Project Motor Racing launches November 25th, 2025 on PC & Consoles
GIANTS Engine allows full mod support on day one, across all platforms
Pre-orders now open on PC, PlayStation 5 & Xbox Series X|S
Project Motor Racing, the ultra-authentic racing sim from publisher GIANTS Software and developer Straight4 Studios, will hit the track on November 25th. Announcing the release date for PC and consoles, the joint genre leaders also start pre-orders alongside new impressions and information – first and foremost, the confirmation of full-fledged mod support.
Modding, the GIANTS Way
With the launch announcement comes the exciting news of premiere level modding within the world of racing simulation: Thanks to the proven GIANTS Engine, the team confirms full mod support from day one, across all platforms.
Using the official GIANTS Editor, all user-generated content can be submitted through the in-game UGC-Portal, where every mod is tested by the developers before being made available for download. “Project Motor Racing taps into the same powerhouse modding ecosystem as Farming Simulator,” says Boris Stefan, CSO & Head of Publishing at GIANTS Software. “Racing modders will be able to tweak, tune, and transform their experience however they like.”
With over 4.5 billion downloads via the existing ModHub and a decade-long reputation for fostering creative communities, GIANTS Software brings its unrivaled modding heritage to the racing world, allowing racers to supercharge their experience in Project Motor Racing through user-generated content.
No Compromises for Racing Enthusiasts
Even without mods, the team at Straight4 aims for a full-throttle feature-set to satisfy the most demanding sim-racers, whether they prefer a challenging Single Player Career Mode or adrenaline-boosted Online Racing. “The driving physics are key, of course, but the sim is built around racing,” says Straight4’s Game Design Director, Austin Ogonoski.
In Project Motor Racing’s Single Player Career Mode, racers will need to negotiate their way through the cutthroat world of pro motorsports where the pressure not only to perform but to survive from one race to the next is key. Will they risk their car for a shot at glory, or will they play it safe and race another day?
“We wanted to capture the harsh reality of pro motorsport: Budgets. Repairs. Sponsors. Failed overtakes that don’t just wreck your car but your whole season… Your career in Project Motor Racing is motorsport with consequences,” Austin adds.
Creating an Authentic Experience
Racers can look forward to 70+ meticulously recreated cars across 10 iconic racing classes, including LMDh, GT3, and historic legends, 27 scanned track layouts for pinpoint realism (including dynamic weather and full day/night cycles), and unmatched driving physics powered by a blistering 720 Hz simulation engine, and more.
Project Motor Racing will be released on November 25th for PC, PlayStation®5 and Xbox Series X|S. Pre-orders are available now on selected channels – including the bonus GTE Decade Pack.
About GIANTS Software
GIANTS Software is an international video game developer and publisher from Switzerland established in 2004 and known worldwide for creating the popular Farming Simulator series. Since 2008, the game series has been released on all popular platforms and over 40 million units of Farming Simulator have been sold globally. The proprietary GIANTS Engine was built from the ground up with modifiability in mind, allowing users to create and share their creations. With offices in Switzerland (Zurich), Germany (Erlangen), the USA (Chicago), and the Czech Republic (Brno), GIANTS Software is very committed to be in close contact with the manufacturer industry and to engage with the community.
ABOUT STRAIGHT4 STUDIOS
Straight4 Studios features many of the key talents that have shaped sim racing’s heritage for over two decades. With over 20 years’ worth of remote work experience and working from three continents, Straight4 Studios’ veteran staff have earned dozens of industry awards. Merging the passion for motorsport and values derived from the sim racing community with the precision of a new, AI-driven physics engine and cutting-edge graphics, Straight4 Studios is hard at work developing the next generation of AAA-racing simulation.
ABOUT PROJECT MOTOR RACING
Replicating the challenge and sensory overload of professional-level race cars with all the uncompromising passion of big-time motorsport, Project Motor Racing blends 20 years’ worth of racing simulator know-how into one undiluted and unforgettable racing experience.
Grab a friend and a phone, and save the world from an underwater catastrophe
Walnut Creek, California – June 24, 2025 | Publisher Maximum Entertainment, with developer Breakfirst Games, today announced that How 2 Escape: Lost Submarine, the latest entry in the critically acclaimed How 2 Escape franchise, is available now on PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One/Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 4/PlayStation 5. The 2-person puzzle adventure sees one player uncovering clues on PC or console, while the second player gathers vital information with a free companion app on PC, iOS, or Android. Both must work together to save the world from impending disaster.
How 2 Escape: Lost Submarine takes cooperative problem-solving to the next level, offering an exciting escape room-like experience where two players must work together across different devices to prevent a global war. One player will investigate and explore the inside of a submarine while their partner will use the dedicated free How 2 Escape: Lost Submarine app (PC/iOS/Android) to provide crucial assistance in solving puzzles.
