NextGen Player

Pray and spray By Paul Hunter Crisol: Theater of Idols was made for horror fans like me who grew up on games like Resident Evil and BioShock and love their horror dripping in style and lore. Vermila Studios and Blumhouse Games team up for a first-person horror shooter that focuses heavily on Spanish religious imagery and local legends. The whole game takes place on Tormentosa, a cursed island that somehow fits cathedrals, street processions, and a nightmarish fair into one tight package.

Come hell and high water By Paul Hunter I have a huge appreciation for Tarsier’s signature brand of horror, so I was curious what their first big project after Little Nightmares would look like. Reanimal ended up being exactly what I was hoping for: a grim, weird, and oddly beautiful game that somehow even better than their Little Nightmares offerings.

Two styles, one epic trip By Paul Hunter Nioh 3 feels like Team NINJA and Koei Tecmo taking everything that worked in Nioh and Nioh 2 and giving it a much bigger stage. It still has that Nioh identity at its core, yet the structure and combat options make it easier to play your way instead of forcing one approach. The first major change is the series’ move into its first semi-open world format, using open-field areas to open up how you explore each chunk of the game.

Karate kicks, ghost tricks and pure platform joy By Paul Hunter SpongeBob platformers have long been a reliable part of the 3D platforming scene, and SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide on PS5 is more proof of that. Purple Lamp and THQ Nordic are back again, building on the ideas they cemented with Battle for Bikini Bottom: Rehydrated and The Cosmic Shake, only this time with a stronger focus on character swapping and a light supernatural spin.

Swords, spells, and a village worth saving By Paul Hunter Having anticipated Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree for months, I was eager to see what Bandai Namco had prepared for its latest preview event. The opportunity to play the first four hours of the final retail version provided a valuable window into how the game is coming together. Developed by Brownies Inc.

Tiny tasks with big charm By Paul Hunter Tamagotchi Plaza is the latest entry in Bandai Namco’s kid-friendly franchise, this time landing on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. Combining the virtual pet charm of the late ‘90s with a shop-management spin, you’ll pick a Tamagotchi companion and set out across a colourful town, working toward a singular goal: convincing a king to host the Tamagotchi Festival in your community. Sounds simple, right?

A tour that’s worth every stamp By Paul Hunter Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is exactly what it sounds like—a guided walk through your shiny new system, its accessories, and all the tech packed inside. Developed and published by Nintendo, this unusual bit of software doubles as an explainer, demo suite, and minigame collection. It’s part instruction manual, part interactive museum, and part nostalgic stroll through Nintendo’s hardware know-how.

Ramps, snacks, and combos steal the show By Paul Hunter Toronto got flipped upside down as Xbox Canada rolled in with the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 Skate Hang—a high-energy collision of skating, gaming, and throwback vibes. Held in the heart of downtown, the event fused local skate culture with a hands-on look at the upcoming remake. Fans dropped in for demo runs, caught live ramp sessions, grabbed Taco Bell, and even got inked with on-site tattoos inspired by the series.

Walking the fine line to greatness By Paul Hunter Death Stranding 2: On The Beach shows up not just as a sequel, but as one of the PS5’s biggest swings yet. Kojima Productions, supported by Sony, takes everything that worked in the original and tightens it up while aiming even higher. Kojima feels more focused here, with a complex story and gameplay that flows better from moment to moment. It doesn’t just revisit old ground—it reshapes what this universe can become.

Stress-free island fun for the whole crew By Paul Hunter Survival Kids arrives on Nintendo Switch 2 as a fresh take on a classic Konami property dating back to 1999. Developed by Unity in their first full game project, it shifts away from the punishing survival roots of its Game Boy ancestor toward a light, co-op puzzle adventure. Instead of grim struggles, you get a family-friendly romp filled with crafting, teamwork, and exploration across islands perched on giant turtles.