that combines aerial exploration with mobile base-building, resource management, gear upgrades, and ground-based expeditions. Cruise the skies as a solo pilot or form a squadron with friends in 2-4-player co-op*, setting out on an astronomical adventure to lay the foundations for humanity’s furthest outpost and uncover the fate of your collapsed colony.
Game Features:
A Sky-High Survival Odyssey: Embark on an adventure across the floating islands of Tycos, exploring extraordinary alien locations both on-foot and from the air in a survival adventure set among the clouds.
1-4 Player* Co-op Survival Adventure: Take to the skies as a solo pilot or assemble a squadron with friends in up to 4 player multiplayer co-op*.
Survive Tycos: Discover distinct and diverse biomes across a mysterious alien world while surviving the planet’s range of weather conditions, including turbulent thunderstorms and ferocious sandstorms.
Voyage Into the Skies Above: Operate and maintain your Wasps*, a fleet of flying vessels each with their own unique functionality, and take flight across the skies of Tycos. Jump into the pilot’s seat of the Utility Wasp and the heavy-lifting Cargo Wasp to gather resources, or cruise the skies above with the planet-surveilling Scout and the fast and powerful Fighter.
Command the Cloud Cruiser*: Pilot and manage the Cloud Cruiser, a colossal and customisable mobile airbase. Find new tools and craft new modules, upgrading your Cloud Cruiser with new technologies to reach new heights and soar into undiscovered locations.
*Cloud Cruiser gameplay, Cargo, Scout and Fighter Wasps, and 2-4 player co-op will be available at the Early Access launch of ATMOSFAR, and are not included in the Steam Next Fest demo.
About Apog Labs Apog Labs is a growing indie studio situated in Malmö, Sweden, and are the developers of ATMOSFAR, a sky-high odyssey. The studio previously developed Airport CEO, the world’s biggest airport tycoon game.
About Shueisha Games Shueisha Games, founded in February 2022 and headquartered in Tokyo, is an enthusiastic and experienced team responsible for the planning, development, and sales of many titles for consoles, PCs, and smartphones.
Create a cozy workshop and become the most celebrated scribe in the kingdom
London, UK – February 23, 2026. Run your very own medieval manuscript workshop and bring weird and wonderful artworks to life in the first playable demo of Scriptorium: Master of Manuscripts, available to download now as part of Steam Next Fest.
Scriptorium: Master of Manuscripts – Steam Next Fest Demo Trailer:
Play the free demo of Scriptorium: Master of Manuscripts today to create beautiful (and sometimes bizarre) medieval art as you grow your manuscript workshop with each created masterpiece. Flick through the early pages of Story Mode and take on commissions to illustrate battles, romances, love letters, maps, blackmail notes and other unique works of art for a colourful cast of patrons.
Or sample Sandbox Mode, where boundless imagination meets unlimited rolls of parchment. Relax in your very own workshop, and decorate with a library of medieval assets, free from time limits or client constraints. Meme through the Middle Ages or create something entirely original – the scriptorium is yours!
Drag-and-drop design elements directly onto your canvas. Add ornate text for a finishing flair, and spread your completed works of art across the kingdom, becoming the most celebrated artist in the medieval world.
KEY FEATURES
Create medieval illustrations for a colourful cast of clients across the kingdom. Take on tasks and meet each patron’s individual request while adding a creative flair to your masterpiece.
Personalise your workshop and use hard-earned coins to splash out on furniture, lighting, tapestries, flowers, windows, and carpets, turning your scriptorium into the coziest workshop in the land.
Discover a vast range of drag-and-drop assets inspired by the deepest reaches of history, and save your masterpieces to an in-game gallery, or export your works of art as PNG files for printing and social sharing.
Embrace your scriptorium’s full potential by creating letters, invitations, cards, stickers, wallpapers, fantasy maps, medieval recreations of movies, games and pop culture, and – of course – memes.
ABOUT YAZA GAMES Yaza Games is an award-winning indie game studio from Poland, best known for Inkulinati – an ink-based strategy game straight from medieval manuscripts. Brought together by pure chance, we create hand-crafted worlds spiced with bizarre medieval humour.