How 2 Escape: Lost Submarine offers a thrilling new chapter in the How 2 Escape franchise, where every decision counts and the world’s fate lies in your hands. The game is available today on PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One/Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 4/PlayStation 5.
For more on How 2 Escape: Lost Submarine, visit www.maximument.com and follow at @MaximumEntmt on X, Instagram, Facebook and Tik Tok.
About Maximum Entertainment
Maximum Entertainment is a global entertainment company dedicated to crafting indie to AA video game experiences through original content and licensed partnerships. A fully integrated group with a broad portfolio of content, the company emphasizes collaboration and inclusivity in its partnerships to produce the highest level of interactive entertainment. With more than 300 titles in its catalog, Maximum Entertainment has joined forces with talented creators and renowned franchises around the globe to deliver magic to the gamer in everyone. Maximum Entertainment employs experienced professionals across the entire value chain of video games including development, publishing, transmedia, sales, and operations. Visit Maximum Entertainment at www.maximument.com.
About Breakfirst Games
Breakfirst has been creating games accessible to non-gaming audiences, especially families, for over 10 years. After having developed games for smartphones and tablets controllable by motion using the camera, the arrival of the Nintendo Switch allowed in 2018 to direct the development towards this console using the accelerometers and gyroscope of the controllers. Several games have been launched on this consumer console, including the “INSTANT SPORTS” franchise: a simple concept bringing together several sports playable with motion and aimed at the whole family.
Having been successful with the general public since the launch of INSTANT SPORTS in 2019, the studio decided to expand the concept to new sports, and to extend the concept with new opuses featuring new sports and environments as well as a new graphics engine for the next iterations of the license.
Breakfirst is currently working on How 2 Escape: Lost Submarine, a new episode in the How 2 Escape asymmetrical coop game franchise, scheduled for 2025.
Trailer Series Shines a Spotlight on the Unique Characters Within FROSTHAVEN to Help Players Find Characters That Fit Their PlaystyleExpect More Character Spotlight Trailers Leading Up to Early Access Launch This Year
Following a successful Steam Next Fest demo earlier this month, with the FROSTHAVEN demo earning a spot in Steam’s 50 Most-Played Steam Next Fest Demos list, Arc Games and Snapshot Games have announced the launch of a new “Character Spotlight” series for FROSTHAVEN, the dark fantasy tactical RPG based on the highly acclaimed board game of the same name that will enter Early Access this year. With this new trailer series, players can get a solid understanding of the unique characters found within FROSTHAVEN, including the six starting characters (Banner Spear, Boneshaper, Drifter, Geminate, Blinkblade, and Deathwalker) and what sets each character apart from one another. Right now, you can watch the first trailer in the series shining a spotlight on the “Banner Spear”, the tireless fighter who seeks glory on the battlefield, specializes in precise coordinated strikes, and is always ready to lead the charge to victory.
This trailer marks just the beginning of the Character Spotlight series for FROSTHAVEN, as more spotlights will be released leading up to Early Access launch this year. With the digital adaptation of FROSTHAVEN, Snapshot Games plans to bring all elements of the beloved board game to life, including all of the character classes within it, so board game fans can look forward to playing as their favorite characters like never before! In FROSTHAVEN, players will discover they can unlock additional characters as they progress through the campaign – and during the course of Early Access, for more characters to be added via updates.
ABOUT FROSTHAVEN
From the creative mind of Isaac Childres, the highly acclaimed board game moves to the digital realm in the video game adaptation of FROSTHAVEN. An evolution of the FROSTHAVEN board game experience, the dark fantasy tactical RPG serves as a spiritual successor to Gloomhaven and is developed by Snapshot Games. Players can expect deep mechanics and challenging yet immensely satisfying gameplay both in single player and co-op online multiplayer. Seasoned veterans of the original board game or Gloomhaven will feel right at home venturing into the unforgiving and treacherous northern frontier of FROSTHAVEN. Newcomers can start their first adventure with difficulty modes tailored to their skill level. Improved UX and quality-of-life features will ensure all players can enjoy their experience.
With FROSTHAVEN, the brand-new character classes, each featuring unique playstyles and abilities, make it so that every decision matters. Players will need to balance risk and reward, working towards the best synergies between the classes comprising their party. Carefully managing resources is paramount to progress through a gripping campaign, set in a vast world filled with menacing enemies and diverse environments.
The reimagined classic action-shooter is available to pre-order now, featuring an array of bonus character and weapon skins!
