Whenever a major update arrives in Honkai: Star Rail, it always brings with it tons of new additions and gameplay features, and 4.0 is no exception. However, it seems like this version is building up with its first patch, and that we might see the real major benefits and changes once 4.1 and 4.2 arrive. Keep in mind, 4.0 is still a big deal! Especially when it comes to Sparxie and Cosmicon Collective. But I get the impression we’ll see the full weight of Planarcadia’s Trailblaze Missions and Elation’s power once we get more into it.

With the new Planarcadia Trailblaze Missions in Honkai: Star Rail 4.0, it reminds me more of the early Xianzhou Luofu and Penacony storylines than something like Jarilo-VI and Amphoreus. We’re welcome guests to the planet, with Sparkle acting as a host. It’s a very bright space that feels modern, with lots of games and activities. Now, there is the setting for something more and growing stakes, since there is the Phantasmoon Games competition. The winner gets to meet Aha and wield the power of an Aeon for a minute. Given Trailblazer, Sunday, Sparxie, and Silver Wolf are all competing, there’s a lot of potential for how this all could go.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hH0hILcWPs&t=1s

However, I’m more excited about 4.0 for another reason. That’s because Himiko is tied to Planarcadia. We’ve seen recent versions with members of the Astral Express tied to areas including eventual revelations about the characters. Dan Heng came up during the 1.0 Xianzhou Luofu storyline. March 7th ended up featured in 3.0 at Amphoreus. This feels like Himiko’s turn, and I’m excited by the initial teasers and hints we get so far.

One of the best parts of Honkai: Star Rail 4.0 is the new Elation path, though I think most people won’t get to really appreciate it until Sparxie’s banner arrives on March 3, 2026. The new path might feel a bit like the DOTs in Nihility characters or Remembrance Memosprites since Aha could chime in for additional effects and you want to set things up for Punchlines and Elation DMG. It’s most evident with Sparxie, who I got to test out, since her Boom! Sparxicle's Poppin Skill enhances her Basic into Bloom! Winner Takes All for an attack with splash AOE damage and makes her Skill briefly Engagement Farming for a DMG multiplayer and more Punchline points. She can do big numbers even without Yao Guang, especially if Sparkle is on the same time, though she is best when paired with her fellow Elation character. 

The thing is, Yao Guang herself isn’t as exciting or useful without Sparxie. Her Decalight Unveils All Skill’s zone is best for Elation stat boosting, which only applies to Sparxie at the moment. While her Hexagram of Feathered Fortune is a more generic one that helps get Aha acting again and boosting Punchline, due to it helping all-type Res Pen for the party, she’s ideally a buffer for a type of team that probably won’t be possible until 4.2 or 4.3. I’m a bit surprised she’s the first banner for Honkai: Star Rail 4.0, in fact, given the focus Sparxie/Sparkle has in the story and the general usefulness of the other character.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JekiKSvtSCw

What I especially liked about the 4.0 update for Honkai: Star Rail is the Cosmicon Collective card game, which feels like the equivalent of Genius Invokation in Genshin Impact. It’s of course its own beast, with elements like weather influencing matches to offer boosts, and us using Prismatic Dice and collected character cards to fight matches. It’s standard TCG fare in many ways, with attack level determining dice selected and used, defense level determining your defense based on rolls, and us knowing how many D6s and D4s would be used and if a Prismatic Die could be used. We roll dice, select which ones to use to determine damage dealt and defenses set. It goes really quickly, and there being the “Cosmicon, Roll On” event around at launch helps make it more inviting.

The fact that Yao Guang won’t probably be all that exciting until her rerun aside, it feels like HoYoVerse is building something with Honkai: Star Rail 4.0. Planarcadia’s plot is leaving all sorts of threads to follow and hints of things to come, even though the initial quests are more about getting acquainted with the premise. Sparxie feels like a great example of what Elation could be capable of with the right supports. Cosmicon Collective is a lot of fun. It’s like we’re at the foundation now, and I’m excited for what’s next.

Honkai: Star Rail is available for the PS5, PC, and mobile devices, and the 4.0 update is live now.

The post Excitement Is Building in Honkai: Star Rail 4.0  appeared first on Siliconera.

“Blood Money: Lethal Eden” taps into a rising anxiety in China by simulating the experiences of people trafficked for the scam industry.

