Slay monsters. Harvest ingredients. Build the dungeon’s most delicious food empire. Chef Knight launches June 1st, 2026 on Steam.
[May 11th, 2026]: Clover Bite, the indie incubator celebrated for the critically acclaimed Metroidvania series GRIME (Metacritic: 81), has announced that their next game, Chef Knight, will launch on Steam on June 1st, 2026. A cozy fantasy incremental game with a hand-drawn aesthetic, Chef Knight invites players to dive into dungeons, slay delicious monsters, cook their remains into gourmet meals, and sell their dishes to fund the next foray into the dark.
In Chef Knight, every monster is a menu item waiting to happen. Players explore top-down dungeons filled with creatures both deadly and delectable – dodging traps, aiming attacks, and unlocking powerful culinary weapons as they push deeper into increasingly dangerous depths. Back in the kitchen, the spoils of combat become the raw ingredients for an ever-expanding cookbook of monster cuisine, from humble broths to highly sought-after delicacies. Sell the results to hungry goblin customers and reinvest the profits into a vast skill tree that improves how fast you fight, how efficiently you cook, and how far you can push each run.
Chef Knight is the latest release from Clover Bite, which operates as part of the Tiltan School of Design and Visual Communication, publishing games made by teams of students. The game has previously attracted attention from content creators, with coverage from Idle Cub, Nerfed Reflexes, and Sifd, and is currently available to wishlist on Steam ahead of its June 1st release.
Key features of Chef Knight include:
Cook What You Kill. Every monster in the dungeon is a potential ingredient. Slay enemies, collect their remains, and transform your haul into an ever-expanding menu of monster-themed meals, from simple broths to exquisite delicacies.
Deep Dungeon Combat. Explore top-down dungeons filled with deadly and delicious monsters. Aim your attacks, dodge dangerous traps, and unlock powerful culinary weapons to handle the darkest depths of the dungeon.
A Kitchen Full of Secrets. Discover new ingredients, unlock recipes, and watch your monstrous menu grow from humble meals into highly sought-after delicacies as you master the art of dungeon gastronomy.
Vast Skill Tree Progression. Sell your dishes and reinvest the profits into a sprawling skill tree. Improve your combat speed, cooking efficiency, and dungeon endurance to push further with every run.
Hand-Drawn Cozy Aesthetic. A charming, hand-drawn art style brings the dungeons, kitchens, and critters of Chef Knight to life, a world that is warm and inviting even when the monsters are trying to kill you.
Chef Knight launches on Steam on June 1st, 2026. A free demo is available now. Players can wishlist the game on Steam and follow Clover Bite on Discord.
About Clover Bite
Clover Bite is an independent game publisher and part of Tiltan School of Design and Visual Communication based in Haifa, Israel, most known for the critically acclaimed Metroidvania series GRIME and GRIME II. With a passion for deeply crafted worlds and inventive mechanics, Clover Bite publishes games made by teams of students aiming to push the boundaries of what independent games can achieve.
About Chef Knight
Chef Knight is a cozy fantasy incremental game in which players slay dungeon monsters, cook them into delicious meals, and build a thriving food business. Featuring top-down dungeon combat, deep kitchen progression, and a charming hand-drawn art style, Chef Knight launches on Steam on June 1st, 2026.
Lo-fi vibing, (un)dead plants, and a deliberate slow-paced design await aspiring supernatural gardeners in Greenhearth Necromancer- Out Now!
[Canada] May 11, 2026 – In a world of breakneck pacing, it’s time for a break: Silverstring Media and indie.io proudly announce that Greenhearth Necromancer, a cozy semi-idle gardening sim, is now available on Steam! In place of countdown tickers and anxiety mechanics, it offers cozy, laid-back gameplay where there is truly no rush. Just an inherited garden, deliberate pace, and plenty of plants to keep alive or undead as the hours tick by — accompanied by a phenomenal lo-fi soundtrack and a heartwarming story to enjoy at the player’s pace.
Players are Echo, a freshly graduated non-binary necromancer who moves into their late grandmother’s apartment at the Greenhearth co-op. While she was a green thumb and a pillar of the community, Echo is the opposite: an adept of black arts and a new arrival just finding their place in the community. As it turns out, both are an asset: animating the dead works just as well on plants as on animals, while the blank slate they start with allows them to define their relationships at the Greenhearth Community however they see fit.
Each of the dozens of plant species comes with its own preferences for sun exposure and temperature, and requires different amounts of water and fertilizer to keep happy — regardless of whether it’s alive or revived. Additional wrinkles in gameplay are provided by the occasional pest and fungus invasion, which may be kept at bay with potions brewed in Echo’s cauldron or magical charms obtained throughout the game.
There is no pressure or time limits. Plants are patient and will grow as they wait for the next visit , allowing players to pop in and check on their garden every now and then to catch a break as they keep it running in the background to let the lofi soundtrack provide good vibes for their daily routine.
The people Echo encounters at Greenhearth form the other side of gameplay. Encounters penned by Lindsay Ishihiro(I Was a Teenage Exocolonist) explore Echo’s life after moving in: their interactions with neighbors, memories of school or their grandmother… Each vignette offers a peek into their inner life and explores themes of community, grief, adulthood, and the cycle of life — all explored at the players’ pace when they want.