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – June 24, 2025 – Mark your calendar for a trip to purgatory! Saber Interactive’s 3D Realms label and developer Anshar Studios have revealed that Painkiller, the modern reimagining of the classic action franchise featuring co-op gameplay, will launch on October 9, 2025, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. Pre-orders for the game’s Standard and Deluxe Editions are available today on digital storefronts, with the Standard Edition also available to pre-order on PlayStation and Xbox at physical retailers. Get a fresh look at the carnage that awaits in the brand-new pre-order trailer!
The Standard Edition of Painkiller is available to pre-order digitally today for $39.99 and includes the “Iron Crusade” skin pack as a pre-order bonus, featuring skins for all four characters – Ink, Void, Sol, and Roch – along with skins for six weapons: the Electrodriver, Stakegun, Shotgun, SMG, Hand Cannon and Rocket Launcher. Physical pre-orders of the Standard Edition on consoles will come with the retail-exclusive “Burnished Pride” weapons pack, which includes additional gold skins for those six weapons.
Painkiller’s Deluxe Edition is also available to pre-order digitally today for $49.99 and comes with the “Iron Crusade” pre-order bonus skin pack, as well as three additional post-launch DLCs, each including six weapon skins and four character skins.
Welcome to Purgatory! You’ve been sentenced for your transgressions against Heaven, but the Voice of the Creator is giving you one chance to redeem yourself. Blast through hordes of demons in brutal, fast-paced combat with an array of infernal weapons. Battle across gruesome gothic environments to stop the fallen angel Azazel’s invasion of Earth and earn your salvation – solo or in online co-op for up to three players.
Key Features
Purgatory Is Your Playground: Jump, hook and dash across vast, spine-chilling biomes while fighting nightmarish enemies in bloody, fast-paced combat with a host of new and classic Painkiller weapons.
Three-Player Online Co-op: Play online with up to two friends, exploring diverse locations, uncovering secrets and facing off against terrifying enemies.
Grotesque Terrors Await: Challenge a variety of horrifying foes, from hordes of demons to titanic terrors like the monstrous children of Azazel – the Nephilim.
Unleash The Pain: Use tarot cards to upgrade your abilities, rank up to expand your arsenal, and team up with other players to obliterate all foes.
Choose Your Character Wisely: Play as one of four distinctive characters – Ink, Void, Sol and Roch – with unique perks to boost your energy, health, power and damage.
Saber Interactive is a worldwide publisher and developer consisting of 13 studios in the Americas and Europe. Creating games for all major platforms based on original and licensed IPs, Saber’s titles include Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando, Jurassic Park: Survival, Turok: Origins, World War Z, A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead, SnowRunner, Expeditions: A MudRunner Game and RoadCraft. Founded in 2001, Saber is known for two decades of development partnerships with leading developers and publishers, including producing The Witcher 3:Wild Hunt for Nintendo Switch, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Crysis Remastered, and many others. Learn more at https://saber.games.
About 3D Realms
Redefining AAA – Action, Attitude, Adrenaline, 3D Realms has rocked the world for almost 30 years by publishing unforgettable, iconic games like Duke Nukem, Terminal Velocity, Shadow Warrior, Death Rally, Max Payne, and more recently Ghostrunner, Ion Fury, Cultic, Tempest Rising, and RIPOUT. Dan Ketterer Sandbox Strategies for 3DRealms
Led by industry veterans, 3D Realms is a proud member of Saber Interactive, with a mission of publishing games for grownups. Unapologetic and uncompromising, we’re not afraid of being who we are and being damn good at it – for everyone’s benefit. For more information, visit 3drealms.com.
About Anshar Studios
Anshar Studios, based in Katowice, Poland, is a dynamic game development studio known for producing AA-quality games across multiple platforms. Since 2012, the team of nearly 200 skilled professionals have been dedicated to crafting meaningful gaming experiences with a focus on narrative depth and immersive gameplay. Notable releases include the self-published Gamedec, Bloober Team’s Layers of Fear and Observer: System Redux, along with undisclosed projects for major industry developers and publishers. Skilled team, well-crafted portfolio, and ambition to grow. Learn more at: ansharstudios.com
PS5 and Xbox Series X|S versions exploding onto the scene later this year
Urbana, Illinois – 24 June 2025: This one’s coming in like a wrecking ball! Instruments of Destruction, the explosive physics playground from legendary one-person developer Radiangames, is today smashing everything in its path to become a part of Secret Mode’s growing catalogue of independently published games.
Originally released on PC in May 2024, Instruments of Destruction is primarily the work of Luke Schneider, founder of Radiangames and former Lead Technical Designer on open-world destruction hit Red Faction: Guerilla. Instruments of Destruction sees you take on the role of a new member of Sharpe Industries, a company who specialises in one thing – building giant machines and using them to wreak havoc in a spectacular physics-based, highly-destructible world.