On January 9, 2026, Cygames announced that it established Cygames AI Studio, a subsidiary that will develop and provide generative AI-based tools and services. The website for Cygames AI Studio is available in both English and Japanese.

The announcement on Cygames's official website provided background on why it set up the subsidiary. The company statement claimed generative AI is an important technology that has the power to use accumulated ideas to power the creation of new ones. Cygames AI Studio will use the company's game development experience to build generative AI tools that "creators" could use "safely and securely." It also said that it will research and develop its own model, as well as provide generative AI services and tools for game developers. The announcement also claimed a goal is to "build a unique creative cycle to expand on the creators' creativity."

Cygames is currently recruiting for its AI Studio. Openings include engineers for language models and picture generation. These are full-time jobs that would require the person to live in or move to Japan.

Reactions to the announcement on Twitter have been largely negative. English replies and QRTs call Cygames out of touch, as well as point out established issues with generative AI like art theft. Japanese users are also against this. There has been more and more backlash against generative AI since 2025. In December 2025, the Indie Game Awards stripped Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 of its GOTY wins after it came out that the studio had used generative AI in development and launched with those genAI assets until they were patched out.

Cygames had a good reputation in 2025 with the global release of Umamusume: Pretty Derby, which also won Best Mobile Game at the Game Awards 2025.

The post Cygames Establishes Cygames AI Studio appeared first on Siliconera.

Good Smile Company used social media to reveal a number of new Blue Archive figures, with three of them being Nendoroids. Kanna Ogata, Shiroko Terror, and Kisaki Ryuuge are all the inspirations for the new merchandise, with Kisaki appearing both as a scale figure and Nendoroid. There are no release windows for any of them yet, but they’ll follow items based on characters like Asuna Ichinose, Mari Iochi, and Plana.

It looks like we might end up seeing some of the Blue Archive Nendoroids first. That’s because the Kanna and Shiroko ones already appeared as painted prototypes. When that happens, Good Smile Company typically opens pre-orders for the products a few days or weeks later. The Kisaki one only showed up as an unpainted prototype. Each example photo showed one face plate and possible pose, with the Kanna one including a coffee mug accessory and both Shiroko and Kisaki holding guns.

Here’s how those three look:

The scale figure of Kisaki also appeared as an unpainted prototype. That will feature the character in the same outfit as the Nendoroid. In the pose, she’ll be sitting in an armchair with her gloves on one arm and a jacket on the back. 

You can see that first photo below:

The Blue Archive Kanna Ogata, Shiroko Terror, and Kisaki Ryuuge Nendoroids and Kisaki figure are in development. The game is available on mobile devices and PCs. 

The post 4 New Blue Archive Figures Include 3 Nendoroids appeared first on Siliconera.

Sony Interactive Entertainment Japan Asia has announced the winners of PlayStation Partner Awards 2025 Japan …

Source

When the 2.4 patch for Zenless Zone Zero appears, it won’t include some voice acting from actors for major characters like Dialyn and Ye Shunshang and minor NPCs. HoYoVerse noted these will be absent, but didn’t explain why. The company did say it will send out 100 Polychromes as an apology ahead of those eventually being added to the game. 

HoYoVerse noted this voice acting issue in Zenless Zone Zero will apply to Dialyn, Ye Shunshang, and “certain NPCs” in three languages. The Chinese option won’t be affected, but English, Japanese, and Korean ones will. The quest with the missing lines will be "On the Precipice of the Abyss.” It also seems like the new character Banyue, who also debuts in 2.4, won't be affected.

This voice acting absence in Zenless Zone Zero could end up feeling greater for someone like Dialyn than Ye Shunshang, which is due to the fact that the latter isn’t officially joining the roster as as a playable character until 2.5. This could also mean her role in the "On the Precipice of the Abyss” questline might not be as large. 

You can hear more of Dialyn's English voice in a new Zenless Zone Zero character trailer. It features her judging a criminal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OosW5OpDSB0

Zenless Zone Zero is available for the PS5, Xbox Series X, PC, and mobile devices, and the 2.4 update arrives on November 26, 2025. 

The post 2.4 Zenless Zone Zero Won’t Have Some Dialyn and Ye Shunshang Voice Acting appeared first on Siliconera.