This respect for the players’ time is built into the game’s core design. Instead of ticking timers and anxiously collecting rewards, players are instead encouraged to step away and enjoy the ambience with the game running in the background. Checking in allows them to water their plants and add fertilizer — but whenever the player clicks away, plants heal quicker, and the game draws new encounter cards at a faster pace, encouraging treating it not as a job, but as a welcome break in the daily routine. And if a plant dies? That’s OK, Echo has their revivify spell always on hand, bringing the plant back to undeath.
“Coming at a particular time in our lives, and after the onset of the pandemic, the themes of trying to grow a little, manageable balcony garden while dealing with the death of someone close to you really resonate with the whole team,” says Lucas J.W. Johnson, Studio Director of Silverstring Media. “Echo is an introvert with limited social battery, set out into a world that demands extracting value from your skills, but with skills many distrust. Community, queerness, housing, capitalism, and especially death and grief are major themes we explore throughout the narrative. And who hasn’t accidentally killed a plant and wished you could have a do-over?”
Ready for some supernatural gardening? Greenhearth Necromancer is now available on Steam for USD $10.99, with a limited time 20% launch discount, and can be found on the indie.io store.
ABOUT SILVERSTRING MEDIA
Silverstring Media is a queer-led videogame and narrative design studio, focusing on creating games and providing sophisticated storytelling services. With leadership based in Vancouver and a team of diverse talents across Canada, each of their developers brings a unique voice and multiple valued perspectives to the development process focusing on pushing the boundaries of digital media, narratives, and architectural experiences, experimenting with form and content with a goal to bring diversity and hope to the stories they tell.
ABOUT INDIE.IO
indie.io is home to over 100 of the world’s best independent video games and developers. Our platform was built to provide independent developers with the resources, services, and management tools needed for success. Through collaboration and passion, we strive to cultivate a diverse and vibrant gaming landscape that resonates with players and creators alike!
When it comes to crafting a cinematic horror game that gives players real consequences for their choices, no team has delivered better over the years than Supermassive Games. With their breakout hit Until Dawn back in 2015 with Sony, the company went on to create a mixed-bag of games making up The Dark Pictures Anthology under Bandai Namco with House of Ashes proving to be their biggest highlight and Little Hope their lowlight. Over this time they were even tapped by 2K to develop The Quarry which helped expand their usual formula and even Dead by Daylight‘s Behaviour Interactive with The Casting of Frank Stone, that once again saw new tools added to the team’s playbook.
Now, after taking a four year break since their last game in the anthology and dropping the namesake from the title, despite still being part of the anthology, the developers are back with Directive 8020 entirely on their own and looking to deliver something far different than what fans have come to expect.
Story
Players can come into Directive 8020 as their first game, though returning players will likely be caught off guard by more than a few things eventually. That being said, Directive 8020 is set roughly forty years into the future and Earth is in such a dire strait that humanity is searching for a new home among the stars and seemingly located one in the form of Tau Ceti f, a planet twelve light years away and just prime for terra-forming. With this being humanity’s only hope, despite a rival company stating resources would better be used to revive Earth, the crew of the Cassiopea sets off into space with the majority of its crew entering hypersleep and only two “wake technicians” set to monitor the ship’s progress and the slumbering crew alongside the ship’s advanced AI, Oracle.
With the Cassiopea serving as the scouting ship leading the way and the Andromeda landing crew following a few weeks behind, the mission is simple, wake up the flight crew when approaching the planet, establish orbat around Tau Ceti f, and wait for the following ship to arrive to make the next big steps for mankind on an alien planet. Or at least that’s how things should have been. Not long before the scheduled wake-up time for the rest of the flight crew, a meteorite strikes and pierces through multiple hulls of the Cassiopea, forcing the sleep technicians Simms and Carter to investigate and repair the breech themselves after the AI is thrown into an error and locks down most of the ship to prevent further malfunction. After arriving at the breech and doing some spacewalking, the pair manage to (possibly) avoid disaster before returning in and starting repairs, or at least they would until Simms suddenly goes into a murderous rage and chases Carter down.
With the Wake Technicians now missing, the Oracle wakes the rest of the flight crew upon approaching the planet including Nolan Stafford, the ship’s stoic and hardened commander, Noah Mitchell, a brash but experienced pilot, and Brianna Young, a highly skilled pilot with a pedigree to back it up. Knowing that something is wrong but unable to investigate due to their narrow window for orbit closing, the group does what it can to try and nail their orbiting window only for catastrophic control failures to break out at a pivotal moment, forcing the ship to do the one thing it wasn’t meant to do, crash land on the planet and take everyone with it. Now, with the rest of the crew awoken by the crash and soon discovering the gruesome remains of Carter, it soon becomes clear that landing on this planet might not be the worst of their problems, as a murderer is among them and worst of all, it isn’t even human.
Directive 8020 is an incredibly interesting beast thanks to the way that Supermassive Games has handled the story this time. Through the eight total episodes that make up the game, players will swap between the five total playable characters, with some of the characters never actually being playable but their fates still depending on the player’s actions. Throughout these episodes players will spend most of their time exploring and discovering little secrets or tidbits of information that slowly build together a picture that something odd is already happening on the ship long before meteorite impact, let alone the events following it. In fact, what the story evolves into past the first contact with the hostile threat turns into a unique blend of sci-fi horror that takes samples out of some of the most classic horror films to date, and while we’ll avoid naming them to spoil the potential threat, it is weaved into the story exceptionally well.