Take on 50 carnage-filled challenges in the main campaign using pre-built machines to complete a variety of increasingly tough tasks, before learning the ropes of demolition design in 25 Build & Destroy missions using your own custom-built vehicles. Then take all your experience into the Sandbox, where you’ll build your own mechanical monsters and cause chaos on customisable islands with a single objective: destroy!
This explosive news has set off a chain reaction leading to the launch of Instruments of Destruction on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S later this year. Expect all the same content as the PC version – including full vehicle customisation – with optimisations for the target platforms.
About Instruments of Destruction
Crash through walls and tear down buildings in Instruments of Destruction, a vehicle-action game featuring advanced physics-based demolition. Pilot 130+ unique vehicles across scores of challenge-packed missions or design your own contraptions and wreck highly-interactive sandbox worlds.
Instruments of Destruction is available now on PC via Steam.
The game will launch on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S later in 2025.
About Secret Mode
Secret Mode is an independent publisher and the winner of the Ukie Best UK Publisher 2024 award and the Debug Indie Game Best Influencer Marketing 2025 award. Our titles include triple-BAFTA-winner Still Wakes the Deep, A Little to the Left, Wobbledogs, Loddlenaut, and indie action RPG Empyreal. We believe that games are for everyone, and that creativity has no limits. We believe quality and fun are everything.
About Radiangames
Radiangames is a one-person independent game developer, founded by Luke Schneider in March 2010 in Urbana, Illinois. A prolific developer, Radiangames has released over 20 games in 15 years, working across mobile, PC, and console.
The award-winning sandbox experience gets a gravity-defying twist in the fully destructible heist game’s all-new DLC
MALMÖ, Sweden – June 24, 2025 – Look up to the stars, because Teardown’s next adventure is out of this world! Tuxedo Labs and Coffee Stain Publishing are excited to take you to strange new voxel worlds with “TheGreenwashGambit,” the award-winning, physics-based, fully destructible sandbox game’s third campaign expansion. This new major DLC introduces an original standalone campaign featuring 14 missions across four new maps, an astounding collection of aerospatial tools, and new zero-gravity mechanics for pulling off heists of galactic proportions.
“The Greenwash Gambit” is available today on PC via Steam, PlayStation®5, and Xbox Series X|S. It is free for owners of Teardown’s Season Pass and Ultimate Edition, or as a standalone purchase for $7.99/€7.99/£6.69.
Danger! A thruster test has gone wrong, stranding a lone Löckonaut in deep space, where the Eco-Friendly Operations Corporation’s black hole waste disposal system may not be as sustainable as advertised. Team up with your loyal bot companion, Tier-1, infiltrate E.F.O. Corp, and sabotage their operations to find a way home. You’ll face incredible new environmental effects with unique equipment in a cosmic quest to discover the truth and save the galaxy!
Key Features
Survive space anomalies like gravity-changing crystals and an artificial black hole
Explore and escape from 14 missions across four extraterrestrial maps
Equip your spacesuit and use new aerospatial tools for traversal and destruction
Meet your loyal companion, Tier-1, and forge a friendship that just might save the galaxy
“The Greenwash Gambit” is the third of four major DLC releases featured in Teardown’s Season Pass, including the time-traveling, Wild West-themed “Time Campers” DLC, the high-octane “Folkrace” DLC, and one more still to come. Grab all four DLC packs by purchasing Teardown’s Season Pass or Ultimate Edition today!
“The Greenwash Gambit” is downloadable* for free today for Teardown Season Pass or Ultimate Edition owners on Steam, PlayStation®5, and Xbox Series X|S. It is also available as a standalone purchase for $7.99/€7.99/£6.69.
* ”The Greenwash Gambit” campaign can be started at any time from Teardown’s main menu under “Expansions.”
Tuxedo Labs is a tech-driven game studio in Malmö, Sweden. We are a small team of seasoned game developers creating innovative and unique games based on new technologies. Our mission is to push the limits in both game technology, interactivity and gameplay. To achieve that, we create our own tools and game engines, like it used to be. Our first game, Teardown, is based on groundbreaking voxel technology combined with destruction physics and ray tracing. Tuxedo Labs is a standalone entity under Embracer Group. www.tuxedolabs.com
About Coffee Stain Publishing
Coffee Stain is a game developer, publisher and investor with offices in Skövde, Stockholm, Malmö, Trollhättan and Gothenburg. Founded in 2010, Coffee Stain is responsible for Goat Simulator, the Sanctum games, A Story About My Uncle, Huntdown, and Satisfactory. Coffee Stain is also the publisher of popular games such as Deep Rock Galactic, Valheim, and Midnight Ghost Hunt, made by external developers. To support diversity in the industry, Coffee Stain launched Leveling the Playing Field (LTPF), which offers funding to smaller and start-up development teams where at least half of employees are underrepresented minorities.
