February closes on a high note, delivering hype reveals and unexpected teasers to cap off the month. The final week brought a wave of announcements, beginning with a cryptic tease for a possible NieR: Automata sequel during the game’s 9th anniversary stream.
The momentum didn’t stop there. ARC Raiders rolled out its Shrouded Sky update with new threats and limited-time rewards, while ULTRAKILL finally delivered Layer 8: Fraud after two years of anticipation. At the same time, Crimson Desert ramped up excitement ahead of launch with a star-studded voice cast reveal, and Neverness to Everness locked in its official April release date. There's plenty to unpack, so here's a quick roundup of the week’s biggest headlines.
Gaming News At A Glance
NieR: Automata Teases Continuation at 9th Anniversary Stream
ARC Raiders Launches Shrouded Sky Update
ULTRAKILL Releases Layer 8: Fraud After Two Years
Crimson Desert Reveals Star-Studded Voice Cast
Neverness to Everness Sets April 29 Release Date
Other News and Developments This Week
Review Roundup: Feb 22nd to 28th
The Return of the Umbrella Corporation, Greeks and Nords, And A Sprinkle Of Fantasy
⚫︎ Resident Evil Requiem (RE9)
⚫︎ God of War: Sons of Sparta
⚫︎ Tales of Berseria Remasterd
⚫︎ Other Reviews This Week
Indie Darlings Come With Demos
⚫︎ REPLACED Demo
⚫︎ Vampire Crawlers Demo
Gaming News At A Glance: NieR: Automata Sequel, ARC Raiders Shrouded Sky, and NTE Launch Date
NieR: Automata Teases Continuation at 9th Anniversary Stream
Square Enix recently hosted the 9th Anniversary stream for NieR: Automata, ending the broadcast with a cryptic message: "NieR: Automata to be continued." No additional details were shared, but fans have already begun speculating about what the tease could mean.
Some believe it may simply be another one of Yoko Taro’s signature pranks, while others remain hopeful that the message points to a new entry in the beloved franchise. Either way, excitement within the NieR community is clearly building as players await further updates.
ARC Raiders Launches Shrouded Sky Update
ARC Raiders keeps up the momentum with the Shrouded Sky update, which launched on February 24, 2026. A trailer released ahead of the update showcased the disruptive Hurricane map condition, introducing chaotic weather that alters combat encounters.
Players can participate in a limited-time event to uncover the cause of the storms, earning items, Raider Tokens, and an Anemometer Backpack Charm as rewards.
Two new enemies have also joined the fray: the Firefly and the Comet. The Firefly patrols the skies, targeting raiders topside with flaming attacks, while the Comet roams the surface and detonates at close range. Shrouded Sky wraps up February’s entry in the game’s roadmap, setting the stage for Flashpoint, which is slated to arrive next month.
ULTRAKILL Releases Layer 8: Fraud After Two Years
After two years of development, ULTRAKILL has finally released Layer 8: Fraud. A trailer uploaded to New Blood Interactive’s official channel showcased mind-bending environments filled with shifting hallways and portals that loop into unexpected areas. The trailer also ends with a callback to Fraud’s initial reveal from last year, tying the update together thematically.
Early player reception has been largely positive, with particular praise directed at the first two levels. However, some players have expressed mixed feelings about the latter stages, citing awkward traversal and occasional visual clutter.
Crimson Desert Reveals Star-Studded Voice Cast
With Crimson Desert now on the horizon, having gone gold ahead of schedule and locking in a March 19 release, anticipation continues to grow following the reveal of its star-studded voice cast in a “Meet the Cast” trailer and accompanying interview with Epic Games.
Kliff, the game’s protagonist, will be voiced by Alec Newman, known for portraying Adam Smasher in Cyberpunk 2077. Rebecca Hansen, who voiced Alfira in Baldur's Gate 3, joins the cast as Damiane. Other notable names include Stewart Scudamore (Rictus in Arcane) and Peter Bramhill (Thancred in Final Fantasy XIV).
Neverness to Everness Sets April 29 Release Date
Neverness to Everness has officially set its launch date for April 29, 2026, welcoming players to the vibrant urban city of Hethereau. The announcement follows the game’s recent Co-Ex Test, which ran from February 6 to February 20 and focused on optimization, combat balance, and expanded interaction systems.
Developer Hotta Studio also outlined several improvements planned based on player feedback received during the Co-Ex Test. These include performance enhancements across platforms, UI refinements, hobby system updates, and expanded companion interaction features.
