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Geek Culture
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Culture
Xbox Games Showcase 2025 Recap – ‘Call of Duty: Black Ops 7', ‘Persona 4 Revival', ‘Beast of Reincarnation' & More
Another year, another celebration of gaming's biggest season. The Summer Game Fest 2025 slate got the hype going with highly anticipated reveals and notable standouts, including Resident Evil Requiem and Stranger Than Heaven , but there's still plenty more summer goodness to spare. Making a return to the stage is Microsoft's Xbox Games Showcase, which has a lot to offer for 2025 and beyond. Alongside a 30-minute pre-show, the main presentation got its fair share of the spotlight, unveiling world premiere trailers, new game announcements, and updates to existing titles in spades. While some were expected highlights, others like Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 , There Are No Ghosts at the Grand , and Beast of Reincarnation came as a pleasant surprise for fans. Here's a recap of all the announcements that were unveiled during the event, arranged in order of appearance (least to most recent). Saving the best for the last, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is set to be 'the most mind-bending' entry in the franchise to date, featuring 'near-future weaponry', a co-op campaign, a multiple mode with new maps, and the next chapter in its Zombies mode. David Mason, protagonist of 2012's Call of Duty: Black Ops II and son of Alex from the first game, leads the narrative, with the usual dollops of guns and ammunition laying in wait. No release date was announced for the shooter. The brainchild of Psychonauts 2 developer, Double Fine Productions, Keeper presents an intriguing premise: a walking lighthouse with a seabird companion. More notably, the game is touted as a 'story told without words' that, when coupled with a beautiful trailer showing a forest, a well-lit cave, and a robot-populated village, makes it a highly enticing prospect. It comes to life on 17 October. In a double treat for fans, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade and Final Fantasy XVI are both coming to Xbox – the first in Winter 2025, and the latest numbered entry, available now. A new Invincible brawler, based on Robert Kirkman's comic books and its animated series adaptation, is on the way – and it promises to be as bloody as the source material. Slated for release in 2026, Invincible VS is a three-versus-three experience that will bring together heroes and villains alike, including Omni-Man, Atom Eve, Thula, Bulletproof, and of course, the titular hero himself. Life at sea is about to get more exciting, as Season 17 of Sea of Thieves introduces a new faction to its sandbox, entitled The Smuggler's League, new Voyages, and plenty of 'explosive' loot. The Smugglers ' Tide update sets sail this August. It's a revival, all right. Persona 4 Revival has been revealed as the remake of Atlus' beloved JRPG title, but not much else is known, including a release date, new and improved features, and the like. There are some glimpses of updated footage, though, spotlighting Samegawa Floodplain, Mysterious Fox's shrine, the Inaba Shipping District, and the game's protagonist running through the streets of Inaba. The second remaster of the original 2006 title, Gears of War: Reloaded returns on 26 August 2025 with support for 4K gameplay at 120 frames per second (FPS), cross-play and cross-production on all platforms, all the post-launch maps from previous editions, and split-screen co-op functionality. At Fate's End comes across as a visual stunner, but that's hardly surprising when Spiritfarer developer Thunder Lotus is at the helm. Back to fuel emotions and break some hearts, the action-adventure title pits princess Shan, wielder of the God Sword Aesus, against her siblings not just in combat trials, but also 'dialogue, psychological insight, and hard-won knowledge of shared history'. Here's even more responsibility to bear – it promises various endings, so the future of your family lies in your hands. The story-driven game drops in 2026. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 offers no shortage of content for newcomers and franchise veterans, including new skaters, 'gnarlier tricks' and 'an ever sicker soundtrack', alongside cross-platform online multiplayer for up to eight individuals, a new HAWK mode, different activities with the Competitive playlist, and more. The roster also includes several up-and-rising starlets in the scene, from Yuto Horigome and Chloe Covell to Rayssa Leal and… Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ' Michelangelo? The skating action is set to kick(flip) off on 11 July. The creature-catching momentum isn't stopping anytime soon, with Pawprint Studio's Aniimo bringing its own twist to the genre. Launching in 2026, the free-to-play open world ARPG casts players as Pathfinder, who have to 'collect, evolve, and twine with magical creatures' called…you guessed it, Aniimo. Of note is the Twinning feature, which lets them merge with their Aniimo and unlock more