Cling to Darkness was about an hour and a half of dread and emotional twists, only for one's last impression of it to be a frenetic rock track as the credits play. Though odd, it matches the peculiar (used both positively and negatively) experience that I just had. Though I can appreciate Lizardry’s innovation in the over-saturated market of indie horror adventure, its somewhat counter-intuitive gameplay drowns out the potential.

In Cling to Darkness, you play as Satsuki, a young girl undergoing a ritual. This ritual requires her to put on a blindfold and collect five talismans while relying solely on her sense of hearing. A mysterious monster known as Ashioto-san stalks her the entire time, and she absolutely cannot let Ashioto-san touch her.

When reading the description for Cling to Darkness, I expected something like Death Forest or Aka Manto—a horror game with an implacable monster stalker and a bare-bones narrative to justify your presence in whatever haunted locale you’re in. But I was surprised when Cling to Darkness actually had a story. Satsuki comes off as an unreliable narrator, which makes you doubt her story and have to piece together her past from dialogue.

Contrary to the game's instructions when you first boot this up, I highly recommend playing with visual aides off and not blindfolding yourself. As mentioned earlier, the story wants to be deeper than the run-of-the-mill horror, but the game doesn’t mute or lower the volume of the sound effects during conversations. Many times, they distracted me at key points of dialogue, causing me to miss something since I couldn't read the subtitle before clicking for the next line.

It’s also funny that I had to do that. Again, you're meant to play it blindfolded, but the game doesn't have an auto option for the story. I often didn't know when a character had finished speaking and so needed me to click to proceed. How did the playtesters not complain aabout this? This was way more stressful than the actual horror bit. The game wasn't that scary since Ashioto-san sounds like a kid running at the pool, and it's easy enough to beat.

The story also doesn't match the game's length. It's only 90 minutes long, which isn't enough time to know or care about Satsuki. That's even with Anya Floris, who voices Satsuki in the English version, acting her heart out. My first impression when I finished the game was that the ending was similar to the Death Note American live-action's. It ends on a confusing note ("Wait, did Satsuki pee herself?") and the last impression is a complete tonal shift from what you had just gone through that it only leaves you with more questions.

I would have liked more time with Satsuki to care about her and her plight. In saying that, though, more of the repetitive gameplay would have further dragged down the experience. Cling to Darkness is a game with a good idea, but its execution (from basic QoL to the story and gameplay) just needed some more forethought.

Cling to Darkness is readily available on the Windows PC via Steam.

The post Cling to Darkness Needed A Bit More to Shine appeared first on Siliconera.

An upcoming Bring Arts figure of Aerith will use her design from the original Final Fantasy VII game. This figure is also available for pre-order via the North American Square Enix site.

On the Japanese Square Enix store, the Final Fantasy VII Aerith Bring Arts figure costs 13,200 JPY. It’ll come out on March 28, 2026. Meanwhile, the North American version of the store lists it for $129.99, and it’ll come out in June 2026. Another version of the original Aerith Bring Arts figure already came out and is available for purchase on the store. This one costs cheaper at $119.99, but unlike the new one that Square Enix announced, she’s not wielding her Mythril Rod.

Like the previous Final Fantasy VII Bring Arts figures, this one will come with two face plates and multiple hand parts. While it comes with the Mythril Rod, you don’t have to pose Aerith with it if you don’t want to, and it counts as yet another optional part. Since it’s fully-articulated, you can customize how Aerith is displayed based on your preferences or current set-up.

Final Fantasy VII Remake is available on the PS4, PS5, and Windows PC. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is on the PS5. The original game came out on the PlayStation, but it’s also available on the PS4, Switch, Xbox One, Windows PC, and mobile devices.

The post New FFVII Bring Arts Aerith Figure Based on Original Look appeared first on Siliconera.

Mitchie M is known for “Hatsune Miku realistic singing” songs, and the Vocaloid composer and HoYoVerse shared a new Honkai: Star Rail track called “Memi Memi Myun Myun” starring Mem for HoYoFair2025. As the name suggests, it is completely focused on the Memosprite from Amphoreous. It is paired with an animated music video of the character from Jun Aoki and Space Neko Company. 