Other News and Developments This Week
⚫︎ Mewgenics DLC Confirmed to be in Early Development, Set for Possible 2027 Release
⚫︎ Monster Hunter Stories 3 Go Forth Trailer Reveals Lao-Shan Lung Along With Dev Walkthrough
⚫︎ Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry Sequels Will Lead Ubisoft’s Post-Reset Roadmap, CEO Confirms
⚫︎ Tales of 30th Anniversary Project and Mahoyo Film Announced by Ufotable
⚫︎ MOUSE: P.I. For Hire Delayed To April 16 As Developers Aim For A Polished Shooter Experience
⚫︎ FF7 Rerelease on Steam Fixed After Players Report Game Breaking Bugs
⚫︎ Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls Faces Region-Locking During Pre-Order Launch
⚫︎ Overwatch Rush Revealed as Blizzard’s New Mobile Hero-Shooter
⚫︎ Horizon Hunters Gathering Playtest to Clash With Marathon Server Slam this Weekend
⚫︎ Paranormasight: The Mermaid's Curse Devs Removed Jump Scares After Fans Found First Game Too Scary
⚫︎ Genshin Impact PS4 Servers to Shut Down in April 2026
⚫︎ Marathon Trailer Reveals Rook Runner Shell Ahead of Weekend Server Slam
⚫︎ Stardew Valley Anniversary Broadcast to Reveal Two New Marriage Candidates
Review Roundup: Feb 22nd to 28th
The Return of the Umbrella Corporation, Greeks and Nords, And A Sprinkle Of Fantasy
This week has just a little bit of everything—it marks the release of one of gaming’s most highly anticipated games, Resident Evil Requiem, bringing back fan-favorite Leon Kennedy with a new face, Grace Ashcroft. Alongside that is a dive into the shadow-dropped God of War: Sons of Sparta, following the tale of Kratos and Deimos. Coming in hot from the land of RPGs are two remasters or enhanced versions, Tales of Berseria and Ys X: Proud Nordics. Welcome to Doll Town pulls you into a strange horror tale, while NORSE: Oath of Blood tells one of revenge.
Resident Evil Requiem (RE9)
Set in 2028, Resident Evil Requiem follows FBI analyst Grace Ashcroft who is assigned to investigate a curious string of murders—right at the hotel where her own mother was murdered. One investigation leads to another, and soon, she finds herself deeper into something she would have never expected. However, she’s not the only protagonist of this tale. Series mainstay Leon Kennedy also steps back into the spotlight, marking his return to where it all started—Raccoon City.
Resident Evil Requiem delivers the best of what the modern Resident Evil titles have to offer—dual protagonists with differing playstyles that keep the game dynamic and fun, challenging puzzles, meaningful exploration, all put together with a deep and satisfying narrative. It exceeded expectations and is definitely a mainline title that you would not want to miss.
God of War: Sons of Sparta
God of War: Sons of Sparta is exactly what it says in the title. As a prequel, it follows a young Kratos and his brother, Deimos, as they take part in a Spartan tradition—the Agoge, a martial training program for the children of Sparta. Players take on their roles in smooth, Metroidvania-style gameplay.
While it’s certainly not the best in the franchise and isn’t particularly considered to add anything to the lore (if you’re a God of War fan, of course), it’s still a polished and well-designed game with engaging mechanics and stunning pixel visuals that’s sure to be a treat for those who want to know more about the enigmatic protagonist of the series that is Kratos.
Tales of Berseria Remastered
Tales of Berseria Remastered is the more modern, enhanced version of the 2016 JRPG of the same name. Set in the Holy Midgand Kingdom, it follows heroine Velvet Crowe, a young woman fueled by vengeance, seeking to right the wrongs of those responsible for her brother’s untimely murder.
Its charm as one of the best titles in the series still stands, but in comparison to other Tales of titles that also received a remaster (Xilia and Graces, to be exact), the "enhancements" here don’t feel as strong as they were. Nevertheless, it’s still a solid, high-quality version of the game for both newcomers who want to start their journey and for returning players looking to relive their best moments.
Other Reviews This Week
⚫︎ Ys X: Proud Nordics Review | This Could've Been DLC
⚫︎ Welcome to Doll Town Review | An Empty Romance on Acid
⚫︎ NORSE: Oath of Blood Review | A Glitchy Viking Tale
Indie Darlings Come With Demos
Breakthrough indies REPLACED and Vampire Crawlers have launched a demo available on Steam in celebration of the Steam Next Fest, bringing in post-apocalyptic flair and a bit of silliness.
REPLACED Demo
REPLACED is an upcoming 2.5D cyberpunk action-platformer set in an alternate 1980s United States. Following a nuclear disaster that forced the country into isolated structures, the story centers on R.E.A.C.H., an artificial intelligence trapped inside a human body, navigating the walled metropolis of Phoenix-City in search of answers about its existence and the true motives behind the all-powerful Corporation.
The game’s aesthetic deserves nothing but praise. Its set pieces showcase jaw-dropping pixel art, complemented by dynamic camera angles that elevate the atmosphere and reinforce its gritty cyberpunk tone. While the gameplay doesn’t attempt to reinvent the wheel, the combat loop feels responsive and satisfyingly brutal, albeit repetitive in its current form.
Vampire Crawlers Demo
Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard is a first-person dungeon-crawling deckbuilder set within procedurally generated, retro-styled labyrinths. Combat plays out through fast-paced, turn-based card battles, anchored by a snowballing combo system that doubles card effects when played in ascending order of their mana cost.
Ultimately, the demo already feels like a standout with the potential to redefine expectations for deckbuilding games. It captures a similar disruptive energy that the original Vampire Survivors brought to its genre by refining them around momentum and replayability. Even in its early state, it plays like nothing else, and it shows promise for what's in store for fans of the series.