This is partially thanks to the fact that while the threat itself often appears in monstrous forms that are twisted beyond recognition, with half-grown appendages or faces sticking out of their sides while a giant mouth full of twisted teeth are eager to feast on the player character, there are just as many moments that a threat will be walking around like nothing is wrong. In fact there are key moments players can poke and prod with information to realize that something is wrong, even if they cannot directly act on it in the moment. Never knowing if the character the player is standing next to is someone they can trust, or the same person they even entered a room with, creates a unique choice dynamic in some truly dire situations that arise.
One thing that does hinder Directive 8020’s story is the fact that, until the last few chapters, the game isn’t necessarily scary. Then the fright meter is dialed up to maximum in these moments especially as the truth is revealed. Prior to this however players are left mostly wandering around and exploring with only a few flash-forwards in time showing just how dangerous things will eventually become, giving players a sample while also dictating character’s fates all at once as they eventually converge at the later chapter. It also doesn’t help that the usual dread of failing a “hiding sequence” or a “heartbeat” event is gone. Instead the game features an entirely different stealth mechanic that we will discuss momentarily and even this has an option to dodge around a failed stealth attempt.
Another element that returns in Directive 8020 is Little Hope’s focus on personality mechanics. Throughout the game players will make dialogue choices both in conversation and in the game’s “message system” that is also a new feature that allows characters to talk with one another through online communication. An element that also comes into play with regards to certain… horror features later. Depending on how players respond they will shift a character’s three primary “stats” around with two determining a certain “locked in” destiny and personality trait. While some of these are smaller in scale and don’t have much repercussion, others can play a pivotal role in how characters automatically react in a given situation.
Directive 8020 keeps players guessing as to what the real threat may be and what the fate of the crew could possibly be and offers so many branching paths and outcomes that it is rather surprising, using its slow build to unveil secrets and potential nods to danger only to be red herrings, or are they? In fact, the sheer amount of deaths and choice variation is probably the most the game has ever had given what is shown through the menu screens, and this is for good reason. Not only are there areas where a complete catastrophe can break out, but also plenty of moments where savior moments can pull everyone out of the fire and aim for safety. Thus the title delivers a satisfyingly tense horror experience that takes just a bit too long to build up steam but once it does it fires on all cylinders while keeping players guessing at just how many conspiracies are afoot and the many different kinds of horror that can exist in one story.
Gameplay
Usually when it comes to a Supermassive Game players believe they will be in for a series of cut-scenes and dialogue choices broken up with exploration segments where they can find various collectables here and there, followed by danger and quick time events. This is mostly still true but Directive 8020 expands upon most of these features greatly. First and foremost, as players make dialogue choices they will not be shown a “heart” or “brain” gauge like past entries, players will instead need to make choices based on their own thoughts, these dialogue choices dictating a character’s personality and “destiny” that will be locked to a certain trait.
Similarly during exploration a lot of new elements have been added. Most of the time every character will have a “utility strap” attached to their wrist that can be used as a scanner as well as interact with various electronic systems in a location. The scanner not only works as a way to adjust electrical signals to open doors or undo lockdowns, it also highlights any living organism in an area, meaning both crewmates and hostiles are shown as silhouettes when scanned, making it essential for the new stealth sequence. As previously mentioned, “hold your breath/don’t move” segments have been removed entirely in favor of a stealth system that actively puts the player in danger from enemies that are roaming around an area.
In these locations players will need to use cover to sneak around and avoid being seen by an enemy, or straight up run away from them when they get an opening towards an exit, all while avoiding using their flashlight or standing up to give away their position. In these moments players can often find hackable monitors to trigger distractions to lure an enemy away and create an opening but generally players will need to rely on keeping an eye on their patrol patterns and sneaking through. Ironically, these sneaking segments tend to be a bit too easy and kind of on the slow side, especially since many of them drag on far longer than they feel like they should. It is only near the end of the game that some teleporting style enemies appear that things grow more dangerous, especially since getting caught can result in a death.
Or perhaps not, as Directive 8020 does give players an option to avoid instant-death upon being caught but the risk is still there. Eventually every character will be given a wedge tool that is meant to override door lockdowns using a simple mini-game but this wedge-tool is also basically a powerful mace combined with a cattle-prod that can be used to stun and escape a foe if players nail the QTE correctly. The wedge-tool does have a cooldown upon use, though players can adjust the cooldown timer to fit their playstyle if they see fit. In fact, there are a lot of elements players can adjust to fit the game to their style, making Directive 8020 ironically one of the most approachable horror games yet.
While the title still offers previous accessibility options such as holding rather than button mashing to complete certain prompts, limiting prompts to one button only, and even giving warnings about important incoming QTEs, players can now adjust other features as well. This includes adding on-screen indicators of where enemies are located, though this can glitch a bit and show enemy directions when looking through camera systems or even during a cutscene, and the aforementioned cooldown timer to parry a grab. Of course, there are still plenty of ways to die in Directive 8020 and many of them come down to either failing a quick time event or making the wrong series of choices and getting one or two characters killed as a result.
Though remembering what players have already done in the past can be key to staying alive here, as some play a pivotal role in certain life or death choices. Earlier it was mentioned that the game has a messaging system and this is also done through the utility strap. Here every character can occasionally send messages to other characters, talking about what is happening and getting questions all the same. Sometimes these questions can be quite informative, especially with how players should react accordingly to what they find out.