abilities, different perspectives, and 'new and unique ways to play' – whatever that means. Fancy some downtime in the middle of post-apocalyptic chaos? Offering a chance to experience the cosier side of Appalachia, the Fallout 76: Gone Fission update brings fishing to players, who can try various combinations to hook various catches. Common fish, prized Axolotls, and Local Legends are all available for angling, but note that different bait, weather conditions, fishing rods, and locations will spawn fish types. The summer pastime is now live. The follow-up to 2023's Planet of Lana revisits a beautifully-crafted art style to chronicle a new adventure – one that sees returning protagonists Lana and her companion Mui navigating a strange world after a robot invasion. Alongside the same side-scrolling elements from before, players can also expect more puzzle solving, refined stealth mechanics, new agility-based challenges, and a profound sci-fi story. Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf releases next year. Stealth is the name of the game in Mudang: Two Hearts , a tactical action game that imagines a near future where North and South are on the verge of reunification, only for a mysterious terrorist group to attack the South Korean National Assembly. Cue cinematic brawls, climbing up pipes, knife attacks, and more adrenaline-pumping scenes. Two characters will take centre stage when it launches sometime in 2026: an elite North Korean special forces operative called Ji Jeong-tae, and K-pop idol GAVI. Age of Mythology: Retold – Heavenly Spear puts Japanese mythology into focus, introducing a new campaign about Yasuko and 12 new gods, 'each with unique god powers, divine technologies, and myth units drawn from centuries of legend'. The expansion arrives this fall. Music and mystery are at the heart of Friday Sundae's narrative-driven game There Are No Ghosts at the Grand , but don't expect it to be your run-of-the-mill experience. Releasing in 2026, the first-person cosy hotel fixer-upper entry sends players to The Grand, a dilapidated hotel in an eastern English village, who are tasked to restore it back to its former glory within 30 days and nights. The catch? A mixed bag of genre influences, be it uncovering secrets, including the player character's, or exploding old furniture. Don't Nod, best known for Life is Strange , is taking off to space for its upcoming sci-fi stint. Aphelion , developed in collaboration with the European Space Agency, follows two astronauts who crash land on an alien planet, complete with some sliding, leaping, and anti-gravity movements. It will be out sometime in 2026. A new zone awaits in The Elder Scrolls Online: Seasons of the Worm Cult Part 1 , available now on PC and Mac, and on 18 June on consoles. The next chapter in the adventuring journey grants free access to the Update 46 base-game patch, including the new Subclassing system that allows the mix-and-match of Skill Lines, and adds the Hero's Return system that provides in-game rewards to help returning players get back on their feet. The first original horror title from Bloober Team, the developers behind Silent Hill 2 Remake , is looking gloriously grotesque. Taking players through unsettling post-apocalyptic environments inspired by existing Polish district Nowa Huta, it brings Orphans – 'twisted, body-horror monstrosities born from humanity's darkest nightmares'– to life, and there's a catch: don't let them merge with other Orphans. Autumn 2025 is when the thrills hit. Obsidian's tiny garden survival title, quite literally, is getting a follow-up – this time, with caterpillars posing a new threat. Like its predecessor, Grounded 2 sees the same teen heroes having to craft tools for survival again, although they are now able to leap on the back of insects and enjoy a free ride. The sequel will be available to play next month. The wait continues for InXile Entertainment's Clockwork Revolution , first revealed two years ago but has since gone quiet. Set to arrive 'in due time', the time-bending steampunk shooter is highly evocative of BioShock Infinite , except that it features the setting of Avalon, is run by a woman, and a lot of decision-making. 'By travelling back to key moments, your interactions and choices will have a butterfly effect on the deep, narrative-driven world and characters of Avalon, causing them to change and react in unprecedented ways,' reads the 2023 description for the game. Pokémon developer Game Freak is swapping the Pokéballs out for a sword, with Beast of Reincarnation showcasing action RPG gameplay that represents a departure from its usual fare. It follows the sword-wielding Emma the Sealer, who teams up with a wolf companion to save humanity from extinction in a post-apocalyptic future. The title is due out in 2026. Indy can never catch a break, it seems. The fedora-wearing professor will soon crack the whip when 4 September 2025 rolls around, marking the start of a new adventure brought on by The Order of Giants, the first expansion for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle . Set during the events of the