Some three years after it was announced an unnamed developer was taking the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in a darker video game direction with a project inspired by the well-regarded TMNT graphic novel The Last Ronin, the game has finally - albeit vaguely - been unveiled. And it turns out the mysterious team behind it is none other than famed Bayonetta, Nier: Automata, and Ninja Gaiden 4 developer Platinum Games.

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Released more than a quarter of a century ago, Gothic was a sprawling open-world RPG that, while undeniably rough around the edges, offered a wonderfully scrappy adventure for RPG fans. It was the sort of game that would later help define the affectionate “Eurojank” label: ambitious, awkward, memorable, and full of personality.

That rough charm is a huge part of why Gothic still has such a devoted following today. Now, 25 years later, developer Alkimia Interactive and THQ Nordic are bringing it back with a full remake.

So, how does the Gothic 1 Remake improve on the original? Well, we’re glad you asked.

A Modern Engine for Modern Times

Game engine technology has come a long way since Gothic first launched in 2001, so it makes sense that the Gothic 1 Remake has been rebuilt from the ground up for modern hardware.

Powered by Unreal Engine 5, the remake features all-new assets, a huge increase in texture and lighting detail, support for higher frame rates and resolutions, and a generally much richer sense of place. In short, this classic European RPG is being dragged, kicking and screaming, into 2026.

The move to Unreal Engine 5 also allows for a much greater variety of NPCs. In the Gothic 1 Remake, more than 600 unique faces and body types populate the prison colony, giving the world a level of visual variety much more in line with modern RPG expectations. Compared to the more repetitive character models of the original, that alone should make the colony feel far more alive.

An Expanded, Enhanced World Filled With Cut Content

The original Gothic had more than a few areas that felt barren or incomplete, largely because of the technical limitations its developers were working with at the time. The Gothic 1 Remake addresses this directly, with a map that is roughly 20% larger than the original.

That extra space is not just there for the sake of it, either. Alkimia Interactive has used it to flesh out locations that could not be fully realised back in 2001, giving familiar areas more detail, purpose, and atmosphere.

The remake also builds on one of Gothic’s most impressive original features: its NPC schedule system. Back in the day, Gothic’s characters already felt more alive than those in many other RPGs because they followed daily routines. In the remake, those routines are broader and more reactive, with NPCs responding dynamically to changes in the world and story.

Female characters have also been extensively reworked. Rather than simply existing in the background, they now have their own names, appearances, dialogue trees, and interactions within the game world, giving them much more presence and agency.

Clunky No More: Combat and Controls That Actually Satisfy

One of the biggest reasons the original Gothic earned its “Eurojank” reputation was its control scheme. Let’s be honest: it was clunky. Very clunky. We may all have had a higher tolerance for that sort of thing back then, but by modern standards, it could be a bit of a struggle.

The Gothic 1 Remake completely refreshes the controls with modern expectations in mind. There is now a lock-on mechanic that actually works, more responsive hit feedback, reliable dodging, and attacks that look and feel like they properly connect.

As a result, moving through the world and getting stuck into combat should feel far more responsive and enjoyable. The original’s haphazard, keyboard-crunchingly frustrating encounters have been replaced with something that better matches the ambition of the game’s world and systems.

Worry Not: This Is Still a Punishing, Hands-Off Adventure

For all its modern improvements, the Gothic 1 Remake is not sanding away everything that made the original special. One of Gothic’s most appealing qualities was how punishing and hands-off it could be. It respected the intelligence of its players and encouraged them to find their own way through its dark fantasy world.

In an era of minimaps, quest markers, and UI screens packed with helpful pointers, Alkimia Interactive has been keen to preserve that essential Gothic feeling.

Combat remains dangerous. Enemies hit hard, and the Nameless Hero begins the game without much in the way of training or martial skill. Especially early on, every fight can feel hard-won, with victory or defeat often decided by just one or two hits.

