Cyber Rail is a fast-paced roguelike FPS where you jump, grapple, slide, and swing through a flying convoy while fending off bandit gangs.
In Cyber Rail, speed is survival. A fine-tuned movement system enables precise, agile parkour as hordes of enemies target you from all directions. Perilous falls lurk around every corner, making well-timed slides and grapples the difference between life and death. Face … Read More
Obviously, those people who post things on Insta like “It’s Fri-yay!” shouldn’t be allowed near technology of any sort, but those posts do signal the arrival of the weekend and some lovely downtime for many of us, so here’s a suggestion of how to waste some of it this week.
Super Battle Golf from developer Brimstone and publisher Oro Interactive is out now on Steam, and it’s less “gentle afternoon on the green” and more “eight idiots firing orbital lasers at each other while screaming in voice chat”.
If that sounds familiar, it should. We covered Super Battle Golf back when it was announced, and even then, it was clear this thing was being engineered in a lab to get streamers over-excited. Since then, it’s racked up over 100,000 wishlists in just four weeks, powered by clips of “influencers” absolutely losing control of situations that went wrong in seconds. That energy carries straight through to launch.
At its core, Super Battle Golf is golf in the loosest possible sense. Up to eight players all take their shots at the same time, racing toward the hole while actively trying to ruin each other’s lives. Courses are packed with hazards like sand traps, water, vegetation, and mines, but the real danger is the other players – isn’t it always?. You’re not just lining up your swing; you’re watching for incoming golf carts, sniper shots, and whatever unholy power-up just came off cooldown for that fool you are playing with.
And yes, golf carts matter here. They’re drivable. They can carry everyone. They can be weaponised.
Matches are scored on speed, disruption, and survival, which neatly explains why “playing well” often means doing something deeply unfair. Smack opponents with your ball. Ram them into a lake. Fire an orbital laser from the other side of the map. What would Tiger Woods do?
If you somehow get tired of tormenting friends, there’s also a point-based solo mode, though even that feels like training for future multiplayer crimes. Across 27 courses, Super Battle Golf constantly escalates, adding just enough chaos to keep things unpredictable without tipping into total noise.
A special mention has to go to the cosmetics. This is a game that lets you swing a chicken leg, launch a billiard ball, and wear a giraffe head tall enough to be a navigational hazard.
At $7.99 with a 20% launch discount, Super Battle Golf isn’t asking for much but it’s obviously one of those games that is better with friends rather than creepy internet randos.
Slay the Spire 2 is launching in Early Access very soon, which sees the return of Defect.
Early Access will land on Steam on March 5th, 2026 after years of anticipation from the roguelike deckbuilder’s fanbase. The original game came out back in 2019.
“Slay the Spire requires a lot of player feedback so we can balance content, add quality of life features, and make sure the game runs without issues,” developer Mega Crit noted. “Early Access is also a chance for us to test experimental features, try exotic designs, identify niche problems, and help us make sure the game is headed in the right direction.”
Slay the Spire 2 will be in Early Access for about two years, which is how long devs believe it will take until the game “feels great.”
Slay the Spire 2 brings back Defect, reveals new content
Slay the Spire 2 will feature plenty of new content that sets it apart from the original. This includes a new co-op mode for up to four players to team up. This mode will even have its own cards that inspire team synergy. The sequel will also have new characters, new potions, and new alternate acts.
While the new content is welcome, most Slay the Spire fans are excited to see the return of Defect, an ancient automaton that gained sentience in the first game. The Defect had a unique Orb mechanic and was a go-to for many players.
In the trailer, the Defect appears much bulkier, and fans are wondering if this means he had upgrades. Either way, it was the hypest reveal in the trailer for most of the community.
“I’ve had a bit of a rough patch in life on many levels last year, this year, this week, and also today, and so when I saw the Defect return, I legit had a good cry,” said one comment under the trailer.
Ever since the sequel was announced, gamers have been begging for the return of Defect. Developers hinted at the possibility two years ago when someone asked about Defect and Watcher coming to Slay the Spire 2. The long wait apparently had some fans going a bit crazy with anticipation, especially as gacha clones kept popping up.
“Defect NEEDS to be in the second game. I will complain to the devs if my main doesn’t return,” one fan said back in 2023.