Float, Scheme & Sabotage Your Way to Survival—Now Available for VR, Web and MobileTeases Lustration: The Game, Coming Soon to Steam (PC) & Web Based on the Award-winning, VR series by Ryan Griffen
BYRON BAY, NSW, AUSTRALIA AND LOS ANGELES, CA, USA, JUNE 24th, 2025 | NC Play, the social gaming label from award-winning, XR studio New Canvas, today released its first cross-platform game: Pop & Drop — now available in Meta Horizon. Pop & Drop is a fast-paced, multiplayer party game where you float, scheme, and sabotage your way to survival above a shark tank!
This riotous party game throws players into a high-stakes, balloon-powered battle above as a shark circles the tank below in anticipation. Spin the Wheel of Fate, make deals, break alliances, and try not to plunge. Available today on Meta Quest VR headsets, Web, and mobile, Pop & Drop turns every platform into a battleground of social strategy and chance.
Float, Scheme and Sabotage Your Way to Survival!
Pop & Drop supports 1–6 players and mixes chaotic strategy with dynamic gameplay. In each round, players float above danger on balloons, spin the wheel, and take game-changing actions — like stealing or popping a rival’s balloon. Between turns, the real fun begins: negotiate, betray, or ally with other players to survive.
Gameplay Features:
Simple Flow: Spin the wheel, take action, end your turn, and lobby other players to your side.
Wheel of Fate: The Wheel of Fate determines your actions in each round from 10 possible outcomes.
Gameplay Modes: Practice in solo play, enter a round against NPCs or fill a lobby with friends!
In-App Currency: Pop & Drop rewards players with gold to purchase special balloons.
Additional features and customizations will be rolled out over time.
Every game is 5–10 minutes of unpredictable, replayable mayhem.
Pop & Drop is now available and free to play in Meta Horizon today, June 24th, via the Web, VR, and mobile.
What’s Next: Lustration Game in Development
NC Play also teased its next title: a narrative-driven PC game set in the haunting, noir-inspired world of its acclaimed VR series, Lustration. Created by First Nations writer-director Ryan Griffen, and based on his graphic novel published by Gestalt Comics, the game marks a bold expansion of the Lustration universe—originally conceived as a multi-platform storyworld.
“As a lifelong gamer, seeing Lustration step into the world of interactive storytelling is a dream that’s been sitting on my bucket list for years. This world was always meant to be explored, not just watched. Now players get to walk through the world of the Between for themselves and that is very exciting for a storyteller to see,” said Lustration creator & EP, Griffen.
Set in the afterlife, Lustration: The Game builds on the 2022 VR series from New Canvas and invites players to step into the role of a series character and journey between realms—navigating themes of truth, memory, and the insidious impact of misinformation on individuals and communities. With branching perspectives and immersive exploration, the game deepens the emotional and philosophical core that made the VR series a standout. Additional details, including early looks and a release window, will be revealed later this summer.
About NC Play
NC Play is the new games and social experience label from New Canvas. NC Play extends our award-winning immersive storytelling into new formats: browser games, avatar-led social experiences and mobile-first interactive stories. We’re building joyful, accessible, emotionally resonant experiences designed for connection — whether you’re deep in a headset, playing on your phone or hanging out in a digital space.
About New Canvas
New Canvas is a trailblazing XR media company that blends cutting-edge technology with emotionally resonant storytelling. From award-winning VR experiences to genre-bending narrative games, New Canvas creates immersive, purpose-driven entertainment for global audiences. New Canvas is a founding member of the Byron Bay XR Collective. We honour Australia’s First Nations Peoples, acknowledging the Arakwal, the traditional custodians of the Bundjalung Country, on which New Canvas was founded.
Anime’s Next Big Hit Premieres July 6th With Day & Date Dubs Only on Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll officially announced the full English voice cast for the highly anticipated shonen series Gachiakuta, premiering worldwide (excluding Belarus, Russia, and Asia, but including India) this summer exclusively on its platform. Following a young outcast seeking vengeance after he is framed for murder, the English-dubbed episodes will begin premiering on July 6th.