Exploration is similarly old-school. There is no minimap and no flood of quest markers guiding you from one objective to the next. Instead, players must ask NPCs for directions, buy costly maps from vendors, and use landmarks to navigate the world.

Y’know, just like the good old days.

Big Story, Quest, and Lore Changes Could Make This the Definitive Version

Alongside its technical improvements, the Gothic 1 Remake also makes significant changes to the story, lore, and quest content.

One of the major criticisms of the original game was its English translation. The move from German to English left behind broken sentences, awkward storytelling, and important plot points that could feel muddled or underexplained. In the remake, the narrative has been refined so it unfolds more naturally, without the contradictions and inconsistencies that affected the original English release.

The late game has also been expanded. One common complaint about Gothic was that the quality and quantity of quest content began to thin out toward the end. The remake aims to address that with around 15 hours of new camp-specific content, including fresh questlines for both newcomers and returning fans.

The Orcs have received a major overhaul, too. They now function more fully as their own faction, with players able to learn the Orcish language and explore new questlines and story paths that were not present in the original release.

Taken together, these changes suggest that the Gothic 1 Remake is not just a visual upgrade. It is a broader reworking of a cult RPG classic, one that keeps the original’s punishing, hands-off spirit while making its world, combat, story, and characters feel far more complete.

For veterans, it could be the Gothic they remember, only richer and more playable. For newcomers, it may well be the definitive way to experience one of Europe’s most beloved RPGs.

The post Gothic 1 Remake: Biggest Changes and Improvements Over the Original appeared first on Green Man Gaming Blog.

It may be the week of reveals, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t an exciting game releasing during the festivities. The PlayStation Store continues to add great games to its digital shelves. That includes the Gothic 1 Remake, a “from the ground up” remake of the classic action RPG.

What is the Gothic 1 Remake?

Developed by Alkimia Interactive and published by THQ Nordic, the Gothic 1 Remake is a “faithful” remake of the classic action RPG that was originally released in 2001. Players will explore the Valley of the Mines with an enhanced combat system, branching story, and dynamic living world.

Here is a description and trailer of the Gothic 1 Remake, giving PS5 players an idea of what to expect from the Action RPG remake:

“Gothic 1 Remake remains faithful to the original experience, rebuilding the game from the ground up while preserving its distinctive sense of unrestricted exploration and satisfying progression. The dark and gritty world of the Colony is richly detailed and immersive, with NPCs and wildlife following realistic daily routines independent from the player.

“While the core pillars of the game remain intact, the remake enhances the experience with expanded and more detailed questlines, additional NPC routines and reactions, new traversal abilities, and a fully modernized combat system.”

The Gothic 1 Remake for PS5 is available right now on the PS Store. There is only a Standard Edition, and it costs $59.99.

The original Gothic, developed by Piranha Bytes, is a cult classic and was well-received by critics. According to the review aggregate site Metacritic, it received an average score of 81 based on 14 critic reviews. The PS5 version of the original, titled Gothic Classic, will launch on July 28 for $29.99. However, players who preordered the remake will receive it right now as a free bonus.

Make sure to check out more of the new PS Store releases, as well as the sales we highlight, here.

The post Beloved Action RPG Remake Is Out Today on PS Store appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

Fatekeeper, the dark fantasy action RPG from THQ Nordic, has officially entered Early Access on Steam today, giving players their first opportunity to explore its brutal fantasy world while helping shape the game’s future through community feedback. The Early Access launch marks the beginning of a new chapter for Fatekeeper, with the development team planning…

The post Fatekeeper Launches in Early Access on Steam With 20% Launch Discount appeared first on Invision Game Community.

How far could you rise through the ranks of the medieval era using just your skills, connections, and a burning ambition to climb the social ladder? In The Guild Europa 1410, you start out with just a small shop in town, gradually winning favor among the residents and expanding your business. As your portfolio grows, so does your family's influence; play your cards well, shake the right hands, and cut the right deals, and you might one day find yourself in the highest offices of government. It's time for the classic medieval game to return to its roots, more than two decades on.