Over the next few years, the community continued to speculate about Defect’s return. Wrote one sharp-eyed fan on Reddit in 2024: “There’s some speculation that the new ?????? character they showed is the new and improved defect or a replacement character with a similar kit. I think this is possible. The new guy has got a blue and gold color scheme that kinda matches Defect and is somewhat robotic looking.”
Turns out, it was Defect in a new form after all. While he is larger in the sequel, it’s still unclear what the gameplay differences will be. Either way, fans are excited to have Defect confirmed after all this time.
Surpise: Focus Entertainment and Saber just dropped a demo for John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando demo launching on February 19 at 10:00 AM UTC on Steam and runs through March 3 at 10:00 AM UTC.
Players can access the game’s HUB area and first Act, including the tutorial and opening mission, with unlimited playtime and infinite mission replays in solo or co-op modes.
What’s in the Toxic Commando’s demo?
The demo features three playable areas: The Drop tutorial mission, The Drop main mission, and Church of the Damned. After completing the tutorial, players unlock Leon’s Base, the HUB area where they can customize characters, adjust loadouts, test weapons at the shooting range, and invite other players to their session.
You can also play all four difficulty levels, which are Story, Normal, Hard, and Very Hard. Players may unlock Very Hard by completing Hard difficulty first.
All four playable classes are locked at Level 5 in the demo, limiting access to the full skill trees and abilities available in the final game. However, all weapons included in the demo content are fully accessible with no level restrictions. Demo save files will not carry over to the full release, meaning any progression earned during the two-week window will not transfer when the game launches.
To play with friends, open the Social menu or click the plus icon in the top-right corner of the pause menu. Players can share their invite code (press V by default) with friends, who can join by entering the code in the same menu (press J). Steam friends can be invited directly without codes. Friends can join ongoing missions mid-game to jump directly into action, and incomplete parties can enable Private Game mode to fill remaining slots with bots instead of random players.
Solo players can find random teammates by visiting Leon in the HUB or accessing the Play tab. Select the desired mission, difficulty, and class to search for matches, or choose Quick Game for rapid matchmaking with randomized settings.
The devs were also kind enough to throw a bone at the Toxic Commando system requirements too
Sony has shut down Bluepoint Games, upsetting the gaming community.
Bluepoint Games is a well-respected studio founded in 2006 that has been remastering classic PlayStation games since Sony acquired it in 2021. This includes popular titles like God of War, Uncharted, and Demon’s Souls. The gaming community has consistently praised Bluepoint Games’ work and was disappointed when its live-service God of War game was canceled in January 2025.
Now, Sony is shutting it down completely.
Community backlash following the closure
As part of Sony’s decision to shut down Bluepoint Games, 70 employees have lost their jobs.
“Bluepoint Games is an incredibly talented team and their technical expertise has delivered exceptional experiences for the PlayStation community,” a spokesperson told Bloomberg. “We thank them for their passion, creativity, and craftsmanship.”
The shutdown came after a “recent business review,” the spokesperson noted. While Bluepoint Games’ remakes are beloved for their quality and nostalgia, the sales just weren’t there for Sony. In two years, the Demon’s Souls remake sold a little over 2 million copies. It’s not anything to scoff at, but it was apparently not exciting for Sony, which sold 3.2 million copies of Ghost of Yotei in 30-ish days.
Despite not having the most sales ever, Bluepoint Games makes stuff that gamers like and does a good job at making that stuff. For this reason, the shutdown has been met with widespread criticism from the gaming community, who feel Sony has shot itself in the foot once again. Shadow of the Colossus and Demon’s Souls are often said to be the best remakes of all time.
Said one gamer: “Great… Another talented and well-respected studio gone, while Sony is still chasing the live-service gravy train…”
Yep, while Bluepoint Games shuts down, Sony still has the upcoming Horizon Hunters Gathering slop coming from Guerrilla. This game’s lazy art style, ugly character designs, and boring gameplay (as shown in trailers) have been heavily criticized by gamers sick of live-service games.
The state of the gaming industry has not left players with much hope.