ABOUT MYTHWRIGHT Mythwright is an independent publisher founded by industry veterans. Established in 2024, Mythwright has already signed a range of exciting titles including Thronefall, Kaiju Cleanup, TerraTech Legion, TerraTech Worlds, TerraTech, Going Medieval, Cozy Marbles, Galacticare, War for the Overworld, Bladesong, Innkeep, Scriptorium: Master of Manuscripts, Deadstick – Bush Flight Simulator and Touch Type Tale – Strategic Typing.
Whether you crave fast-paced platforming thrills or the gentle relaxation of home decoration, tinyBuild has you covered during Steam Next Fest!
SEATTLE – Feb. 23, 2026 – tinyBuild has not one but TWO surprises for eager players during February’s Steam Next Fest event. Right now, players can discover new demosand trailers for two of the publisher’s hotly anticipated upcoming releases: Come On Studio’s serene home renovation game Hozy and Fair Play Labs’ fiercely competitive high-speed platformer SpeedRunners 2: King of Speed.
Hozy’s Steam Next Fest demo whisks players away to the ultimate home renovation and decoration experience. With over 300,000 wishlists, Hozy showcases four of its levels in this new demo: the Attic, Workshop, Blackout Loft, and the small but packed Apartment Suite. This is the first demonstration of the game’s interactive hub world, giving players a small taste of how their renovation efforts will affect the neighborhood over time! There might even be early signs of a bigger story just waiting to be told…
Hozy will release on March 30, 2026, on Steam via PC and Mac. Play the new demo, wishlist the game today, and prepare to unleash your inner designer!
SpeedRunners 2: King of Speed’s Steam Next Fest demo ignites your competitive spirit, offering a taste of the legendary platformer series’ next lightning-fast iteration. Experience the chaos of the 64-player elimination tournament – or perhaps the intimate but friendship-testing custom matches are more your speed? Honoring the genre-defining appeal of its predecessor, SpeedRunners 2 is a battle of wits and reflexes worthy of the speediest of speed demons!
SpeedRunners 2: King of Speed will release later this year on PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch. Play the new Steam Next Fest demo now, wishlist the game, and outpace all who dare challenge you!
AboutCome On Studio
A small, passionate team of graphic, visual and web design professionals, working on their first game, Hozy.
About Fair Play Labs
Fair Play Labs is a game development studio dedicated to crafting high-quality, engaging interactive experiences. With a strong track record in both original and licensed IPs, we specialize in creating visually striking and mechanically polished games across multiple platforms, including the critically acclaimed Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2, nominated for Best Fighting Game of the Year. www.fairplaylabs.com
About tinyBuild
tinyBuild started as an indie game developer and morphed into a developer-publisher you can’t miss. The company’s dedication to creating long-term partnerships and elevating recognizable franchises has resulted in many successful collaborations with talented developers from all over the world. The company has released dozens of games, including the Hello Neighbor series, Graveyard Keeper, SpeedRunners, DUCKSIDE, The King is Watching and more. Although headquartered in the Seattle Area, USA, the company has established a strong global presence with studios across the US, Netherlands, and Eastern Europe. https://www.tinybuild.com
There’s a reason some classic games never go out of style and part of it is thanks to the fact that, not only were they revolutionary at their time, they happen to be the very same games that modern day developers look to for inspiration. One such indie developer, Slime King Games, has clearly taken a lot of inspiration for their first ever game Under the Island, looking to put their own spin on things and set players out on an island spanning adventure filled with puzzles, collectables, and four key objects to find scattered across the land. The question is, does this indie game stand up on its own or does it fall short of what it aspires to hearken back to?
Story
Nia is a tomboy who wishes she could spend her summer playing with her friends, but unfortunately her archeologist parents are dragging her to the remote Seashell Island over the summer to investigate the unique history and many ancient ruins that dot the landscape. With the island being surrounded by terrible storms for three months, there’s little Nia can do but explore and soon find herself coming across the local shrine and town native Avocado who warns her not to touch it. Yet, of course, Nia does, and triggers a pitfall that sends both Avocado and herself into a strange ruin where an even stranger being from a species long-forgotten by history warns them that the island is in danger.