Platinum Games, the game development studio that evidently are to edged weapon action games what Marks & Spencer are to inoffensive socks, are making a TMNT game. It’s called Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin, it’s being published by Paramount Games Studio, and it’s just been announced as part of Summer Game Fest 2026.

Keener fans of pizza-gnawing reptiles will remember that there was already a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin game in development at Destroy All Humans! remake studio Black Forest Games, to be published by THQ Nordic. Unfortunately, it seems that mass layoffs at the former have taken their toll, and Paramount – TMNT’s rights holders – have asked Platinum to have a go instead. Here’s the teaser trailer for the new version, which doesn’t show much, except that it's likely a close adaptation of the (unusually grim) Turtles comic of the same name.

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And with that the Summer Game Fest is over. At least, the official Geoff Keighley showcase - there are still many more streams over the weekend. I wouldn't say there were many surprises, but it was excellent to get a first look at games like Alien Isolation 2, Fumito Ueda's genAtlas, and Guild Wars 3.

If you don't want to watch through the full two hours. Below you will find every everything announced for PC at Summer Game Fest 2026.

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In an industry pestered by calls to "think of the children", Tarsier’s games are useful reminders that children can be utterly depraved in ways no coddling adult would ever dream. Later in Reanimal, the developer’s latest, strictly 'co-optional' horror game, two kids rip an eyeball out of a massive, sunken horse skull and shove it into what I sincerely hope is the eyesocket of a slumbering whale. Somehow, this is necessary to advance.

It’s the kind of thing that would only occur to children, because children do not reason like 'we' do, those disgusting creeps. They sense that they exist in a world that isn’t for them: a world of baffling laws, high shelves, and everyday monstrosity; a world they’re required to 'grow into' by means of repeated shedding and sprouting and subjection - milk teeth and pubic hair and doing your goddamn chores. So they instinctively come up with ways to screw with the system, twist its horrible logic against itself. Why not push a horse’s eyeball into a whale?

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What is the meaning of Reanimal's ending? The ending to Reanimal's story is largely up to interpretation, but there is fun to be had trawling through all the theories out there. The story toys with many themes, but it does revolve around the girl and the nightmarish creature we finally see at the end of the game: the sheep. There's also a secret ending you can unlock by interacting with all five coffins found throughout the game. Here's what to expect from both endings, though only read on if you're happy to know what happens at the end of Reanimal, as this guide contains major story spoilers.

Read the full story on PCGamesN: Reanimal ending explained

While in Early Access, Titan Quest II already displays the hallmarks of a future action RPG classic. You take control of a Greek warrior on a small island tasked with hunting down a legendary griffon. It’s a compelling hook, and while you eventually succeed in the hunt, the narrative quickly takes a turn for the worse as ancient threats emerge. Of course, every great adventure needs a bit of world-shattering chaos to get the momentum going.

While the core combat follows classic ARPG standards – clicking on enemies and managing active abilities – the skill system stands out as something truly special. You begin by selecting one of five mastery trees, each featuring an expansive list of unique skills and passives to upgrade as you level. As you invest points, you unlock sub-slots that allow you to modify how abilities function, such as adding extra projectile casts or fundamentally changing a skill’s elemental property.

The experience becomes truly interesting once you unlock your second mastery, providing a massive array of options to mix and match abilities as you see fit. This dual-class synergy creates deep complexity, yet the game remains accessible because you can respec your points as often as you like. This ensures that if you find a new piece of legendary equipment you want to test, or simply want to see how a specific skill performs, you can do so without any penalty or hassle.

You do all of this while traversing a beautiful Greek world teeming with monsters and myth, underscored by an atmospheric soundtrack and grand visual spectacle. It is a fantastic experience already, and the scope will only improve as more content and masteries are added throughout development. This is already a stellar action RPG, and it is clearly destined to get even better from here.