We probably don’t cover enough virtual reality here on the Escapist, despite covering plenty of games at the niche end of the spectrum. Maybe it’s because anything multiplayer is just kids running around yelling numbers at you and genuinely being annoying.
I’ve been into my VR since I had an Oculus Rift Dev kit to play Elite Dangerous on, and have had some amazing experiences within VR – they just don’t tend to be the ones Meta would like to push you towards. Maybe it will change when (if) the Steam Frame ever comes out.
Which is why, until now, I was probably unaware of the breakout VR hit, Cave Crave, which is now adding to its 2025 content with a pinpoint accurate virtualisation of Tham Luang cave, or, where you are more likely to know it as where that kid’s soccer team got trapped, and subsequently rescued from, back in 2018.
There was a right old hoo-hah back in the day. Musk got involved and was ultimately useless (who woulda thought?), but ultimately all the boys survived, although two rescue divers lost their lives in the operation.
Anyway, after virtualising Nutty Putty in 2025 with Brandon Kowallis on board the VR recreation team, 3R Games has invited two experts to collaborate on this project: Vern Unsworth, an experienced cave diver directly involved in the 2018 rescue effort, and Roo Walters, a 3D cave-scanning specialist.
“Our goal remains the same,” says 3R Games CEO Piotr Surmacz. “We want to let players experience the scale, atmosphere, and complexity of iconic underground spaces from the inside – without turning real-life events into gameplay.”
The cave will arrive as the second real-life map in Cave Crave’s Tourist Mode, offering a faithful, non-gamified VR recreation. A release date will be announced soon.
Starsand Island is a cozy farming and life sim built around rebuilding your home, exploring the Moonlit Forest, and forming bonds with island residents. With vehicles, mounts, combat, and seasonal farming systems, it’s natural to ask whether you can experience it with friends.
If you’re searching for Starsand Island multiplayer support, including co-op or crossplay, here’s what is currently available, what is confirmed for the future, and what the official roadmap says.
The Escapist recaps
Starsand Island is currently a single-player game.
There is no co-op or crossplay support in the live Early Access build.
Multiplayer is listed on the official roadmap for June 2026.
The developer has stated they are exploring multiplayer during Early Access.
Is Starsand Island multiplayer right now?
No, Starsand Island does not currently support multiplayer.
Both the Steam and Xbox store listings identify the game as single-player, and there is no active co-op mode in the Early Access version. You cannot invite friends, join shared worlds, or visit other players’ islands at this time.
All farming, building, quest progression, and exploration systems are designed for solo play in the current build.
Is co-op coming to Starsand Island?
What’s great is that even though there is no multiplayer right now, co-op is officially planned for a future update.
According to the Early Access roadmap published on Steam, multiplayer gameplay is scheduled for June 2026, with the roadmap specifically mentioning cooperative play with friends and island visits.
Because the game is still in Early Access, this is a development plan rather than a guaranteed release date, so do keep that in mind.
Two characters share drinks by the ocean in Starsand Island. (Image credit: SeedLab)
Will Starsand Island have crossplay?
While the roadmap mentions multiplayer and cooperative island visits, there is no official confirmation that cross-platform play will be supported between Steam and Xbox.
Starsand Island is available on PC (Steam) and Xbox Series X|S, but until multiplayer launches, and unless crossplay is explicitly confirmed, you should not expect cross-platform support.
Why doesn’t Starsand Island have multiplayer yet?
The developer has stated that Early Access is being used to refine core systems like farming, building, quests, vehicles, and save stability before expanding features.
Recent updates have focused heavily on bug fixes, performance improvements, and save protection systems. Multiplayer is listed as a later-stage addition on the roadmap rather than a launch feature.
When is multiplayer expected to release?
The current roadmap lists multiplayer for June 2026.
That timing comes from the official Early Access development plan. However, roadmap items can shift depending on development progress and player feedback. There is no confirmed release date beyond the roadmap window.
Until that update arrives, Starsand Island remains a single-player experience.
Ask The Escapist
Does Starsand Island have co-op right now?
No. The current Early Access build is single-player only.
Is Starsand Island crossplay between PC and Xbox?
There is no confirmed crossplay support at this time.
When is multiplayer coming to Starsand Island?
The official roadmap lists multiplayer for June 2026.
Can I visit a friend’s island in Starsand Island?