Another returning element from a previous game, but one not attached to The Dark Pictures Anthology but instead The Casting of Frank Stone is the ability to “rewind.” Called “Turning Points” this time around, players can rewind to literally any point in the story and either explore a location to find collectables they may have missed or reload a sequence that saw a character die early and play on from there, seeing how fate might have unfolded differently with everyone alive. Or perhaps killing someone on purpose to see how things can change without them. Explorer Mode turns this feature on right from the get-go, giving players the option to automatically be able to rewind if they stumble into a deadly choice or failed quick time event while Survivor Mode is the classic experience. This sees players living and dying by their choices and only unlocking the ability to rewind upon completing the game, though given that there is a very special secret hidden away behind solving a lengthy puzzle that can only be accessed through rewinding, it is certainly worth it. Though sadly, the long requested feature of being able to skip previously seen dialogue or events is still not available, meaning players will need to play through entire segments again if they wish to see someone’s fate change fully.
Audio & Visuals
One thing that was always impressive about Supermassive’s games even back with their original Until Dawn release was how expressive and impressive the character models and faces appear and over time we’ve seen this develop through every horror game the company has worked on. Now, after taking two years to bring Directive 8020 to fans after Frank Stone it is clear that the company has overhauled their graphics engine as it is easily one of their best looking games to date with the most lifelike looking characters possible, especially since the title does feature a signature actress as one of the primary leads as well as other actors. As a result the expressions characters make while talking are quite impressive and it also results in some of the most brutal looking deaths that players can stumble into if they aren’t careful. It also helps create some wonderfully twisted monster and environmental designs, especially in the latter half of the game when everything goes to hell.
The voice work throughout Directive 8020 is handled exceptionally well as all of the actors whose appearances have been used for their characters voice them as well. This means that the voice work not only matches the mouth flaps perfectly but the voice work is completely believable, whether someone is acting horrified, stern, or incredibly creepy. As for the soundtrack the title features a decent collection of standard background music throughout the game and surprisingly includes unique songs for every chapter’s ending screen.
Overall
Directive 8020 is not just Supermassive Games’ first step into space, it’s also their first step into trying to create a cinematic horror game that is more than just a series of walking cutscenes and QTEs. By reducing the potential failure states of mini-games and including stealth sections the title places more agency on the player, even if the stealth itself is rather basic and a bit too easy, especially since players always have at least one “escape card” per sequence. Thankfully the storyline it has to tell is one that builds up a quiet dread that something isn’t right, not just with the horrific thing that has crashed into the Cassiopea, but perhaps the entire mission itself. This keeps players guessing as to what truly is going on, layering on the mystery and dread until it all explodes, just like the character’s might if players aren’t careful in what turns out to be close to one of Supermassive’s best Dark Picture games yet.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
London, May 11, 2026 – Magical Something and Tiny Dragon Games announced today that the demo for their upcoming game, IKARUS, is now available on Steam and Itch.io.
IKARUS fuses the lightning-fast, skill-based chaos of classic arcade shoot ’em ups with the deep strategy of a rogue-like deck-builder.
The game casts the player as a lone, ancient guardian, flying to the rescue of the Sun-Goddess, Amaterasu, fighting through hordes of hostile machines in an unforgiving robotic world, as the clock ticks to Armageddon. Battle through multiple levels, each with themed waves of unique robot enemies, mini-bosses, and titanic final bosses.
Each run starts with the player picking one of three Archetypes, each combining two card colours and weapon-types for unique playstyles. They can then combine cards and augments from their chosen Archetype into powerful synergies. For example, a player can spawn the Butterfly.exe construct, which fires missiles every time you draw a card, and then use cards like Pyre and Flash of Genius to churn through their deck, unleashing a continuous and deadly swarm of homing missiles.
Every battle is a two-phase dance of strategy and execution. Before each wave, the player crafts an attack plan by queuing cards in the perfect sequence. Then, the battle begins, and the player’s skills and strategy are tested as they dodge, parry, shoot, and unleash powerful combos at the perfect moment. In true roguelike fashion, players can add new cards and upgrades over their run – and even sacrifice their cards to gain powerful weapon upgrades – offering plenty of ways to craft game-breaking synergies.
Every run makes the player stronger. Persistent Progression means you earn experience to level up and permanently expand your arsenal for all future flights, turning failed runs into future victories by unlocking new cards, upgrades, and player skills.
The demo features the first level of IKARUS. The full game, coming this Summer, will feature two additional levels, each with a unique roster of enemies, mini-bosses and formidable level boss, leading to an epic final showdown, as well as high-skill challenges, and an expanded arsenal, with new cards, augments and skills. The full game will also introduce even more replayability, with a difficulty-scaling Ascension system and Endless Mode
Founded in 2024, Tiny Dragon Games is an independent video games publisher and marketing consultancy firm gathering experienced professionals passionate about helping great games find their audience. For more information about Tiny Dragon Games, please visit the official website at www.tinydragongames.com
Brno, Czech Republic / Vienna, Austria, May 11, 2026: The sound of a medieval city is impossible to ignore: the constant hum of shouting merchants, ringing hammers, marching guards, and the quiet whispers of those working in the shadows. It’s the sound of opportunity, of risk, of a future being shaped in real time. These cities are more than just places on a map. They are the driving force of progress, where medieval tycoons make their fortunes, claim power, and start their legacies.
In the latest developer diary for The Guild – Europa 1410, the focus shifts to the four playable cities themselves and what makes them special. Inspired by their 15th-century counterparts, each city is shaped by distinct districts with their own character, risks, and rewards. Set up shop near a marketplace for easy profits, or take your chances beyond the city walls – just don’t act surprised if things get… stabby.