The post Titan Quest II Mini-Review: An Epic Odyssey Through Ancient Greece appeared first on Green Man Gaming Blog.

From the team that rattled our nerves with Little Nightmares I & II, REANIMAL is shaping up to be Tarsier Studios’ most devastating horror effort yet. The game chronicles a brother and sister’s harrowing journey to rescue their missing friends and escape an island teeming with unspeakable terrors.

Be sure to bookmark this guide, as we cover all the essentials, including the release date, preorder bonuses, deluxe edition details, gameplay mechanics, the latest trailer, and PC specifications.

REANIMAL Release Date

REANIMAL is officially confirmed for a full release on February 13, 2026. It will launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC (via Steam and the Epic Games Store). As of this writing, there are no plans for a release on other platforms.

REANIMAL Pre-order Bonus

Players who choose to preorder REANIMAL can access a selection of bonus items, including the following:

• Muttonhead Mask: A cosmetic item for the main protagonists that provides a stylish, yet unsettling, sheep-inspired look.
• Foxhead Mask: A cosmetic item for the main protagonists featuring a distorted fox aesthetic, perfect for blending into the island’s nightmarish atmosphere.

REANIMAL Special Edition

In addition to the regular version of the game, developer Tarsier Studios and publisher THQ Nordic have confirmed that REANIMAL will be available in a Deluxe Edition. This version includes a range of digital bonuses and additional content for players looking to expand their experience beyond the base game.

Deluxe Edition

• REANIMAL base game
• Preorder Bonus: Muttonhead & Foxhead Masks
• Season Pass: Grants access to three paid, story-based DLC expansions (release dates to be announced)

REANIMAL Friend’s Pass

Tarsier Studios has confirmed that horror is best shared. Much like the system in games like It Takes Two, REANIMAL features a Friend’s Pass that lets you experience the entire nightmarish journey with a partner using only one purchased copy of the game.

Friend’s Pass Features

• One Copy, Two Players: Only one person needs to own the full game to invite a friend to play the entire campaign online for free.
• Full Access: Your co-op partner simply downloads the dedicated “Friend’s Pass” client to join your session, eliminating the “buy-in” barrier for your teammate.
• Solo Flexibility: While the game is built for co-op, you can still play 100% solo with an AI companion if your partner isn’t available.

Note: While the developers are working hard to have this feature ready for day one, they have stated that the Friend’s Pass may arrive shortly after the initial launch on February 13.

REANIMAL Story

The narrative follows two orphaned siblings trapped within a twisted, demonic version of their former island home. Tasked with rescuing three missing friends, the duo must navigate a nightmarish archipelago while avoiding grotesque animal-human hybrids  – horrors birthed from the darkest recesses of their own minds. Heavy stuff, indeed.

REANIMAL Gameplay

If you’ve dipped your toes into the Little Nightmares series, Reanimal’s core mechanics will feel instantly familiar. Built from the ground up for cooperative play, it utilises a single cinematic camera that keeps both players in the frame. This system reinforces a palpable sense of tension and claustrophobia that would be lost in a traditional split-screen view.

While engineered with a “co-op first” philosophy, solo players aren’t left behind; the second sibling is controlled by AI in the absence of a partner. These characters are more than just aesthetically different; they possess bespoke traits and skills that must be used in tandem to overcome deadly traps and “brain-tickling” environmental puzzles.

Much like Tarsier’s previous hits, the gameplay relies on a three-part loop. Since traditional combat is non-existent – your tormentors are far larger and more dangerous than the children – stealth is the primary focus. You will spend significant time lurking in shadows, crawling under objects, and waiting for the precise moment to move.

When you aren’t playing “hide and seek,” you’ll be navigating physics-based puzzles. These require constant cooperation; for example, one player might need to distract a lurking horror while the other dashes for a lever to unlock a door.