Four gears that were meant to maintain the island’s inner-workings have gone missing and without them the island will sink beneath the waves. Heeding the advice that these gears trigger strange events whenever they appear, Nia and Avocado (but almost entirely Nia) must track down these gears to save the island and perhaps find even more secrets along the way as there is far more than just Koala Village and some lovely beaches under this island.
Under the Island tells a fairly simple and straightforward tale that is a bit more childish in nature as many of the encounters and events that take place are far more unique than one would expect. While we won’t spoil them here, most boss battles in the game don’t simply involve beating down a bad-guy that stole a gear, but doing some unusual task or series of tasks to assist someone instead or, if it does come to a beatdown, it is usually for something just as ridiculous in nature which is quite humorous. It is a bit unfortunate that the game doesn’t quite live up to its potential in some areas however as the townsfolk have just enough personality to feel interesting but not enough to actually go anywhere.
For example, a few characters will spring extra side-quests on the player to resolve a conflict or fix an issue for a reward but that’s about it, despite featuring the entire town of Koala Village and numerous other smaller villages players will travel to. This lack of potential also arises from the various secrets and hidden locations that players can find. Hidden notes, tucked away ancient artworks, and even entire facilities and locations that hint at more than what is eventually revealed are either entirely optional or given no further elaboration. This is a bit of nice extra content for fans that want to do everything available, but also leaves fans wanting more from a world that isn’t quite deep enough to deliver.
Gameplay
Nia’s journey through Seashell Island is a familiar one that isn’t too complex but one that is filled with possibilities and plenty of hidden secrets to unveil. Since the legendary sword was apparently already taken, Nia wields a hockey stick in its place and utilizes a three-hit combo string to attack and defeat enemies. The game’s combat is quick and fairly responsive with players being able to run out of the way and keep an eye on enemy movements to properly time Nia’s swings to knock them back. Depending on how much extra exploration players undertake, Nia can trigger a small shockwave with her final attack and even perform a series of dashing attacks as well.
This means that Under the Island is far from a hard game, though players may find themselves falling prey to enemies that are far stronger than others if they go too far, though usually Lemon, a cartographer in the game and collector, warns players if they are entering a tough region and aren’t upgraded enough. Upgrades come in a variety of forms but the key one happens to be heart coins that are scattered all over the island. They are in chests, buried behind rocks, hidden in tree-stumps, locked in lockers, and even in an arcade machine. For every four heart coins players obtain M. Uscle, a bodybuilder, will add an extra heart to Nia’s total health gauge and most bosses will also reward a free heart as well.
Other upgrades vary fairly wildly and also depend on how much players tend to explore and want to unlock since some of them are entirely optional. They are also incredibly mislabeled. A mystic bear in Koala Village will upgrade most of the tools that Nia finds in her journey to increase their damage, how much they heal, treasure detection, and more. Each upgrade costs a certain amount of money as well as materials obtained either from enemies or honey located hidden throughout the world in a manner similar to heart coins. The only problem is, at least on the Xbox version of the game, every item displays honey (the hardest to come by material) as being required for every upgrade of every item. That isn’t the case however as the actual ingredient needed is displayed to the left, but this can make players hesitant to waste their resources if they are trying to save up and unaware of the glitched labeling.
True to the game that inspired it and the adventure RPG genre as a whole, Under the Island is more than willing to make players backtrack to areas they’ve been before once they’ve progressed the story and obtained new exploration tools. Various paths will be blocked off by holes in the ground that can only be filled with a shovel, boulders blocking a path that can only be blown apart by a bomb, or even switches or weights that can only be reached with a bird companion. This does encourage retracing steps for those that want to see everything the game has to offer, especially since some incredibly powerful items are the most optional ones, including one that lays deep within a haunted location and another that requires solving multiple mini-puzzles within Koala Town itself, but is a bit annoying as there are also no indicators where these locations previously were. This means players will either need to rely on memory or simply explore again and hope they remember where the shortcut or hidden pathway can now be accessed.