Gachiakutafollows Rudo, a young outcast framed for murder and exiled into this wasteland known as “The Pit.” After surviving his descent into this new world, he now must fight to survive against monstrous Trash Beasts while navigating a brutal world hoping to return to his home and seek vengeance. The English dub voice cast for the dystopian action series stars:
Bryson Baugus as Rudo
Christopher Wehkamp as Enjin
Corey Wilder as Zanka
Katie Caruso as Riyo
Zeno Robinson as Jabber
John Burgmeier as Regto
Gachiakuta is an action manga written and illustrated by manga artist Kei Urana and graffiti designer Hideyoshi Andou and began serialization in Kodansha’s Weekly Shonen Magazine in February 2022. The anime is produced by the renowned studio Bones Film (My Hero Academia; Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood) and is directed by rising talent Fumihiko Suganuma, who is making his directorial debut. The series composition is written by Hiroshi Seko (Attack on Titan Final Season; DAN DA DAN; Chainsaw Man; JUJUTSU KAISEN; Mob Psycho 100). Satoshi Ishino (Date A Live; Tokyo Mew Mew New) will serve as the series’ character designer and chief animation director. The music for the series will be created by renowned composer Taku Iwasaki (Bungo Stray Dogs; Shin Kamen Rider). The manga won the Global Special Prize in the Comics category of the Next Manga Awards 2022.
Earlier this month, in partnership with the Gachiakuta Anime Production Committee, Crunchyroll announced the launch of the Gachiakuta World Takeover, a global anime movement that delivers the excitement of the next big shonen hit, uniting fans around the world. Along with the takeover, Crunchyroll rolled out a number of global premiere events and fan experiences. For more details, check it out on Crunchyroll News.
Also, right after each episode airs, check out The Gachiakuta After Show, an audio-exclusive podcast presented and hosted by the award-winning The Anime Effect Podcast, and is a part of the continued collaboration between Crunchyroll and Sony Music. Every episode will be available on all major podcast platforms.
About Gachiakuta
Crawl back from the abyss of Hell to change this lousy world. Gachiakuta follows Rudo, a young outcast falsely accused of murder and exiled into the wasteland known as “The Pit.” Facing monstrous Trash Beasts and a world stacked against him, Rudo must rise from the depths and challenge the power structures that discarded him.
About Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll is the global anime brand that fuels fans’ love of anime. With the ambition to make anime an even bigger part of pop culture, Crunchyroll offers fans the ultimate anime experience and destination centered around a premium streaming service. Crunchyroll has the largest dedicated anime library, an immersive world of events, exciting theatrical releases, unique games, must-have merchandise, timely news, and more. Anime is for everyone and is accessible to stream across territories through Crunchyroll—whether on the go on mobile, through gaming consoles and big-screen devices at home, or on desktops anywhere.
Crunchyroll, LLC is an independently operated joint venture between U.S.-based Sony Pictures Entertainment and Japan’s Aniplex, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., both subsidiaries of Tokyo-based Sony Group.
Reload your revolver and recharge your flashlight, the manor is waiting! Midnight Murder Clubis rolling out an update adding a new level of chaotic activity to the hide-seek-and-shoot party game for friends. The early access period comes to a close on Friday, 15 August 2025 (AEST), when the game officially launches on PlayStation 5 and PC! Check out the new launch date trailer here.
Also, starting today, Midnight Murder Club hosts can deploy a new set in the game’s “Wildcards” mode adding several new devious ways to stop friends in their tracks!
The latest update introduces the following new Wildcards:
Flameskull: Fly this flaming missile through the mansion until it ends in a fiery explosion.
Falling Chandelier: Set a trap in the mansion, falling onto the heads of unsuspecting club members below.
All in the Chamber: Fire every bullet at once, turning your revolver into a one-handed shotgun.
Shrink Shot: Getting shot makes your character smaller!
Gift from the Grave: After dying, respawn with a gift to give you an edge.
Knives Only: Your gun only shoots blanks. Toys and knives are the only way to get kills!
Growing Glow Trails: Every kill grows your glow trail, making you an easier target.
Pinged to Death: Kills lead to pings in the mansion, revealing player locations.
Party Room: One random room of the mansion adds a disco ball and music. Perfect to set the mood for a shootout!
Sound Blast Jazz Club: Jazz up your gunshots by replacing them with musical instruments.
In Midnight Murder Club, up to six friends can hunt each other in the pitch-black rooms of the mysterious Wormwood Manor. Armed with only a revolver and a flashlight, they will search the shadows for every flicker of light and every bump in the night as they stalk their prey. The tension turns to hilarity as friends–and foes–discover just how tricky it is to navigate and shoot in complete darkness! Midnight Murder Club features five thrilling modes including Free for All, Thief in the Night, Team Deathmatch, Head Hunters, and Wildcards, each with its ownunique challenges to navigate.
There is a reason that the Castlevania franchise is so beloved and even is seen as part of what started the whole metroidvania genre, given that half of the franchise’s name makes up the genre of course. These titles see players explore vast, generally 2D limited locations where players will battle against all different manner of foes, unlocking new powers and weapons along the way that will help them gain access to previously unreachable areas or breach a barrier blocking their way. Throughout the years, these metroidvanias have each added their own unique takes and quality of life features to try to set themselves apart and make a mark of their own, but how about one that sticks almost as close to the original Castlevania as possible?