The final pillar of the loop consists of cinematic chase sequences. These require players to outrun pursuing aggressors while reacting quickly to obstacles in their path. Again, anyone with cursory experience in Little Nightmares will have a clear idea of what to expect here.

However, Reanimal does introduce a major shift: boat travel. This allows the duo to explore the archipelago in full 3D, navigating between islands. It is a stark contrast to the linear, 2.5D side-scrolling perspective that defined Tarsier’s earlier work.

PC Specifications

Leveraging the power of Unreal Engine 5, Reanimal utilises cutting-edge environments, advanced shadow effects, and dynamic lighting to craft the visceral horror and creeping dread that are hallmarks of Tarsier Studios. Despite these high-end visuals, the PC requirements are surprisingly accessible.

MINIMUM:

• Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
• OS: Windows® 10/11
• Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 2400G / Intel® Core i5-9400F
• Memory: 8 GB RAM
• Graphics: AMD Radeon RX 480 / NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1060
• DirectX: Version 12
• Storage: 18 GB available space
• Additional Notes: Broadband Internet connection required

RECOMMENDED:

• Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
• OS: Windows® 10/11
• Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 3600X / Intel® Core i7-7700K
• Memory: 16 GB RAM
• Graphics: AMD Radeon RX 6600XT / NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX 2060
• DirectX: Version 12
• Storage: 18 GB available space
• Additional Notes: Broadband Internet connection required

Where Can I Watch The Latest Trailer?

Brief yet impactful, the latest trailer offers a glimpse into one of February’s most anticipated releases. It showcases the exploration, puzzle-solving, and stealth pillars of the game’s design. The footage also highlights the thick, “cut-it-with-a-knife” atmosphere, anchored by a sinister, WWII-style radio briefing. You can watch the full trailer above.

The post Everything You Need To Know About REANIMAL appeared first on Green Man Gaming Blog.

Silence. Two crouched shapes silhouetted in the moonlight, breath held tight as something stirs. A torch beam slices through the shadows; strange grasping limbs slide into view; tension mounts, hearts pound, and then suddenly a voice cuts in, "Hang on a minute, I'm just gonna run to the loo."

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I know I say this a lot, but I’m genuinely surprised that Tides of Tomorrow flew completely under my radar. You’d think with a career covering the games industry, I would be aware of almost every video game that’s on the horizon, but sometimes you can end up missing the trees for the forest. 

However, I knew this would be something interesting when CGM’s Dayna Elieen messaged me, “K CAN WE PLEASE TALK ABOUT TIDES OF TOMORROW,” since she doesn’t often message me in all caps unless something is genuinely good. I’ve repeatedly said that the Indie scene is infinitely more interesting than the “AAA” one because of the bold choices developers make to advance the medium. Tides of Tomorrow is one such example of this.

Developed by DigixArt, the studio behind Road 96 and Lost in Harmony, Tides of Tomorrow is a narrative adventure set in a vast, flooded world that has been all but destroyed by plastic pollution in the oceans. Players take on the role of a Tidewalker—unique humans who are able to connect with each other and harness visions of past events—suffering from the disease known as “Plastemia,” which is slowly killing them. 

Players must navigate the world, fighting for not only their own survival, but the fate of the remaining mankind. Their choices will shape the world and potentially build a new one, or possibly destroy what little is left. It may sound simple, or like so many games that have come before it, but Tides of Tomorrow differentiates itself with its main gameplay mechanic: asynchronous multiplayer. 

When players begin their game, they can choose to follow another player. As you play, you’ll be able to see what choices your followed player made both in dialogue and in action, how it affected the story and allow you to make decisions accordingly. You can either follow in their wake or attempt to diverge and see what new waters await you. 

It’s an incredibly interesting idea that works on a lot of unique levels. In the moment-to-moment gameplay, it functions like a positive version of Dark Souls’ Messages system, where players are actually trying to guide each other instead of sending them into bottomless pits. But in the macro-design, it connects in a meta way to the game’s overall narrative by allowing players to learn from each other’s mistakes and try to forge a better path forward.