And trouble has a way of spreading. Cities evolve over time, influenced by player actions and political decisions. Districts can prosper or fall into decline, crime can rise, reputations can shift, and every choice leaves a lasting impact on the people living there.
This adds a new layer of strategy to The Guild – Europa 1410. Invest in infrastructure, enforce order, or take advantage of chaos to further your own ambitions. Shape a district into a respectable hub of commerce or turn it into exactly the kind of place your competitors would rather avoid.
Because you’re not the only one chasing power. Rivals, families, and opportunists are all working to tip the scales in their favor. Sometimes openly, sometimes from the shadows.
Award-winning writer shares insights on storytelling, characters and hope in new dev video ahead of May 26th release
Leicester, UK – 11th May 2026. Megapop, the studio behind the upcoming underwater city builder Life Below, has released a new behind-the-scenes video offering a closer look at the game’s narrative design ahead of itsMay 26th release.
The new dev video centres on award-winning writer, hobby diver, and aquarium aficionado Rhianna Pratchett (Tomb Raider, Mirror’s Edge, Heavenly Sword), who dives into how Life Below approaches environmental storytelling without heavy-handed messaging.
“When it comes to human made disasters, it’s very subtle,” says Pratchett. “The characters don’t talk about the ‘surface dwellers’, but they might talk about the strange debris floating above them and how it’s causing problems in the reef. You’re being put into the perspective of someone that’s having to deal with the consequences of it, rather than finger-wagging the naughty humans.”
Alongside its environmental themes, the video explores the game’s character-driven storytelling. Pratchett highlights the importance of relationships between Pontus, the begrudging mentor and the player’s character, Thalassa.
“I wanted Thalassa to have someone to talk to that was on the same level with her,” Pratchett explains. “Not like her boss, but a colleague, to have a growing relationship with in a way that she’s not going to do with Gaia, her boss.”
Blending narrative depth with systemic gameplay, Life Below delivers a fresh and distinctive take on the city-building genre. Developed in collaboration with marine biologists, players are tasked with cultivating coral reefs, attracting diverse wildlife, and maintaining delicate ecosystems in an ever-changing ocean environment. However, hope is a theme that runs throughout the narrative.
“It’s about nurturing, for both the reef and the characters,” says Pratchett. “Even those who feel like their time has passed can still make a difference. There’s always a way forward, always something you can do to help or change your circumstances. That felt like a powerful message to explore.”
This latest installment is just one of a series of behind-the-scenes dev videos that have already covered subjects such as how the sounds and music of Life Below were made and howLife Below combines science with fun, all of which can be found on the Kasedo Games channel.
Kasedo Games work closely together with enthusiastic & talented indie developers from around the world to publish ‘Triple I’ titles that players will love.
Through our vast knowledge of producing, PR, marketing and distribution, we always strive for quality games made by quality indie teams and we understand that every game and every studio has different requirements. The support, creative freedom and platform we provide means we can make great games happen without forgetting their roots.
Titles under the Kasedo label include: ‘IXION, ‘Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus I & II’, ‘City of Gangsters’, ‘Filament’, ‘Rise of Industry 1 & 2’, ‘Project Highrise’ and ‘Crowntakers’. www.kasedogames.com
ABOUT MEGAPOP
Megapop is an independent game studio based in Oslo, Norway, and a proud member of Oslo Game Hub. We create premium strategy games for PC and console, built on originality, depth, and the science of fun. With a legacy of globally featured and top-ranking games, we bring a deep current of experience into every new project. We’re currently developing Life Below, a genre-bending city-builder where you shape the fate of a coral reef from nature’s point of view—a true reef builder.
TOKYO – May 10, 2026 –PLAYISM, the oldest indie publisher in Japan, best known for favorites like Bright Memory: Infinite, The Exit 8, and Rusted Moss, announced eleven updates across its esteemed catalog during this weekend’s PLAYISM Game Show.
No Case Should Remain Unsolved, a text-based mystery adventure developed by Somi, where detectives merge memory fragments like puzzle pieces, coming to PlayStation 5 in Q3 2026
A Passing in the Night, the atmospheric psychological horror adventure developed by .iris, haunts PC via Steam in 2026
DevilConnection, the devilishly cheeky adventure developed by ChaoGames, summons new adventures on Nintendo Switch in 2026
The Dream Of A Cockspur, developer roccay’s Lovecraftian point-and-click horror survival adventure, will witness otherworldly phenomena on PC via Steam in Q3 2026
Idol Manager: Virtual Venture, a sequel to the pop star management sim Idol Managerdeveloped by Glitch Pitch, molds the next generation of world-renowned artists on PC via Steam in 2027
Commemorate PLAYISM’s 15th anniversary with the PLAYISM Publisher sale starting today. Enjoy discounts on PLAYISM’s greatest hits, including 20% off of Crimson Dusk’s bullet hell fighter Homura Hime, 30% off of developer Heaviside Creations’ immersive typing adventure Dyping Escape, and many others.
No Case Should Remain Unsolved arrives on PlayStation 5 in Q32026 with language options in English, Japanese, Korean, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Russian, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese (Brazilian), and Indonesian. For more information, visit the official website.
The Dream Of A Cockspur arrives on PC via Steam in Q3 2026 with language options in English, Japanese, and Chinese (Simplified and Traditional). For more information, visit the official website.
