Back for a Second Season, Forge Your Own Path Across Gielinor to Unlock New Regions, New Relics, and Exclusive Rewards
10th August, 2026, Cambridge, UK – Today, Jagex: The RuneScape Company announced that a new season of Leagues, named Leagues II: EQUILIBRIUM, is now available to play in RuneScape. Returning for its second run, the limited-time game mode introduces a greater emphasis on player choice, with every decision shaping each player’s adventure as they strategically unlock new regions, complete tasks, discover powerful relics, and earn exclusive rewards.
Learn More About Leagues II: EQUILIBRIUM by watching the Dev Diary Below:
The popular seasonal activity has been added to RuneScape as part of the game’s 25th Anniversary Road to Restoration this year. Leagues brings a fresh way to enjoy the iconic MMO, wherein players are invited to start fresh and quickly progress with faster experience gains, unlock game-changing new powers, climb the Leagues leaderboards, and collect exclusive rewards. The team at Jagex has taken player feedback to heart, and have refined progression, streamlined quest requirements, and enhanced player power in Leagues II: EQUILIBRIUM, delivering the fastest-paced gameplay yet. And this year, with dedicated Free-to-Play League Worlds, more players than ever can join the adventure from day one.
In EQUILIBRIUM, Guthix, the God of Balance, has taken the reins, and player choice sits at the core of the experience. This time, the entire map is locked to players from the start, requiring players to complete tasks and unlock new areas to reveal new bosses, skilling opportunities, quests and rewards, and closing the ways to others, shaping the type of powers and skills a player can earn throughout their adventure.
As players progress through combat, they’ll unlock Combat Blessings that guide them down the paths of Order, Balance, or Chaos. As they commit to their chosen philosophy, they’ll strengthen their alignment and ultimately unlock a powerful God Tier Blessing, granting some of the most impactful combat effects ever seen in RuneScape.
Relics, a central mechanic to Leagues, are more powerful than ever. During EQUILIBRIUM, players can collect several relics that will define their playstyle as they progress. Endless Harvest allows for automatic banking and uninterrupted gathering, for an endless flow of resources. Survivalist grants players more resources, better tools for maximum efficiency. And finally, Golden Touch brings wealth to the forefront, transforming Agility and Thieving skills into untold riches. Combined with the League’s emphasis on player choice, relics ensure no two adventures unfold in quite the same way.
Leagues II: EQUILIBRIUM is available in the world of RuneScape starting today until September 21.
RuneScape is available now on PC, Steam, iOS, and Android, complete with cross-platform progression and play on PC and mobile.
About Jagex
Headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom, Jagex: The RuneScape Company, is a leader in creating deep and engaging forever games that empower communities across PC and mobile. Our MMORPG franchise, RuneScape, is played around the world and has welcomed over 300 million player accounts.
As RuneScape enters its 25th year in 2026, we are accelerating our strategy to expand RuneScape into a broader ecosystem of forever games and connected experiences, grounded in a renewed commitment to integrity and fair play. This includes the reduction of monetisation mechanics, as well as the launch of RuneScape: Dragonwilds into Steam Early Access in 2025, representing a major step in building a multi-genre future for the RuneScape universe. Jagex: The RuneScape Company remains focused on building enduring worlds, empowering player-led innovation, and laying the foundations for the boldest era in RuneScape’s history.
Buzzin’ Games launches The Damned Files character reveal series with a first look at Mike Dowd, one of four damned souls forced to play a horrifying game of Rock, Paper, Scissors where every defeat comes at a terrible cost.
London, United Kingdom – August 10, 2026. Indie developer Buzzin’ Games has opened The Damned Files, a new character reveal series for its upcoming psychological horror tabletop strategy game Rock, Paper, Severed, a dark, horror-infused reimagining of the classic hand game Rock, Paper, Scissors, where every lost throw costs a finger. The first reveal introduces players to Michael “Mike” Dowd, one of four playable characters whose tragic past has led him into the clutches of The Old Sire, an ancient entity offering sinners one final chance at redemption through a deadly game where every decision carries a horrifying price.
Inspired by the timeless hand game everyone knows, Rock, Paper, Severed transforms Rock, Paper, Scissors into a brutal contest of strategy, nerve and survival. Every game begins with the same familiar rules, but each defeat brings devastating consequences. Lose a throw and another finger is severed. Outplay your opponent, make clever use of strategic items, and fight to survive long enough to earn a chance at redemption.
THE DAMNED FILES // 001 MICHAEL “MIKE” DOWD
The first soul summoned to The Old Sire’s table is Michael “Mike” Dowd.