“Even though my time with Tides of Tomorrow was relatively brief, I’m genuinely impressed with what it’s doing. “

In the early moments of the game, I needed to collect some scrap in order to help one of the characters who was trying to guide me. There was a bunch littered around, but one of them was placed on a memorial to those who had died from Plastemia. By using my Tide-O-Vision, I was able to see that the player I was following had been reprimanded for taking some scrap that was on the monument. 

In that moment, it gave me some pause to consider how else I could approach my current situation that wouldn’t put me in bad standing with the local population. Going forward, I tried to be extra considerate with my decisions, all while trying to navigate a whole that was being shaped by another player. It made the experience so incredibly interesting, as you can tangibly see how events were shaped by the person who came before you, and how I now had to move through newly opened doors as others were closed by another player. 

And what’s even more interesting is that players are not bound to another player for the entirety of their journey. At certain critical moments, players can choose to follow others, giving them the freedom to explore other perspectives and follow different threads of fate. Digixart clearly wants Tides of Tomorrow to be a deeply social game as players can share game seeds with one another, and there’s a big push for players to follow their favourite streamers—expanding the experience to a much broader platform. 

Even though my time with Tides of Tomorrow was relatively brief, I’m genuinely impressed with what it’s doing. Not only is it creating an interesting world and telling an engaging story with truly resonant themes, but it’s doing so with such an interesting and dynamic gameplay hook that it genuinely keeps you involved. It’s going to be really exciting to see how Tides of Tomorrow connects and challenges players.

Tides of Tomorrow launches February 24, 2025, for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S/X.

Sony has unveiled its PS Plus monthly game offerings for January.

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Publisher THQ Nordic and developer Weappy will release a demo for hand-drawn side-scrolling platformer The …

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If I were the foreman of an game refinery, I might be dabbing my forehead in anticipation right now because there is a lot coming down the pipeline in 2026. You may be looking at the telltale bulge of Grand Theft Auto, but I'm more focused on the amount of damn fine horror we've got in the plumbing.

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A game like Titan Quest II doesn’t really lend itself to pastoral pursuits too well, so you would be forgiven for thinking that something called a Forge mastery would be a bit comparatively dull. However, the Forge mastery line coming to the multiplayer-optional ARPG acts a little bit differently – and with a more mythical […]

I was already looking forward to new Tempest Rising update Superior Firepower, which introduces highly requested superweapons to 2025's strongest Command and Conquer spiritual successor. But developer Slipgate Ironworks has gone one step further, sneaking in something even more exciting: a third playable faction. That's right, the Veti are finally in our hands courtesy of the public test branch for one of the best RTS games of the year, and we've got two full weeks to test them out and offer feedback.

Read the full story on PCGamesN: After scratching my Command and Conquer itch, Tempest Rising comes for Starcraft by making its 'secret' third faction suddenly playable

The next Tempest Rising update is taking what was already my pick for the best RTS of 2025 to a new level. The Slipgate Ironworks game has clearly pulled plenty of inspiration from the iconic Command and Conquer series; you need only look at its leading factions to see that. But while the international peacekeepers of the GDF and the revolutionary Tempest Dynasty are both very well-equipped to battle each other in the war for resources and control, they've been missing one of the most essential pieces of C&C history: superweapons.

Read the full story on PCGamesN: Already my favorite RTS this year, Tempest Rising is going full Command and Conquer by adding superweapons

System: Switch 2 Release date: November 18, 2025 Developer: Purple Lamp Publisher: THQ Nordic Are ya ready kids? Everyone’s favorite absorbent and porous fry cook is back in a new 3D platforming adventure. With Battle for Bikini Bottom and The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie Game both considered cult classics of the GameCube era of gaming, and this style of SpongeBob game...

The post SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide review for Nintendo Switch 2 appeared first on Nintendo Everything.