About PLAYISM
Japan’s oldest indie publisher, PLAYISM is known in the West for supporting popular indie games such as the Momodora series, the Bright Memory series, The Exit 8, the La-Mulana series, Refind Self, Ib, Mad Father, LiEat, The Silver Case, Fight Crab, Samurai Bringer, DEEEER Simulator, Gnosia, Idol Manager, among other titles.
PLAYISM’s motto is “Bringing a Different Breed of Indie Game to the World”.
A Complete Overhaul of Player Progression Puts Creativity and Control Directly in Players’ Hands
Walnut Creek, California — May 5, 2026 |Maximum Entertainment today released a major update to online mode Maximum Pro League (MPL), making the update the most ambitious evolution yet for Maximum Football. Available alongside Season Pass 6, this major update to online multiplayer fundamentally transforms how players build, customize, and dominate on the field, shifting the focus from chance-based systems to full player-driven progression.
For more details on today’s Maximum Pro League update, watch Maximum Football’s latest community update video:
From its inception, Maximum Football has centered on giving players the tools to build their own football universe. With this update, that vision reaches a new level.
From Chance to Control: A New Era of Team Building
In previous iterations, building a competitive roster often relied on luck. The MPL update eliminates that dependency, introducing a system where players actively shape their athletes’ identities and performance.
Instead of relying on pre-defined archetypes, every player card now serves as a customizable foundation, allowing users to develop athletes that fit their exact playstyle, whether starting from a Rookie or a Generational talent.
Higher rarity cards unlock:
Increased stat floors
Expanded badge slots
Greater customization potential
To support this new system, all players will begin with a fresh roster. However, existing players who financially invested in MPL 1.0 will receive packs of new cards to accelerate their transition.
Introducing Badges
Badges represent the core of MPL’s new customization system, enabling players to define how their athletes perform on the field. Found in packs and attachable to player cards, Badges provide targeted stat boosts and unlock unique playstyles. This system allows for the creation of highly specialized builds, from ultra-fast running backs to dominant defensive anchors.
Note on Last Gen Hardware:
While last-gen hardware players will still have access to Exhibition, Gridiron, Team Customization, Dynasty, Franchise and the Store, support for the other modes on Xbox One X and PlayStation 4 will be sunset in order to improve the on-field performance for the majority of players. Accordingly, online matchmaking for Exhibition matches will now be limited to players on the same console to avoid technical conflicts with newer versions of the game.
Season Pass 6 is Now Available
With the overhaul to MPL also comes Season Pass 6. The Out of Bounds pass takes players to where they’ve never gone before.
The update reinforces the game’s commitment to community-driven evolution while empowering players to fully control their progression.
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.
When it comes to creating a fighting game, there are plenty of different franchises to pull from and most of them have been tapped in one way or another already. The anime fighting scene is full of arena brawlers and some key 2D fighters while more realistic 3D fighting games remain as strong as ever, going off of their legacy to push forward even through missteps. That means that sometimes it’s time to dig a little for a new franchise to bring out to the fighting game stage and what better game than another super hero series that is about as brutal as they come and incredibly popular right now, Invincible. Assembled partially by ex-members of the Killer Instinct reboot, Quarter Up has brought out Invincible VS with the help of Skybound Games, but the question is, does all this blood and action translate to a satisfying fighting game?
Story
Invincible VS does very little to actually introduce anything related to the plot of the story, let alone who the characters are or their relationships with one another. There is a brief tutorial for the game’s mechanics but that’s it, otherwise the game offers a very straightforward set of story modes, the signature story mode that is an original one set within the universe of Invincible and written by the author of the comics Robert Kirkman, and the arcade mode that provides a unique ending for the “lead” character of the player’s team of three fighters.
The story mode drops players right into the action as Mark, Invincible, is getting beaten to a pulp by his father Nolan as well as Lucen and Thula, all wearing their Viltrumite uniforms in a strange set-up unlike anything that fans of the series will recognize despite it appearing to mimic the first battle between father and son. Things quickly start to spiral out of control as more oddities start happening around them as even though Atom Eve and Rex Splode show up to help Mark, the fighting shifts to an entirely different set of heroes battling against each other for completely unknown reasons, their appearances shifting on the fly as Mark struggles to find out what exactly is going on.
The story mode throughout Invincible VS is rather interesting in its own right and will keep players guessing a bit when it comes to the few twists that are unveiled. It also helps that it never has to come up with an excuse as to why these friends might be beating the ever loving hell out of one another for no reason. Unfortunately there are two major issues with the story mode of the game and they are impossible to ignore. While they do introduce a foe that is included in the comic books, the story mode itself ends on a cliffhanger right when it feels like things might finally start kicking off, either leaving players hoping for an eventual DLC expansion or just a cold end for no reason. Secondly, the entire story mode can be completed in a little over an hour, making it the shortest single player story in a fighting game that actually offered a story mode in recent years.
Thankfully the arcade mode, which takes place as “towers” players will fight through with their team at increasing difficulty of their choosing, does provide a bit of extra story. The first fighter players selected for their team will have their arcade ending unlocked upon winning the final battle and receive a minute or two long extra cutscene that will range from decent to completely lackluster depending on the fighter. Selecting Ella Mental, the only brand new original character in the roster who does get some central focus in the story mode, has a lackluster arcade ending that does little to explain who she is, her abilities, or anything else. It is worth noting that every character does have unique starting and ending battle dialogue depending on who they are facing, giving some characters a bit of extra detail, but there was room for quite a bit more here.