Once an idealistic police officer, Mike believed justice was worth fighting for. As the first Black officer recruited into Kent Police’s Margate division, he entered the force determined to make a difference. Instead, he found corruption, prejudice and impossible choices that would ultimately destroy everything he cared about. Scarred by the consequences of a single terrible decision and estranged from the family he once fought to protect, Mike now survives as a struggling private investigator, taking on whatever work comes through the door while searching for a redemption he fears he no longer deserves.
Known as Gauze in Rock, Paper, Severed, Mike serves as the player’s introduction to The Old Sire’s terrifying world. His journey begins with what appears to be a routine missing persons case involving psychiatrist Dr. Amy Chen, but as the deadly trials unfold, players gradually uncover the choices, tragedies and hidden connections that brought Mike, and three other damned souls, to The Old Sire’s table.
About Rock, Paper, Severed
Rock, Paper, Severed is a psychological horror tabletop strategy game that transforms the familiar hand game of Rock, Paper, Scissors into a brutal fight for survival.
Inspired by British folklore and the forgotten tradition of Sin-Eating, players are summoned before The Old Sire, an ancient entity that offers sinners one final opportunity for absolution through a series of horrifying trials. Every throw carries consequences. Every defeat comes at a terrible cost. Lose a round, lose a finger.
Throughout the single-player experience, players face The Old Sire directly as the stories of four damaged souls gradually unfold through dialogue and their encounters around the table, revealing the choices, tragedies and sins that brought each of them to this moment. Those willing to look deeper will uncover a richly woven narrative hidden throughout the experience.
Beyond the single-player campaign, multiplayer casts The Old Sire as the sinister master of ceremonies, presiding over deadly contests where strategy, deception and survival become just as important as the throw of a hand.
Blending psychological horror, supernatural folklore, strategic gameplay and a deadly reimagining of Rock, Paper, Scissors, Rock, Paper, Severed asks one chilling question:
How much of yourself would you sacrifice for redemption?
NEXT FILE: Dr. Amy Chen – Opening soon
Key Features
Lose a Throw. Lose a Finger: Experience a horrifying twist on the classic hand game of Rock, Paper, Scissors, where every lost throw permanently raises the stakes. Outthink your opponent, survive each round, and hold your nerve when every decision could cost you another finger.
Master the Odds: The rules are simple, but survival is anything but. Build your strategy around a collection of powerful items that can manipulate the flow of the game, disrupt your opponents, and turn the tide when every throw, and every finger, matters.
Four Damned Souls: Discover the stories of four unique playable characters, each carrying their own burden of guilt. As the trials unfold, hidden conversations and encounters gradually reveal the events that brought them before The Old Sire.
Face The Old Sire: Confront an ancient entity inspired by Britain’s forgotten Sin-Eater folklore. In the single-player experience, face The Old Sire directly as he judges every move you make. In multiplayer, he becomes the sinister master of ceremonies, presiding over every deadly contest.
A World Inspired by British Folklore: Step into an unsettling world shaped by forgotten rituals, supernatural mythology and psychological horror, where every game is another step towards redemption, or damnation.
Rock, Paper, Severed is currently in development for PC via Steam. Wishlist today… before The Old Sire invites you to play.
SAVAGE prison horror nightmare where nothing is what it seems
Indie developers Gritty Piggy and publisher Assemble Entertainment are excited to unveil Sin or Suffer, an insidious story-rich survival-horror JRPG announced today on Steam PC. Enter a brutal medieval prison overrun by violent convicts, shocking corruption and something far more disturbing beneath its walls.
After a violent riot, the guards are gone and the surviving inmates have taken over. You’ll play as a broken prisoner forced to descend into the depths and uncover the truth behind Sin, a mysterious unseen force that twists bodies, minds and reality itself. The result is a mind bending immersive thriller inspired by the oppressive cruelty of Fear & Hunger, the grotesque encounters of Look Outside, and the dark-fantasy intensity of Berserk.
What horrors await you in the depths?
A dark fantasy world where language itself can reshape reality
Brutal, deliberate turn-based combat with enemy mutilation
Every encounter shapes the outcome of your story
Explore five interconnected areas with multiple routes through the prison
Discover choice-driven companions and NPCs whose stories can permanently change
Optimize scarce resources, crafting and dangerous items
Discover huge replayability with multiple premature endings, main endings and a secret ending… will you survive to see any of them?
The deeper you descend, the more the story turns from prison horror into something stranger, more grotesque and far more personal.