first game in Rome, it sees players outwitting a dangerous cult and uncovering 'the dark legacy of Nephilim giants' while encountering 'stunning new locations, intricate puzzles, terrifying new foes and more.' It's slice-and-dice gore galore in Ninja Gaiden 4 , as new protagonist Yakumo slams a rocket-propelled giant hammer into an enemy, and plunges a drill staff into another. Returning character Ryu Hayabusa also stole some of the spotlight, dealing devastating damage with his Dragon Katana and Izuna Drop. The slashing action kicks off 21 October 2025. Super Meat Boy is back, and he's making a leap to 3D. The protein-packed hero returns to navigate more hardcore platforming challenges in Super Meat Boy 3D , featuring an isometric perspective, a mix of 3D and 2.5D design, and vibrant visuals. Say hello to circular saws, thorns, the ability to clone yourself (or so it appears), and more. The upcoming entry releases in early 2026. As its title suggests, The Blood of the Dawnwalker is all about vampires. Having former CD Projekt Red developers at the helm, however, means there's a touch of The Witcher flavouring, joined by some cool parkour action and a flashy combat ability that seems to pull from Dishonored 's Blink mechanic. Coen leads the narrative as a Dawnwalker who treads the line between day and night. The RPG is scheduled for a 2026 release. The ROG Xbox Ally X has finally gotten an official reveal, and it lends a portable touch to the Xbox gaming experience. Armed with impulse triggers, an AMD Ryzen AI Z2A Extreme processor (or an AMD Ryzen AI Z2A for the ROG Xbox Ally), and 24GB / 16GB of storage, the device includes Xbox Play Anywhere, Game Pass, Xbox Cloud Game (Beta), Remote Play for easy access on the go without compromising on performance. The first wave of release kicks off in Holiday 2025. A young Sophia is front and centre of Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy , set 15 years before the events of the first game. In it, the fan-favourite character from Requiem , the second title in the franchise, is seen escaping from an army of mysterious pursuers as she embarks on a quest to discover the secrets of her past. But that isn't the only threat standing in her way. The threequel introduces Minotaur's Island, a mysterious locale with ancient puzzles, maxes, and trials. Get ready to embrace themes, places, and eras that have never been explored before when it arrives in 2026. Hailing from Squanch Games, founded by Rick and Morty creator Justin Roiland, High on Life 2 is the trippy sequel to the foul-mouthed title with talking guns, sporting elements that fans from the original will recognise: action-packed gameplay, quirky humour, weird firearms, and cartoony, kaleidoscopic visuals. The wacky first-person shooter is slated for launch sometime this winter. The universe needs a hero, but beggars can't be choosers, so it'll have to make do with an agent of the Earth Directorate. Aunt Cleo serves as the main narrator in a new trailer for The Outer Worlds 2 , teasing mysterious rifts, more colonised planets, and its signature snarky humour. Expect explosions, gunfire, and plenty of digs at capitalism when the sequel returns to orbit 29 October 2025. Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth's theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia's greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Engadget
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Engadget
Psychonauts developer's trippy island adventure Keeper comes out on October 17
It's not Psychonauts 3 , but Keeper already looks to be a visually stunning and highly original gaming experience. Double Fine Productions and the company's art director Lee Petty showed off the official announcement trailer for its latest title during the Xbox Games Showcase at Summer Game Fest 2025. It's not as hype as the news of Persona 4 Revival or The Outer Worlds 2 , but this quirky third-person adventure game looks like a fun departure from your typical AAA title. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the "Content and social-media partners" setting to do so. As seen in the trailer, Keeper puts you in control of a magically reassembled lighthouse that's since grown legs and has a strange desire to venture towards the central mountain peak of the island. There's no dialogue for this game, but you won't be alone since an equally adventurous seabird joins you on your mysterious mission. There's little revealed about the storyline, but the trailer shows that the lighthouse's beam of light can interact with the island's wildlife, while your trusty winged companion can take care of anything out of your reach. For diehard fans of the Psychonauts franchise, Keeper 's vibrant and striking visuals might be the only thing to scratch that itch for a while. Double Fine Productions previously confirmed in June 2023 that it's not working on Psychonauts 3, following hints at a potential reveal that summer. Double Fine's Keeper will be available on Xbox Series X / S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, Xbox Game Pass and Steam on October 17.