Gameplay
Invincible VS offers a 3 on 3 tag fighting format that is both surprisingly simple at the foreront but quite in-depth when it comes to “mindgames” regarding the game’s mechanics. Rather than dealing with quarter circles or rotations to perform special moves or techniques, every attack is mapped to a single face button with a light attack, medium attack, and heavy attack. Holding back, forward, down, or up can change these attacks but don’t require the complex inputs that some fighting games require. Then there is the “special” attack button that is also modified depending on the direction. Players can also call in their partner for a support attack, press and hold the assist button to tag out, and to add a bit of extra movement there is a dash button and a “boost” button that spends one of three yellow meters to super charge a special attack to deal extra damage, add armor to the attack, or modify it in another way.
This is what we mean by tip of the iceberg here as the game sounds simple, and even features an automatic combo chain of players being able to perform a string of light attacks that even finish with a single line of super meter finish to close out the combo, but has far more depth beneath this surface, especially with how players manage their meter and tag partners. Every fighter in a match will have their own health bar and when they receive damage, some of it will remain purple and this purple section can “heal” while the fighter is tagged out. This means that players who play aggressively while trying to manage their team’s health will work out for the best, especially when it comes to taking part in active tags to trigger follow-up combos that allow players to start with one fighter and finish with another, dealing some punishing damage to foes.
On the other hand, if players can time a certain block correctly, they can nullify the tag entirely and remove any purple health that character had. Of course catching someone in a tag is easier than it sounds so it does create a bit of mind games all while trying to stay alive and fight. Here players can use some defensive options such as an Assist Breaker at the expense of meter to break up an enemy attack combo or even expend further meter to perform a Heroic Strike to turn a well timed block into offense.
Of course, players can also utilize their super meter, shown at the bottom of the screen, for a variety of effects as well. The primary use is to perform a super attack that deals plenty of damage to enemies for a single charge or, at the price of three charges, trigger a character’s ultimate and dish out the pain. Though it has a few other uses as well as some of this meter can be spent to “knockback” an enemy and force them to tag out with one of their other fighters, potentially forcing a foe to use a character they’d rather have healing back into the fray. All of these mechanics add plenty of depth and a lot to master beneath what is a surprisingly simple looking control scheme at first glance.
With eighteen characters at launch there is quite a lot of variety on offer and there does seem to be some balance issues here and there, though whether this is simply a “skill issue” or not is unknown. Even for those unfamiliar with the franchise the game does explain what a character’s general playstyle is, like if they are a rushdown fighter, a technical ranged fighter, grappler, and so on. It does seem that many players online tend to lean towards at least including one character specifically in their team.
Thankfully the game’s online net-code, featuring both crossplay and rollback, is exceptional even if the online mode is just as barebones as the single player, which offers only local versus, CPU versus, and the aforementioned Story and Arcade modes alongside Training mode. There are a lot of unlockables but they tend to revolve around concept art and palette swaps of character costumes. The online mode offers only ranked, casual, and lobby matches. At the moment though there is a very significant issue with “rage-quiters” that the game does not apparently punish for any reason. This means that if players manage to eliminate one of their opponents fighters they’ll tend to quit out immediately and both players will receive a loss as a result, something that will hopefully be fixed in the future.
Audio & Visuals
One thing that Invincible VS excels at is providing great looking character models that feel like they are a perfect blend of comic-book styling and the animated series that fans have come to love. The cut-scenes are presented well, though turning on subtitles does not include subtitles in cutscenes oddly enough, but the real details shine during fights. As players fight with their team they will find that every character will start to appear bloody or beaten up depending on how much damage they are dealing or dealt. Even a full-health character can have bloodied hands from beating down an opponent. Similarly, uniforms and costumes will tear apart and shred as characters get close to being eliminated.
There is plenty of blood to spray around and “Overkills” as well but players shouldn’t expect the same level of gruesome finishers as other fighting games. Most overkills are done by hitting a heavy attack or super attack on an enemy and will either decapitate a foe, split their limbs off, or in the case of being hit with an ultimate, blow them into identical looking chunks. Some characters have special unique animations to go with finishing an enemy off in this manner while others do not, making for some inconsistent development between the eighteen character roster.
The voice work throughout the game is top-notch and it helps that most of the original voice actors are reprising their roles from the animated series here in the fighting game. As mentioned before, everything in the storyline is voiced and characters have unique callouts to every other character in the game so this is definitely a nice touch. As for the background music the game sports a fitting soundtrack for a fighting game but doesn’t really go above and beyond, though players can unlock songs to listen to on their own as they raise their player level.
Overall
Invincible VS delivers a satisfyingly brutal brawler that is as bloody as fans of the series could have hoped for with every character’s signature moves feeling just as impactful as they can imagine. With fast and engaging 3v3 combat, players will find themselves working hard to master the deceptively simple controls and find the team that fits their playstyle. Unfortunately, those looking for any kind of single player experience will be disappointed here as the story is short and other offerings are barebones at best.
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This update introduces Nicole the Mage, Lohen the Knight, and Prune the “Witch Hunter,” while opening a brand-new chapter of the Archon Quest amid unrest in Sumeru.
SINGAPORE, May 8, 2026 — Global interactive entertainment brand HoYoverse today announced that Genshin Impact Version “Luna VII,” “Truth Amongst the Pages of Purana,” will officially launch on May 20. In this update, players will return to Sumeru for a brand-new Archon Quest, as the nation renowned for its wisdom is plunged into turmoil amid an escalating crisis. The update will also introduce three new playable characters: Nicole, the first playable member of the Hexenzirkel; Lohen, a knight and vice-captain; and Prune, the “Witch Hunter.” In addition, limited-time events and new content updates for Miliastra Wonderland will be available.