The sinner takes it all
Sin or Suffer is the biggest project to date from Gritty Piggy, who cut their teeth on websites and fantasy novels before deciding to tackle a larger scale project, fuelled by their mutual love of horror media. They’ve crafted a twisted world built around discovery and consequences, where understanding the world can be just as dangerous as surviving it.
Will you survive? Find out when Sin or Suffer is released on Steam PC in 2027!
About Gritty Piggy
Based in France, we are 2 friends, Téo and Paul, who met in IT school during 2014. We’ve been working on various projects since, including several websites and two fantasy novels. In 2024, after (not so) long consideration, we decided to work on a bigger scaled project : a horror game set in a prison. We’re passionate about horror media, especially video games which allow a deeper implication from the player.
About Assemble Entertainment
Assemble Entertainment is an independent publisher based in Germany, best known for indie hits such as Sticky Business, Roadwarden, Decktamer, Paddle Paddle Paddle, Grind Survivors and the Endzone franchise. Since 2016, Assemble has released more than 50 games across different genres, including cozy, horror, strategy and roguelike, and has established itself as a trusted partner for bringing original indie projects to market.
Acclaim partners with Polycade to bring its growing library of indie gems to the modern multicade, starting August 20 with the radioactive roguelike Ground Zero Hero
LOS ANGELES — August 10, 2026 — Acclaim, Inc. and Polycadetoday announced a new partnership bringing Acclaim’s lineup of indie games to the Polycade platform, starting with the horde survival roguelike Ground Zero Hero when the game launches on August 20th.
Ground Zero Hero drops players into a vibrant, hand-drawn post-apocalyptic wasteland where hordes of mutants are waiting to be pummeled, crunched, and absorbed for their irradiated guts. As players battle their way through the irradiated wastes, they’ll unlock a growing arsenal of mutations and permanent upgrades, discover devastating combinations to become the ultimate freak.
In addition to Ground Zero Hero, Polycade Storefront versions of the indie-focused publisher’s titles, The Prisoning: Fletcher’s Quest, Basketball Classics, Katanaut, Pixel Washer, and GRIDbeat! will follow in the coming months, giving Polycade owners a growing library of Acclaim titles alongside their existing favorites for the company’s stable of modular arcade cabinets.
Designed for both at-home play and commercial use, Polycade is the ultimate multicade solution, with compact, versatile machines that offer endless playability thanks to their modular, swappable control panels and deep customization options. At less than half the size of a typical arcade cabinet, Polycade fits into more locations than any other machine on the market while still delivering the full-size play experience, and its software is built to be easy for novices and powerful for pros, letting owners load games from Polycade’s library, connect their own Steam account, or bring in their own ROMs.
“Acclaim is building a ton of rad new games, and we seriously can’t wait to bring them to Polycade’s platform! Our companies share the same DNA; a deep love for the golden age of gaming, the unforgettable experiences that defined it, and a desire to carry that magic forward for generations to come.” said Tyler Bushnell, CEO of Polycade.
The partnership builds on newly-relaunched publisher Acclaim’s continued push to bring its stable of indie titles to a wider audience.
“The Acclaim of yesteryear helped define an era by bringing arcade smash hits into player’s living rooms through home consoles. Today, we’re excited to come slightly full circle in a new & unique way. With Polycade, we’re bringing all generations of action-packed, fun, Acclaim indie games onto the home arcade space, honoring gaming’s past while creating new classics for today’s players.” added Marc Anthony Rodriguez, Director of Publishing & Strategic Partnerships at Acclaim, Inc. “Our goal has always been to meet players wherever they choose to play, and Polycade is reimagining what the modern arcade experience can be. This partnership gives our developers another meaningful way to reach players while continuing to grow the next chapter of Acclaim.”
Ground Zero Hero launches on Polycade, Xbox Series X|S, Steam, Nintendo Switch 2, and PlayStation 5 on August 20th. The Prisoning: Fletcher’s Quest, Basketball Classics, Katanaut, and GRIDbeat! will follow on the Polycade storefront in the coming months.
About Acclaim:
Originally founded in 1987, Acclaim established itself as a leading global developer, publisher, and mass marketer, bringing beloved franchises such as Mortal Kombat, Turok, and NBA Jam into homes worldwide. Today, Acclaim carries its legacy forward with an unwavering commitment to supporting talented indie developers and delivering high-quality, premium indie games to a global audience. Acclaim’s modern revival stands as a testament to the strength and enduring appeal of its iconic brand.