There are a few spoilers near the end of the music video in the form of backup dancers for Mem, but this Honkai: Star Rail track primarily focuses on the mascot-style character. As a reminder, we almost immediately meet Mem in the Amphoreus storyline of the game. When the Trailblazer gets their Remembrance path role, she serves as the Memosprite we can summon to aid and attack alongside the party. The Gray-mera Chimera based on the Trailblazer character shows up as a DJ and dancer at some points too. 

Here’s the full “Memi Memi Myun Myun” Honkai: Star Rail from Hatsune Miku composer Mitchie M from YouTube. There are only Japanese subtitle options. The “spoiler” backup dancers come up after the 2:09 mark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RF7PdpU95UE

This Mitchie M Honkai: Star Rail song about M isn’t the only recent one about video game or anime characters, as the Vocaloid composer contibuted “What Kind of Future” to the Project Voltage project pairing up Hatsune Miku with Pokemon and created a track called “Idol Senshi” for Gundam x Miku. 

You can see the Project Voltage song “What Kind of Future” below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG05Sm68z4s

And here’s “Idol Senshi.” A figure was even made based on this music video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EXWmuKg-RI

Honkai: Star Rail is available for the PS5, PC, and mobile devices, and a Cyrene banner is now live alongside the 3.7 update.

The post Hatsune Miku Composer Mitchie M Made Honkai: Star Rail Mem Song appeared first on Siliconera.

In October 2025, Gamescom Asia teamed up with Thailand Game Show to bring Southeast Asia’s largest gaming event to Bangkok. The vast Queen Sirikit National Convention Center was packed for four days of world premieres, hands-on demos, cosplay contests, esports tournaments, and exclusive merch. I only had one day to explore it all, and it absolutely was not enough. That said, here are the best indie games I played during my time there, along with a glimpse at all the big booth action throughout the event.

HellHeart Breaker (BattleBrew Productions)

My first stop was HellHeart Breaker and it delivered. From Singapore’s BattleBrew Productions, this hack-and-slash action roguelite isn't just another Hades clone, although it certainly makes a few nods to Supergiant's classic. The unique twist here is the way it mixes an isometric action-RPG with Asian mythology and a light dating sim. Set in a mystical underworld inspired by 1920s Shanghai and East Asian folklore, you battle through procedural dungeons and meet monsters from across the region. Not content with just fighting them, you can choose to romance the baddies for power-ups, or snub them instead and face their wrath as bosses.

The combat feels great with fluid animation, flashy elemental attacks, and a strong mix of melee and ranged weapons. I didn't get enough time to really check out the dating elements, but the combat flow was very responsive, and the dev said there are more than 35 weapons on rotation. The art pops with vibrant colours and crisp anime-style characters, and the underworld village hub is gorgeous. The BattleBrew team was a friendly bunch, too, handing out stickers and chatting as we played. HellHeart Breaker adds literal heart to the roguelite formula and was one of my favourite games of the show. It's slated for release in 2027.

Wild Woods (OctoFox Games)

Next, I jumped into some co-op action with Wild Woods from Hamburg's OctoFox Games. Already in early access, this one's an action roguelite designed for 1-4 players where teams of weapon-wielding cats defend a wooden wagon as it travels through an enemy-packed forest. Think Overcooked with a wagon and goblins, and you're getting close. By day, you gather wood and food, and by night, you fend off waves of creatures trying to wreck the wagon. While that's all going on, you must keep the lantern alight; otherwise, you'll be fighting hordes in the dark.

In our demo, we juggled keeping the candle ablaze, repairing bridges with planks, and smacking gremlins and wolves in the dark. The art is charming, the cats are adorable, and it really shone with two players, though it clearly would be a hit with four (I need more friends!) I hope Wild Woods hits consoles too, as it would be perfect on a big TV.

Combo Critters: Battle Checkers (Twitchy Finger Ltd.)

Ever heard of battle chess? Combo Critters: Battle Checkers asks "Why not battle checkers?" Developed by Hong Kong's Twitchy Finger Ltd., a studio moving from mobile over to Steam to escape all that free-to-play baggage, this game is fast, addictive, and one of the most original I tried at the show. Boiled down, it's a strategic, combo-driven twist on checkers. The board looks somewhat familiar, but your pieces are cute koalas facing off against an army of ninja enemies. Now, I’m no checkers expert (I actually have no idea how to play it), so the dev walked me through the basics, which I picked up in no time.