That being said, with so many tools at the player’s disposal for exploration it also means that the puzzles also have just as much variety to work with and that is where Under the Island really shines. None of them are truly mind-benders, though a few require some outside the box thinking, but there is so much variety here that players will stay engaged all the way through until the very last dungeon. Speaking of dungeons, while the standard enemies are fairly run-of-the-mill and a bit generic with re-skins in various locations, the boss battles are exceptional. As mentioned earlier most boss battles feature unique elements that differ from simply beating down an enemy. These are often little puzzles in their own right trying to figure out the proper way to expose an opening or trigger the required effect, keeping players engaged even if they’ve explored the entire island and gathered nearly every collectable.
Now, there are a few issues that plague Under the Island and while one happens to be rather difficult to control but, thankfully one time only unless players are aiming for the achievement, snowboard mini-game, there are a couple others that are significant issues. The first is the fact that at the moment the game does not properly save upon completing the game, giving players a chance to return to the island and “clean-up” anything they might have missed as intended, and secondly is another save issue that is far more dire. For unknown reasons that happened twice, the game refused to actually save despite saving at the various shrine-like locations scattered throughout the world.
Players cannot see their save slot to know that the save worked properly but are told that the game was saved properly, only to load the title back up to find that their save file is missing an entire dungeon’s worth of progress. In another case it required completing a number of side-objectives before the final dungeon once again just to gather items up again since the save file forgot entirely to actually save the game. Ironically, one of these discoveries came when the game hard-crashed due to an unknown error appearing when the player’s bird companion was damaged with a bomb, forcing a quit that also revealed that none of the saves had worked for over an hour.
Audio & Visuals
Seashell Island features a colorful and vibrant array of locations to explore and each area in Under the Island is surprisingly varied between deep-woods to mountains covered in snow and more. Each location will feature enemies designed, or slightly altered, for that location and the pixel character models themselves are quite impressive with their chibi designs. The few character portraits are also decent, though not too impressive overall.
The title does not feature any voice work but it does feature a rather nice collection of background music with there being eighteen songs in total that players can even obtain as collectables and listen to at any time in their home, though at the moment two tapes are currently glitched as well thanks to aforementioned save issues.
Overall
Under the Island does feature some rather underwhelming storytelling despite the potential it hints at but strong combat, varied and clever puzzle design, and a ton of optional but engaging side-content make this an adventure to remember even if it does wear its inspirations as clear as day. Unfortunately, between some generic re-used enemy designs and a number of bugs that are not only noticeable but can downright erase hours of progress if they trigger, let’s hope that Slime King Games can patch up these holes and make sure this island runs as smooth as it plays.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Featured in Indie Fan Fest, the Stylish Action Platformer Showcases Its First-Ever God Boss Fight
[February 23, 2026] – SoulQuest, the Kickstarter-successful 2D action hack-and-slash from SoulBlade Studio LLC, has released a newly updated demo now live during Steam Next Fest following its feature in Indie Fan Fest.
The game puts players in control of Alys as she battles mythic enemies, navigates precision platforming challenges, and rises to confront the gods themselves. Blending fast, expressive combat with a character-driven narrative, SoulQuest continues to build momentum as players dive into its evolving combat and progression systems. Published by indie.io, the title arrives at Steam Next Fest with its most refined demo yet.
Built around skill-driven encounters and deliberate traversal, SoulQuest draws inspiration from character action staples like Devil May Cry, bringing style-based combat and performance grading into a 2D action platformer. Players chain attacks, launch aerial combos, unlock new abilities, and push for higher combat rankings as difficulty increases, with encounters designed to reward mastery and precision.
Set against lore-rich, beautifully crafted pixel art environments, the game follows Alys on her emotional quest through a world shaped by gods and mythic forces.
This updated demo offers a sharper look at the game’s story pacing and level flow while expanding combat and platforming difficulty. Taking place shortly after the opening mission of the full game, it introduces a brand-new zone filled with new enemy types and increased challenge designed to showcase the depth of the combat system.
Expanding meaningfully on earlier builds, this demo also introduces the first-ever playable God Boss fight along with additional enemy encounters and new content for players to uncover. It provides both returning players and newcomers with a substantial hands-on experience during Steam Next Fest.
With Steam Next Fest underway, players can download the SoulQuest demo now on Steam and wishlist the game to follow Alys’s journey toward confronting the gods themselves.