About Polycade:
Polycade designs premium modular arcade systems that bring together the best of retro arcade gaming and modern interactive entertainment in a single, beautifully engineered platform. Built for homes, game rooms, businesses, and entertainment venues, the platform combines premium hardware, interchangeable control modules, digital software, and a growing ecosystem of classic and contemporary games to deliver a truly modern arcade experience.
A passion for craftsmanship: beyerdynamic and the developers at the Indie Arena Booth share common values
Over 230 MMX 300 PRO headsets ensure the perfect sound for the developer booths
A vinyl listening station, and more at the Indie Arena Booth in Hall 10.2, F010 E019
Heilbronn, Germany – 10 August 2026– For many years, the Indie Arena Booth at gamescom has offered ambitious indie developers the opportunity to showcase themselves and their games to an international audience. German audio specialist beyerdynamic, which has recently expanded its gaming initiatives, seeks to support the community and is therefore making its debut as First Presenter of this year’s Indie Arena Booth.
Far more than just traditional sponsorship
Under the motto “Different craft. Same passion,” beyerdynamic highlights the special connection between indie developers and audio engineers. Both groups are united by their passion for bringing ideas to life through creativity, craftsmanship and dedication.
Time and again, independent developers prove that exceptional games don’t depend on budget, but on the people who believe in them and bring them to life with passion.
That same dedication defines beyerdynamic: For over 100 years, the company has been developing headphones, microphones, and headsets at its Heilbronn facility – some of which are still handcrafted on-site today – and now also offers a growing product line specifically designed for gamers.
“Great things are created by people who love their profession. That’s exactly what the developers at the Indie Arena Booth have in common with us at beyerdynamic,” explains Matthias Heilig, Product Marketing Manager for Gaming at beyerdynamic. “The indie devs are passionate about creating extraordinary games. We’ve been developing audio products with that same passion for over 100 years. The fact that we get to bring these worlds together at gamescom is what makes this partnership something so special.”
Plenty of Audio Activities on Site
beyerdynamic will equip the demo stations at the Indie Arena Booth with a total of 230 MMX 300 PRO professional gaming headsets, bringing the developers’ creative vision to life through sound. At a vinyl listening station, visitors can experience selected soundtracks and music from the games presented at the Indie Arena Booth through professional studio headphones from beyerdynamic. Furthermore, the audio specialist from Heilbronn has a surprise or two in store for dedicated gaming fans.
About beyerdynamic
Since 1924, beyerdynamic has stood for first-class, professional audio products that delight discerning customers around the world. The majority of the product lines are handmade at the Heilbronn site. In the product areas “Creator”, “Gamer”, “Work & Learn” and “Enjoyment – Music lovers”, beyerdynamic offers headphones, headsets, microphones, gaming, and home office products. They all have one thing in common: pristine sound. This has always carried the company across the emotional stages of the world, through the inspiring studios of the cities and into the ears and hearts of the people.
Anticipated Collab Event Brings Iconic Characters from Persona 3 Reload, Persona 4 Golden, and Persona 5 Royal to Celebrated Sci-Fi RPG Shooter on August 13
PALO ALTO, CA – August 9, 2026 — Level Infinite and SHIFTUP today revealed full details of the intriguing crossover collaboration between the hit sci-fi action RPG GODDESS OF VICTORY: NIKKE and Atlus’ acclaimed Persona franchise. Launching August 13, NIKKE players will be the first to experience this unique collaboration that spans a trio of modern Persona titles (Persona 3 Reload, Persona 4 Golden, and Persona 5 Royal), highlighting the franchise’s official 30th-anniversary celebration this year.
The collaboration introduces beloved female characters from across three generations of the Persona series, each delivering distinct combat strengths, personalities, and style to the NIKKE battlefield:
Queen (Makoto Niijima) | Persona 5 Royal: She’s the student council president at Shujin Academy and strategist for the Phantom Thieves of Hearts. She is calm, responsible, and proactive, but sometimes too earnest to compromise. A certain incident led to her Persona awakening, after which she became a member of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts.
Yukiko Amagi | Persona 4 Golden: Yukiko is a member of the Investigation Team formed by a group of students from Yasogami High School, as well as a Persona user. As daughter to the manager of the renowned Amagi Inn, she is undergoing training as its next heir. Though quick-witted, she struggles a bit at reading the room and can come across as airheaded.
Aigis | Persona 3 Reload: The seventh-generation Anti-Shadow Suppression Weapon developed by the Kirijo Group. As part of the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad (SEES), she is an android capable of summoning a Persona. While she initially behaves like a machine, acting in an obedient and overly straightforward manner, she gradually comes to develop human emotions.