Moves play out like classic checkers with jumps, but the twist is setting up multi-jump combos. Long chains wipe out packs of ninjas in a flurry with a rising combo counter. Levels often limit your moves, which adds a puzzle layer, while power-ups and special abilities deepen the strategy. Once it clicked, it was super satisfying to slice through enemies and get a nice 'PERFECT!' at the end. The demo is on Steam now, with final release TBA. If you like strategy or want to see checkers reinvented in a cute but much more violent way, keep watching this one.

TaKhon: Into Spirit’s Realm (PlayAlone Team)

This was a treat. TaKhon is an unreleased student project from PlayAlone Team, inspired by Thai folklore and the 'Phi Ta Khon' ghost festival in Thailand. It won First Prize in the Software Game category at the Thailand Game Festival 2025. Here, it was highlighted in a special 'Thai Games' indie section, and it drew me in with its striking art of ghost masks and spirits.

The game plays like a 2D Metroidvania in the vein of Hollow Knight, with tight platforming and melee combat in a world full of spirit houses and ghosts, which are a big part of traditional Thai culture. As a prototype it felt polished. Controls are smooth, the hand drawn art is beautiful, and the music is haunting. It's the kind of early slice you only find at shows like this. As a fan of Hollow Knight and Thai folklore, I loved the concept.

Cat Girl Survivor 2: Beyond the Veil (Minimum Studio Corp.)

The most kawaii title on the show floor goes to: Cat Girl Survivor 2: Beyond the Veil. While the original leaned towards a 'Vampire Survivor-esque' roguelite loop, the sequel instead shifts to a 2D beat ’em up with very cute art style and local co-op, kind of like a fantasy-styled River City Girls. I swooped in and parked myself on a stool, playing co-op with the dev as magical cat girls against waves of monsters. Combat is snappy and old school with light and heavy attacks, jump kicks, dashes, and big flashy special moves.

Elemental magic adds flavour too; I picked an ice build and it was very satisfying to freeze mobs into blocks and shatter them into ice cubes. Stages throw waves of enemies at you while you collect XP and power-ups, and between stages, you unlock upgrades. The pixel art is cute and colourful with chibi characters and detailed animation. There is a Steam demo available now, and it's slated for a full release in May 2026 on PC, with a possible console release later. If you love classic beat ’em ups or couch co-op with cat girls, check it out.

Woodo (Tiny Monk’s Tales)

After all that intense action, Woodo was the perfect cool-down. From a small dev team of three people, it's a cosy 3D puzzle game with diorama art, all built in Unreal Engine 5. It feels like exploring an interactive wooden toy world with photo-realistic graphics. In the demo, I explored a miniature scene, searching for items such as glasses, a hat, and a tiny toy duck, then placing them in the right spots to trigger little animations and sounds.

In true cosy-game fashion, there is no timer and no enemies, only soft music, gentle discovery, and a warm, comforting glow. Everything looks handcrafted and just plain lovely. A Steam demo is already available, with the full release for PC and consoles, including Switch, coming at a later date. Easily the coziest game of the show.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the atmosphere of Gamescom Asia was huge and buzzing. Massive crowds with cosplayers in all directions was definitely the order of the day. I was surprised to see Xbox showing a strong presence despite its small market share in Asia. Fans could go hands-on with the new ROG Xbox Ally X handheld, Ninja Gaiden 4, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.

At the other end of the hall, PlayStation drew long lines for Ghost of Yotei. Nintendo’s area was pure delight with Switch 2 titles like Donkey Kong Bananza and Mario Kart World, although I didn't see any sign of a playable Metroid Prime 4. HoYoverse drew massive queues for Genshin Impact, Honkai Star Rail, and Zenless Zone Zero. There were cosplaying Genshin characters all over the place, showing how popular the game is across Asia.

On the esports stage, Konami’s eFootball and EA Sports FC packed out separate arenas with loud, high-energy tournaments. Capcom kept the fighting game crowd engaged with a strong Street Fighter 6 presence and live matches. Elsewhere, newcomers like Mecha Break were pulling serious attention too, and dozens of other games and competitions kept every corner of the hall bustling.

My only regret was not having more time. Next year, I’m blocking out two full days minimum, and possibly cosplaying as a cat-eared Genshin character just to earn some free merch.

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