Not yet. Island visits are mentioned as part of the planned multiplayer update.
Will multiplayer be online or local?
There is no confirmed information on whether the planned co-op mode will be online, local, or both.
The latest edition of revered UK gaming magazine EDGE is now available at all good newsagents and is purchasable online. There’s a number of high-profile reviews in the latest edition including Dragon Quest VII Reimagined, Cairn, Reanimal and much more. ResetEra member WadiumArcadium has published the latest scores and you are free to debate amongst… Read More »Latest EDGE review scores for February 2026
The recent update to the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Skyrim Anniversary Edition is apparently a huge improvement with Digital Foundry seeming very pleased with what they have played. You may remember that the game had numerous issues at launch which have thankfully now been fixed. The game still looks a little rough around the edges… Read More »Skyrim Nintendo Switch 2’s Version 1.2 update is apparently a big improvement
Nintendo has apparently started refunding those who have asked for their money back for the disappointing Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition Nintendo Switch 2 upgrade. There have been numerous videos on the subject on YouTube with many reporting that the game looks worse than it did without the upgrade with poor textures issues and upscaling… Read More »Nintendo seemingly offering refunds for poor Xenoblade Chronicles X Switch 2 upgrade
It would seem as though Nintendo is being stringent with regards to who gets development kits for its Nintendo Switch 2 system as Arkaden reports that some smaller developers are still awaiting the kits to bring their games to the platform. The publication spoke with a number of smaller developers with one saying that they… Read More »Some developers are apparently still trying to get Nintendo Switch 2 dev kits
Acclaimed animation studio ufotable who have produced a number of notable anime shows such as Demon Slayer have teamed up with Bandai Namco’s Tales of series and will be revealing a special 30th anniversary collaboration, which will be fully unveiled on 3rd April. The company is no stranger to working alongside Bandai Namco has they have animated the… Read More »Anime studio ufotable teases Tales of series 30th anniversary collaboration
Rayman is one of Ubisoft’s most overlooked franchises of recent times but that could all be set to change. In a recent interview with Variety Ubisoft boss Yves Guillemot says that Rayman: 30th Anniversary Edition is “the first step in the brand’s comeback.” He says that fans of the Rayman series will get to hear… Read More »Ubisoft says they look forward to talking about what’s next for Rayman “soon”
Nintendo Music has proven to be a nice little addition to the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service adding a wide array of soundtracks from classic games from many different eras. The latest addition is the arrival of Pokemon FireRed & Pokemon LeafGreen which are arriving on the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 on 27th… Read More »Tracks from Pokemon FireRed & LeafGreen added to Nintendo Music
DC x Sonic the Hedgehog is back and will be returning with a new five-issue event which is titled DC x Sonic the Hedgehog: Metal Legion. This will launch worldwide on 5th May, 2026. Ian Flynn will be at the helm of the project and the gorgeous artwork will be supplied by artist, Adam Bryce Thomas. Here’s… Read More »DC x Sonic is officially returning this May
The latest sales data is in from Circana which tracks video game sales data throughout the United States. Nintendo had the second best-selling hardware during the month of January with Sony’s PlayStation 5 proving to be the best-seller. The best-selling video game was Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, though it should be noted that… Read More »US: Nintendo Switch 2 was second best-selling console in January 2026
Square Enix has said in a new video which celebrates the fact that the throughly enjoyable NieR: Automata has shifted over 10 million units is set “to be continued.” Whether this means we will get a brand new Nier console game remains to be seen as they could just be alluding to more crossovers with… Read More »Square Enix says “NieR: Automata to be continued” after shifting 10 million copies
SEGA has published some new official artwork of the canny Silver the Hedgehog this month. The artwork shows Silver relaxing with a book in the discarded royal library of Kingdom Valley. Kingdom Valley featured in the often dismissed Sonic the Hedgehog 2006 game which launched on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
Nintendo has announced a special physical bundle for the upcoming rereleases of the beloved Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen and it looks rather special. It should be noted that the games themselves are download codes which expire in July 2026. The expiration date is presumably to stop people from hoarding and selling at a later date… Read More »Japan: Nintendo announces special physical bundle for Pokemon FireRed & LeafGreen