Other new features in the NIKKE x Persona Collaboration Update:
Free & Pass Costumes: Unlockable and pass-exclusive alternate outfits will be available for Persona characters Makoto Niijima and Yukiko Amagi.
Exclusive Gacha Costume: A featured costume for Phantom – Phantom [Concept: Thief] – will be available in the outfit gacha.
The World and Style of Persona: This crossover event honors the deep lore of each of the respective groups across the Persona timeline:
The Phantom Thieves of Hearts (Persona 5 Royal): High school students operating in the shadows to reform “rotten adults” by infiltrating the Palace—an alternate world of the heart—to steal distorted desires at their source.
The Investigation Team (Persona 4 Golden): A team formed by students pursuing the truth behind a string of mysterious serial murders in the rural town of Yasoinaba by traveling through the world inside the TV.
SEES / Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad (Persona 3 Reload): A chosen group of Persona users posing as a school club, dedicated to protecting humanity from the monsters known as Shadows that appear during the “Dark Hour.”
MIDNIGHT PHANTOM RUNNER Mini Game: Dive into this fast-paced, running mini-game packed with thematic fun and rewards throughout the event period.
Downloaded over 45 million times since launch, GODDESS OF VICTORY: NIKKE is available globally for PC, iOS, and Android mobile devices. GODDESS OF VICTORY: NIKKE continues to deliver regular updates and content expansions that keep players immersed in the game’s evolving narrative. Download the game on the iOS App Store, Google Play, and Windows PC.
About Level Infinite Level Infinite is Tencent’s global games brand, dedicated to delivering engaging and original gaming experiences to a worldwide audience, whenever and wherever they choose to play. The brand also provides a wide range of services and resources to a network of developers and partner studios around the world to help them unlock the potential of their games. Level Infinite is both publisher of breakout hit games like PUBG MOBILE, Honor of Kings and Goddess of Victory: NIKKE and a collaborative partner in games such as Dune: Awakening from Funcom, Warhammer 40K: Darktide and many more. To learn more about Level Infinite, visit www.levelinfinite.com
Sydney, Australia, August 10, 2026: Warm up your vocal cords and get ready to own the spotlight! This November, THQ Nordic and Voxler invite players to celebrate music with two exciting karaoke releases. Let’s Sing 2027, the newest entry in the beloved karaoke franchise, launches alongside the return of Let’s Sing ABBA (initially released Oct 4th, 2022), bringing unforgettable sing-along experiences to players around the world.
Launching on November 3, 2026, Let’s Sing 2027 arrives on PlayStation®5, Nintendo Switch™, and Nintendo Switch™ 2, bringing the series to Nintendo’s newest console for the first time.
Let’s Sing 2027 also marks a new chapter for the franchise as it joins the THQ Nordic family. Developed by Voxler, the studio behind the series and a specialist in music and singing games for over 20 years, the latest entry continues to refine the karaoke experience while introducing fresh ideas for newcomers and longtime fans alike.
Players can choose from a Standard Edition (SRP $59.95 AUD) or a dedicated 2 Mic Bundle (SRP $99.95 AUD), both including one month of VIP Pass at no additional cost. For those looking for even more songs, the digital Gold and Platinum Editions include 3 and 12 months of VIP Pass access.
Vocal Preference Mode lets players adjust the original vocals between full vocals, audio guide, or instrumental mode for a personalised karaoke experience
Save Soundtown, a brand-new party mode featuring three mini-games and a lighthearted story for up to two players
Completely refreshed avatars, new customisation options, unlockable rewards, banners, skins, emotes, and poses
Official music videos accompany every performance
Up to four local players can sing together
No microphone? No problem! Simply use the free Let’s Sing Companion App as a microphone
Includes one month of VIP Pass, giving access to 150+ additional songs at launch
All local songs are included in the base game from day one, no separate downloads required
Let’s Sing ABBA Returns
2026 marks the 50th anniversary of “Dancing Queen” as well as the return of Let’s Sing ABBA, making its debut on Nintendo Switch™ 2 while also returning to Nintendo Switch™ and PlayStation®5, featuring 32 legendary ABBA hits including the additional song “I Have A Dream”, giving players another chance to celebrate one of the greatest pop groups of all time. Let’s Sing ABBA will be available as a physical 2 Mic Bundle (SRP $99.95 AUD) or digitally, without microphones (SRP $59.95 AUD).
Developed by Voxler and published by THQ Nordic, Let’s Sing 2027 launches on November 3, 2026, for Nintendo Switch™ 2, Nintendo Switch™, and PlayStation®5. Let’s Sing ABBA will be available the same day for Nintendo Switch™ 2, Nintendo Switch™ and PlayStation®5.