Chronicles of the Wolf happens to be just that as Migami Games has made sure to stick as close as possible to the original Castlevania elements for better or worse while putting their own lore on things. Does this retro approach that adheres heavily to the old-school formula work out well for this one or was this hero’s adventure better left for the wolves?
Story
Mateo Lombardo is a freshly anointed acolyte of the Rose Cross Order, a band that is often tasked with hunting down the very monsters that haunt the night and slay innocents throughout Europe. In his first stask as a fresh knight, Mateo and a battalion of other Rose Knights are sent down to Southern France where rumors of a powerful beast that has slain countless innocents roams the lands. Upon arriving in the land of Gévaudan the knights find their entire under attack by a mysterious but extremely powerful creature that manages to slay every single knight in the Rose Cross Order, with only Mateo being left at death’s door.
Through the help of a female huntress, Mateo manages to rise to his feet and learn that the werewolf-esque Beast of Gévaudan is the creature that has slain his allies and has laid waste to the lands, summoning monsters, raising the undead, and creating all kinds of disasters that have left the few surviving members of the area barely clinging to life.With very little to go on initially other than that the beast must be slain somehow, Mateo must navigate through the villages outside only to find that the evil of the Beast has spread far and wide, making for an expansive adventure where a beast has far more allies than one would expect, even if Mateo himself slowly gains a gathering of ghosts and living allies as well that want to see the evil put to rest forever.
Chronicles of the Wolf is an interesting little metroidvania in that it actually tells a fairly impressive storyline. Part of this is thanks to the fact that the Beast of Gévaudan is actually based off of a legend from the 1760s in the exact same region of France where up to over a hundred deaths were blamed on an unknown but historically wolf-like looking beast. Combine these real life legends and the fact that these tidbits are peppered throughout the storyline itself, including slightly altered names of some of the first victims and suspected nobles at the time and it makes for an interesting premise. It also helps that, as players explore, they slowly understand and reveal a bit more about the real nature behind the beast and the “cult” that has surrounded its origins, though we won’t go further into that to avoid spoilers.
That being said, it is worth noting that the game does have multiple endings and some of them are a bit on the obscure side and are actually “bad ends” though players can simply reload their saves and avoid going that route if needed. Going after the true end does require quite a bit of extra effort but does unlock an additional game mode that we will mention later on. It is also nice to note that, upon completing the game, players will still be able to explore the post-game with all of their abilities and tackle a number of new post-game optional bosses and challenges which is always a plus, especially since a few add some extra context despite being optional.
Gameplay
Chronicles of the Wolf is a metroidvania through and through, almost to a fault in fact. Players, taking control of the aforementioned Mateo, will find themselves awaking in a town where it turns out that the bare minimum of “training” given to him was nothing compared to the beasts and monsters in the wild as players will find that they will need to traverse through a large map along 2D screens, navigating up ledges through platforming and dropping down to access other locations and more. Initially, besides his basic sword, dual-daggers to toss, and minuscule magic spell, Mateo is woefully underprepared for the challenges he is about to face and the obstacles that block his path. The poor boy can’t even slide without obtaining a bell first of all things.
Yes, as one would expect from the genre players will continuously notice various obstacles and objects that are just out of reach or impassable at the moment, meant only to be retrieved later once Mateo has unlocked the ability to double or even triple jump, let alone air-dashing or the aforementioned sliding. Some of these are obvious, others are far more hidden such as the classic “fake walls” that can hide something as simple as an extra bunch of gold to an entirely new piece of equipment that can often be far stronger than what players might find in a shop or even at all. Unfortunately, while the map in Chronicles of the Wolf is serviceable enough and does label save spots and portal rooms, more on those in a bit, it is woefully lacking in quality of life elements. Not only can players not zoom in or adjust it in any way, but it also does not indicate a “blocked” passage or found item that players saw but couldn’t get at the time, meaning players will either need to screenshot it for later or hopefully remember it which in 2025 is something that’s more annoying than “retro.”
Mateo’s combat abilities are a weird bit of balanced and useless depending on what players are wielding and facing off against at the time and thanks to some stiff controls and, once again, a lack of quality of life, combat can be an issue even when it works well. Mateo can wield a wide variety of weapons and, depending on the type, it will swing in a different fashion. Daggers are the quickest and have short range, swords are standard slashes straight ahead, two-handed weapons create large arcs in-front of him and are slow, and firearms such as rifles can be used at a distance but lack the ability to properly aim and are slow to use. Ironically, given that nearly all projectiles can be destroyed by hitting them, a two-handed weapon is often the best approach even if it is slower. That being said, should players actually want to swap weapons there is no quick-swap between two different weapons being equipped or anything of the sort. Instead players need to pull up the game’s menu (oddly initially mapped to LB), go to the equipment screen, select weapons, and choose that weapon before going back to fight. Not being able to even equip a ranged and melee weapon at once is a strange oversight and hinders the fluidity of combat though stiffness seems to be the name of the game with Chronicles of the Wolf.