Version “Luna VII” introduces a pivotal new Archon Quest, pushing Sumeru to the brink of an unprecedented crisis. As Nahida falls into an inexplicable slumber, Sumeru teeters on the edge of chaos. Meanwhile, a mysterious new adversary emerges, bearing striking similarities to Il Dottore, who was long believed to have been defeated. The looming threat draws Collei, Ibis King Thoth, Nicole, and other familiar allies into an ever-intensifying conflict. Players who complete this chapter during the limited-time period can obtain up to 560 Primogems and Nicole’s Ascension Materials, as well as unlock a formidable new Weekly Boss with unpredictable abilities and the power to summon devastating forces. To help players revisit their past adventures, the new “Guiding Notes” feature will provide in-game story recaps, while improved quest autosave prompts further enhance the narrative experience.
Beyond the main storyline, Version “Luna VII” also marks the debut of Nicole Reeyn, the first playable mage from the Hexenzirkel — a voiceless angel whose words speak directly to the heart. Joining the roster as a 5-star Pyro Catalyst wielder, Nicole brings powerful teamwide support to the battlefield. Her Elemental Skill grants an ATK Bonus to all party members, including those off the field, while generating a shield. Her Elemental Burst summons an Arcane Projection that follows the active character, unleashing Coordinated Attacks based on that character’s Elemental Type and gaining further enhancements under the Hexerei: Secret Rite effect. Beyond combat, Nicole can use her Charged Attack to call upon a Seelie, guiding her toward nearby treasure. Version “Luna VII” will also open the interior of the Witch’s Lodge in Nicole’s Meeting Point: The Witch’s Garden for the first time, with new rooms, stories, and hidden rewards unlocking each week.
Lohen, Vice Captain of the Knights of Favonius’ Fifth Company, further expands the roster as a new 5-star character. A Cryo Polearm wielder, Lohen brings a distinctive and aggressive combat style to the battlefield, dealing substantial Cryo DMG through the management of two unique resources: “Joy” and “Will to Win.” By entering the Masterstroke state through his Elemental Skill, he can build up and consume Joy to unleash enhanced skills, while Will to Win accumulates as his teammates engage in battle, further amplifying his combat potential. When paired with Hexerei characters, Lohen’s strengths can be brought even further to the fore. His Story Quest will also reveal an untold chapter from the history of the Knights of Favonius.
Prune, a self-proclaimed “Witch Hunter” certified by none other than Alice, will also join the adventure alongside the two new companions. As a 4-star Anemo Catalyst wielder, she uses a bell and a giant hammer to deal multi-Elemental DMG and trigger Swirl reactions. The Version “Luna VII” Event Wishes will begin with Nicole and Prune’s debuts in the first half, accompanied by Durin’s rerun, before the second half introduces Lohen and brings back Mavuika.
A new limited-time event centered on Klee’s Little Hexenzirkel will invite players to take part in a variety of fun mini-games alongside Qiqi, Yaoyao, Sayu, and its newest member, Prune. Players can obtain a range of rewards, including the exclusive weapon appearance “Super Awesome Magic Key.”
Meanwhile, Miliastra Wonderland will host a special sports festival for players to enjoy. In addition, Manekins can now perform actions across Teyvat, allowing players to capture even more memorable moments with the Kamera. Version “Luna VII” will also expand its suite of editing tools and assets.
Genshin Impact Version Luna VII arrives on May 20, bringing a new Archon Quest set amid a crisis in Sumeru, along with the debuts of Nicole, Lohen, and Prune. With cross-progression and Co-Op functions, players can enjoy their adventure across PlayStation®, Xbox, PC, Android, and iOS. The game has been rated T for Teen by ESRB on PS5, Xbox, PC, and Google Play, and 12+ on iOS. For more information, please visit Genshin Impact’s official website (genshin.hoyoverse.com) or follow @GenshinImpact on X, Instagram, and Facebook.
About Genshin Impact Genshin Impact is a free-to-play open-world adventure RPG that brings players to the visually stunning world of Teyvat. The player takes on the role of the mysterious “Traveler,” who sets off on a journey to discover the fate of their lost sibling. With the launch of the “Song of the Welkin Moon” version series, Nod-Krai, the seventh major region, is open for exploration. Players can explore each region with unique cultures and vast landscapes, meet a diverse cast of characters, master the art of element-based combat, and unveil the secrets of Teyvat. With cross-progression and Co-Op functions, players can now continue their adventure across PlayStation®5, Xbox, PC, Android, and iOS alone or with friends.
About HoYoverse HoYoverse is committed to providing immersive virtual world experiences to players around the world. We have brought fans popular games including Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail, Honkai Impact 3rd, Tears of Themis, and Zenless Zone Zero, as well as a wide range of entertainment content.
Community is at the heart of everything we do. We are devoted to engaging fans and fostering an enthusiastic and inclusive global community that provides access and encouragement for people to share their passion for ACG (Animation, Comics, and Games) through their own creativity and skills. Pushing the boundaries of imagination, we consistently explore cutting-edge game development technologies, and have accumulated leading technical capabilities in cel shading, cloud gaming, and other fields.
In the future, we will continue to expand our content production, technology research, and publishing duties through operations in offices in Singapore, Montreal, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Seoul, and other areas.