THQ Nordic Content Creator Program
We love to collaborate with content creators from all over the world. If you are interested in Let’s Sing 2027 (or our other games), please check out our content creator program and be among the first to play and show the game(s): https://creators.thqnordic.com/
About Let’s Sing 2027
Grab the mic, or your smartphone, and get ready to shine! Let’s Sing 2027 transforms any occasion into a musical celebration with a brand-new playlist of chart-toppers and classics from around the world! Sing solo for high scores or team up with friends and family for unforgettable duets and group performances.
Step into Soundtown in an all-new Party mode: a lively musical adventure where you’ll face off against DJ Hush and bring the beat back to the city. With improved visuals, fresh avatars, and customizable rewards, every performance feels like a moment in the spotlight.
Some of the included songs:
Chappell Roan – The Subway
Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars – Die With A Smile
Alex Warren – Ordinary
Drake – God’s Plan
Ariana Grande – we can’t be friends (wait for your love)
Sabrina Carpenter – Espresso
Ed Sheeran – Azizam
… And many more!
About Let’s Sing ABBA
Celebrate the music of one of the world’s most iconic pop groups with Let’s Sing ABBA. Featuring 32 timeless hits, including the newly added “I Have A Dream“, players can perform solo, sing together with friends, or compete across seven different game modes.
Whether you’re chasing high scores or simply enjoying an unforgettable karaoke night, Let’s Sing ABBA delivers the ultimate tribute to a legendary catalogue.
Some of the included songs:
Dancing Queen
Mamma Mia
Waterloo
Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)
The Winner Takes It All
Take A Chance On Me
Money, Money, Money
And many more!
About THQ Nordic Founded in 2011, THQ Nordic is a global video game publisher and developer. Based in Vienna (Austria), and with subsidiaries all around the globe, THQ Nordic brands include Darksiders, MX vs. ATV, Destroy All Humans, Wreckfest, Titan Quest, Biomutant, Gothic, ELEX, Kingdoms of Amalur and many more. THQ Nordic is meant to represent a core approach of doing much more than “owning” a highly competitive portfolio of IPs. It revolves around cherishing them, and aligning them with the very best development resources to expand upon them with the level of experience that communities and established fan bases expect and deserve.
About Voxler Voxler is a video game studio founded in 2005 that specializes in music-based games. Since the beginning, we’ve focused our energy on creating high-quality experiences built on the latest technological advancements
Nightmare Shift, an independent psychological horror that takes players to a mysterious motel, arrives on PlayStation 5 on August 13. In this unsettling place, routine duties blend with madness and nightmares. The title stands out with its cinematic-style narration and multiple endings. Nightmare Shift is also available on PC and XBOX Series X|S.
The game was created by independent studio Binary Lunar from Syria, whose credits also include the platformer AvoCuddle. Nightmare Shift currently holds a 72 percent positive rating from players on Steam. Ultimate Games S.A. is responsible for preparing and releasing the console versions.
When Work Turns Into a Nightmare…
Nightmare Shift is an independent psychological horror that tells a story centered on night shifts working at a motel. In this cinematically narrated title, players take on the role of Emma, who feels she is being watched and struggles to tell the line between reality and nightmare. The game draws inspiration from films in the style of the 2018 Korean production When You Sleep, among others.
The story in Nightmare Shift revolves around routine duties at a remote motel and dealing with unsettling guests. Gameplay is built on a walking simulator formula with puzzle-solving elements.
As the developers point out, completing Nightmare Shift takes anywhere from about 30 minutes to a few hours on average. The title offers different endings depending on the choices players make.
Nightmare Shift – Key Features:
Face nightmares and madness
Carry out routine duties at home and the motel
Deal with unsettling guests
Solve mysterious puzzles
Experience multiple endings
Nightmare Shift launches on PlayStation 5 on August 13, 2026. The standard console price is 11.99 USD/EUR or the equivalent of other currencies.
Outside of a few action platformers over a decade ago, the first thing that will come to mind when people think of Disgaea is that it is an SRPG, or the ever present Prinny mascots. There is a good reason for that since the series has been running non-stop since Laharl and Etna appeared all the way back in 2003 but now Nippon Ichi Software is taking a different swing with Disgaea again. Rather than putting out a new SRPG, this time we have Disgaea Mayhem, a musou-lite style action game that takes some of the franchise’s key elements and boils them down heavily, but is it still worth checking out regardless?