There are a few other combat abilities that Mateo eventually obtains that makes up the melee combat. Spells that players obtain can be used to damage enemies at a distance at the cost of Mana and even clear obstacles sometimes, “tools” picked up from the environment such as bombs, chakrams, a throwing dagger, and more cost “Orbs” to use that also drop from enemies and destroyable objects in the environment can close this gap a bit but even these can be a bit unwieldy at times. Along the journey players will also meet and be joined by a number of Ghosts that were slain by the Beast or past heroes looking to restore order to the current era and impart some of their power temporarily to Mateo. This can be done with a simple button press and, ironically unlike weapons, the ghosts can be swapped on the fly and use Mana when activated, providing strength boosts, temporary invincibility, or even cleansing Mateo of ailments to name a few.
Earlier we mentioned stiffness a bit and that is sadly true for most movement and even some combat in Chronicles of the Wolf and while this may be an attempt to stick true to the classic Castlevania feel of the original release, it is about as die-hard as they come. Mateo moves stiffly, jumps stiffly, and only after players get a good portion into the title eventually feel like they are playing a suitable fighting character compared to how they started and while this sense of progression is nice, it does hinder the early hours of the game, especially right at the beginning when players are finding themselves at their weakest and suffering from another poorly implemented mechanic, the save rooms and the fact that enemies always respawn with the exception of animals that drop healing food, meaning even making a wrong turn or coming across a dead-end means having to dodge or fight everything in a room again.
Having save rooms isn’t inherently wrong, in fact it works as a solid mechanic most of the time and these locations also allow players to fully heal when they run across them. The bad thing is they are so poorly spaced out that players will dread the fact that their running low on health and the last save room was so far back and, since enemies always respawn, there is no good choice but to try and push forward towards likely death. This is exacerbated by the fact that thanks to the aforementioned stiff controls and combat animations deaths can feel incredibly cheap, players taking damage from hits or traps they should have clearly avoided but were hit by nonetheless. It also is worth noting that there are a number of, while telegraphed, instant kill moments in the game that players will feel cheated out of their progress as a result. This means that while players may want to save the money they get from slaying monsters to buy better equipment at the newest shop they might come across, it’s best used to keep stocked up on healing items.
One thing that must be complimented about Chronicles of the Wolf are the bosses that players fight against. While the first boss may not make the best impression, the various bosses afterwards each set a new standard for the game’s encounters, making these a real highlight that both feels justifiably difficult and a real feel of accomplishment when defeating them, mostly since it often requires memorizing their attack patterns and taking advantages of their openings to deal out punishment. That and, except for a few post-game challenges, most have save rooms within justifiable travel distance.
Audio & Visuals
It is clear from the onset that Chronicles of the Wolf is looking to mimic the classic Castlevania aesthetic by putting its own unique twist on things here and there. The retro style graphics work quite well with there being a solid amount of enemy types, though a few palette swaps do make their way into the game and anytime players spend underwater looks incredibly strange. It is also worth noting that background environments, while interesting the first time players explore them, are a bit lackluster overall, especially considering how often players will need to backtrack through some areas and fight the same respawning enemies over and over again. Alongside the pixel graphics for character sprites, shops feature character portraits that range heavily in quality from impressive and believable looking blacksmiths to some truly disturbing female shopkeepers that look deformed more than anything else. It is nice to note that there are little “CG” style scenes for certain events that happen throughout the game and these each are handled nicely.
The voice track for the game is a mixed-bag but not because of performances, it is thanks mostly due to how infrequent and sporadic it actually is. Random NPCs can talk just fine while many others are completely silent, even quest givers can be entirely silent. Meeting ghosts for the first time is often presented with voice work and the whole narration is handled by the famous Robert Belgrade (the voice of Alucard in Symphony of the Night and many other titles) is a nice touch, but incredibly underutilized to the point that it almost feels like a bait and switch. Thankfully the background music works well-enough with each location players traveling through having its own atmospheric track, though only a few of the creepier ones really stand out as memorable.
Overall
It is quite evident that Chronicles of the Wolf is a clear love letter to the classic Castlevania but unfortunately it happens to step a bit too far into classic territory to the point that it actually hinders its potential in the process. While old school loving fans may enjoy the lack of quality of life elements to the map and combat, stiff controls, and poorly placed save rooms, these elements feel rough in modern day, even for a game looking to pay homage to such a beloved franchise. Thankfully, the atmospheric level designs and solid storyline featuring real elements based off of the legend help make it a bit more bearable in the end.
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