Story
N.A. (Not Applicable) is a mercenary that works for whoever is willing to pay his fees and has fought through countless different Netherworlds in an effort to maintain his lifestyle and when the daughter of one of his former foes, Tichelle, the fresh Overlord of the Netherworld of Super Duper, offers him a job N.A. can’t help but take her up on it, even when it turns out to be an absolutely ridiculous reason. Tichelle explains that Super Duper used to be a Netherworld of only the strongest monsters who killed and ate one another to satisfy themselves until her father, Margraf, introduced the realm to the Pristine Gleam Flan, a dessert so delicious that it managed to quell every demon into peaceful flan loving creatures that worked together in near harmony.
Unfortunately for Tichelle, with her father’s passing the six different factions serving underneath her, each led by a Psychlamate, rebelled and stole a part of the treasured flan at the same time. With Margraf once telling Tichelle that N.A. was his “BFF,” it seemed only fitting to hire him to beat down her rebellious underlings and reclaim the flan they stole, all while Tichelle herself cooks up ways to satisfy the reason they rebelled in the first place.
Disgaea Mayhem is about as ridiculous as they come for a Disgaea storyline, even more than usual though it does have a little bit of emotion near the very end of its surprisingly short story, concluding at roughly six hours if players take their time. The back and forth banter of N.A.’s no-nonsense style of taking on his targets and Tichelle’s bright joyful side constantly clash in humorous and engaging ways, especially after the player defeats one of the main bosses. This always culminates in Tichelle appearing with some masterpiece flan to please her underling and shock N.A. to the core with how skilled she is, even though N.A. refuses to admit to liking sweets of any kind despite being able to analyze every dish down to its smallest ingredient.
It is a bit unfortunate that this style of character engagement is about all there really is to Disgaea Mayhem as there really aren’t any other characters besides these two. The NPCs in the castle will change their dialogue depending on how far players are in the story but that is roughly the only change. Oddly enough, although the player defeats the Psychlamates and they supposedly return to Tichelle’s side, they don’t appear within the castle itself for follow-up dialogue in any way which once again feels like a missed opportunity. In the end, players should expect some absolutely ridiculous framework that helps set the stage for N.A. and Tichelle’s clashing personalities being the biggest highlight of the narrative.
Gameplay
It is important to note that while Disgaea Mayhem may best be described as a “musou-lite” it is also more aptly described as a simple hack and slash game at the same time since there are no actual objectives, bases to capture, or even generals to fight. The only goal players will have in any story mission is to head towards an enemy group and slay 15-20 enemies that will then despawn the rest and spawn another batch elsewhere. This will rinse and repeat until the “boss” enemy spawns and has a little back and forth with N.A. before having a slightly more varied attack pattern and a unique armor setting to allow them to tank hits and still dish out damage. Breaking this armor will leave the bosses in a stagger state and players will want to take advantage of it, especially in the early game before things get broken wide open.
Before we move onto that though, it is worth mentioning that N.A. is a jack-of-all trades fighter that can equip every type of weapon with each weapon having a unique fighting style and set of skills attached to them. Magical rods can be used to cast homing magic attacks at a distance, fists will bring him up close and personal for punches and strikes, and spears allow for a mid-range attack as well as some longer distance options as well. All skills equipped to a weapon are based off of a cooldown system and triggering a skill right when N.A. is about to be hit triggers a “counter” that apparently does more damage but most skills slay general enemies in a single swipe and bosses too after a certain point.
We say this because just like the original Disgaea games, Disgaea Mayhem features the Item World that allows players to delve into an item of their choosing and fight against waves of enemies to strengthen their chosen piece of gear and receive XP as well at the same time. The only problem is, while initial levels may see players needing to replay an old stage to keep their level in line with upcoming foes, once the Item World is unlocked all bets are off. Completely clearing an item world, even on the most basic setting, will skyrocket not only the effects of the item (especially useful with weapons and armor) but also N.A. and his “Battle Buddy’s” level at the same time, pushing them far above any challenge that the game might offer. In fact, it was so rough that the first major Psychlamate was slain with a single skill.
It is worth noting that there are no difficulty options in the game but there is a “cheat shop” players can unlock using the Dark Assembly mechanic. Here, just like always, players will be able to introduce new “bills” such as unlocking the cheat shop, being able to run around the castle, increase the quality of items in the store, and other special effects and modes while either bribing or knocking out assembly members that might vote no on the measure. Should the measure fail, the player can simply destroy every naysayer and force it through anyways. This can then be used to unlock the cheat shop to increase the game’s difficulty ironically rather than make things simpler.
Earlier it was mentioned that N.A. can be accompanied by Battle Buddies. These are various monsters that can be “befriended” after slaying them throughout the levels but obtaining them is entirely random. Players can play through an entire stage worth of levels and not see a single new Battle Buddy and then the next time through unlock three that can be unlocked and join the player at their side. The Battle Buddy AI is rough at best, though it does also depend on which buddy players bring with as Nekomata’s are up-close-and-personal fighters that work well enough and Genjus will summon other wolves to create a small pack of fighters around the player. All Battle Buddies can be equipped with gear just like the player, including broken Item World equipment if players choose. It is also worth noting that every single Battle Buddy has a unique “Magichange” form that transforms them into a separate weapon type with unique skills as well as well as a combined “Super” attack that can deal devastating damage to bosses and random foes alike by expending the entire Magichange at once.
Outside of the standard gameplay mode there is also a mode that doesn’t feature N.A. at all and instead is designed to increase his stats and unlock his Evilities. This is the Chara World board game where the player’s Battle Buddies, led by Tichelle, will take place in an auto-battle system to increase N.A.’s stats depending on their success and even unlock new abilities for him. Sadly that is about it as far as these mechanics go as they lack the depth to take things further, and even taking part in post-game activities is a breeze long before the player reaches them thanks to how players can break the game with insane levels and damage numbers. This has always been the case for late-game Disgaea, but it all just feels too easy here.
Audio & Visuals
Disgaea Mayhem is as vibrantly colorful as one can expect from a game with N.A.’s broody design as a mercenary clashing wonderfully with Tichelle’s angelic appearance despite being an Overlord. Enemy designs are fairly predictable as they are all familiar foes from the franchise but unfortunately there are far too few of them. Instead, players will simply begin encountering palette swapped versions that designate stronger versions of an enemy. Boss designs are at least rather unique though. As for the stages themselves, they are decent enough but also fairly limited because most missions involve only exploring a small gated off section of a level with only a few offering full free exploration. Similarly, the level design in the Item World is as generic as they come, offering only the most basic of platforms to battle on in the middle of a void.
One thing that is rather nice is the way that super attacks from Magichanged Battle Buddies look as they are both humorous and extremely powerful depending on who N.A. has with them. As for the game’s voice work, NIS America has offered both their own original English voice track that works great for the game’s characters as well as the original Japanese dub for those who prefer it. The soundtrack consists of some standard battlefield background music that rarely stands out except for a couple of tracks that play at the Castle that feel more like a Disgaea game.
Overall
Disgaea Mayhem is a rather strange choice for Nippon Ichi to make with the main franchise. It delivers all of the same charm and humor that fans have come to expect from it as well as most of the signature enemies, but lacks the depth and challenge at the same time. With limited enemy variety and the ability to easily break the game’s balance, the title feels watered down in almost every regard to the point that its funny flan focused story will struggle to hold afloat. Thankfully, at least the combat mechanics are all satisfying with enough variety to mix things up if players want to and tweaking the difficulty in the cheat menu can crank up the challenge should players choose.
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Hold onto your butts, because multiversal multiplayer roguelite Serious Sam: Shatterverse is charging onto PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5 on August 31! Want a taste of the action now? Join the open Playtest on Steam.
Developed by Behaviour Interactive, the creators of Dead By Daylight, this fresh take on boomer shooter classic Serious Sam brings oh-so-modern cooperative and roguelite elements to the series’ trademark over-the-top FPS action.
Series villain Mental’s maniacal machinations have fractured the walls between universes, and now Sams from multiple dimensions must learn to work together to repair the Shatterverse. You’ll travel across shifting universes to finish battles other Sams couldn’t, fighting alongside alternate versions of yourself to defeat the big bad’s five nefarious lieutenants.
FEATURES
Wield a big, loud, stupid, and frankly irresponsible arsenal of weapons, mixing classic Serious Sam guns and all-new toys plucked from the Shatterverse
High adrenaline run-and-gun FPS combat with big battlefields, non-stop pressure, a lot of backpedaling, and perfectly timed one-liners when everything’s on fire
Leans into Serious Sam’s legacy and pushes it forward with procedurally shifted runs across hand-crafted arenas set in previously unexplored worlds
Navigate unstable anomalies, hidden portals, and high-risk opportunities that can supercharge a run – or end it instantly
Push forward for greater rewards, unlock powerful modifiers, and take advantage of upgrades that permanently expand your possibilities
Face off against massive hordes of enemies including classic Serious Sam foes and fresh monsters under Mental’s control, all begging to be gibbed
You can experience this radical new take on the Serious Sam series when the game launches on August 31 for PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5.
