It has been a busy start for March across the gaming industry, with major reveals, crossovers, and a few heated conversations making the rounds online. From the strong reception of Resident Evil Requiem to new seasonal plans for Marathon, players have had plenty to discuss as studios continue outlining their plans for the months ahead.
Elsewhere, collaborations continue to dominate the live-service space with Overwatch teasing crossover skins with NieR: Automata, while Ubisoft teased the remake of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. Meanwhile, Crimson Desert sparked discussion after its marketing director responded to concerns about console performance. Here’s a quick look at some of the week’s biggest gaming headlines.
Gaming News At A Glance
Resident Evil Requiem (RE9) Tied for Highest Metacritic User Score
Marathon Reveals Roadmap and Free Seasonal Updates
Overwatch x NieR: Automata Skins Teased Early
Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag Remake Revealed Alongside Other Projects
Crimson Desert Marketing Director Responds to Performance Concerns
Other News and Developments This Week
Review Roundup: Mar 1st to 7th
Pokemon Pokopia is Peak, Ethan Winters Lands on Switch 2, And a 3D Bullet Hell
⚫︎ Pokémon Pokopia
⚫︎ Resident Evil Village
⚫︎ Homura Hime
From Mongolian Meadows to the Endless Blue
⚫︎ The Legend of Khiimori [First Impressions]
⚫︎ Tides of Tomorrow [First Impressions]
Gaming News At A Glance: Resident Evil Requiem Ties for First, Marathon Announces Free Seasonal Updates, Overwatch x NieR: Automata Skins
Resident Evil Requiem (RE9) Tied for Highest Metacritic User Score
Resident Evil Requiem launched to an immediate wave of positive reception, with players praising its polished gameplay and deeper exploration of the franchise’s lore. The game quickly surged to become the second top-selling title on Steam, while also maintaining an "Overwhelmingly Positive" user rating on the platform.
Much of the online discussion has also centered around Leon S. Kennedy’s updated appearance, with fans across forums and social media praising the iconic protagonist’s new look. Voice actor Nick Apostolides even weighed in on the reaction, while Porsche leaned into the hype with a promotional video featuring Leon behind the wheel of a Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT, ending with the confident tagline: "WE TRUST LEON."
Marathon Reveals Roadmap and Free Seasonal Updates
Following its recent Server Slam playtest, Bungie has outlined the seasonal structure for its recently released extraction shooter Marathon. The studio confirmed that the game will receive free seasonal updates, with its first season titled "DEATH IS THE FIRST STEP."
Each season will introduce new gameplay mechanics, cosmetics, and rotating content. However, Bungie is also leaning into seasonal resets, meaning player gear, levels, and faction progress will periodically be wiped. The system is intended to maintain competitive balance for new players while giving returning veterans a reason to start fresh each season.
Overwatch x NieR: Automata Skins Teased Early
Overwatch’s steady cadence of crossovers shows no sign of slowing down. The hero shooter has revealed its next collaboration with NieR: Automata, titled "Project YoRHa." The event will see several Overwatch heroes adopting the appearance of characters from the acclaimed action RPG, such as Kiriko being set to receive a skin based on 2B.
Fan reactions have been divided. Some players expressed fatigue over the continued focus on popular heroes like Kiriko and Mercy—especially following the recent Hello Kitty crossover—while others welcomed the collaboration as another high-profile addition to the game’s expanding list of partnerships.
Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag Remake Revealed Alongside Other Projects
Assassin's Creed (AC) developer Ubisoft appears ready to revisit one of the franchise’s most beloved entries. The publisher has teased a remake of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag titled Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, which was briefly referenced in a recent article on the series’ official website alongside new concept art and a cryptic note from franchise content head Jean Guesdon.
The update also touched on other projects currently in development. According to Guesdon, work on Assassin’s Creed Codename Hexe is continuing steadily, though fans may need to wait a bit longer before more details surface. Meanwhile, Assassin’s Creed Codename Invictus is exploring a different approach to multiplayer, with its design reportedly shaped heavily by community feedback.
Crimson Desert Marketing Director Responds to Performance Concerns
With Crimson Desert set to launch on March 19, the game recently held a preview event that allowed several outlets to experience the full PC version. While early impressions offered a closer look at its combat and open-world systems, some players noted the lack of detailed information regarding performance on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and Series S.
The discussion eventually drew a response from Pearl Abyss marketing director Will Powers.. Responding to accusations on X ( formerly Twitter) that the studio was deliberately withholding console footage, Powers pushed back on the claim and later reiterated his stance in a Reddit thread. While promising transparency, he also argued that "people demanding information on their timeline is entitlement, and that needs to end."
Other News and Developments This Week
⚫︎ Slay the Spire 2 Surpasses Marathon on Steam's Top-Selling Title as Devs Say There Will Be No Microtransactions
⚫︎ Helldivers 2 Size Drops to 23GB as Legacy Build is Removed on March 17
⚫︎ Marvel Tokon Reworks Assists and Super Skills After Beta Feedback
⚫︎ Pokémon GO VP Reflects on 10 Years of Communal & Multi-Generational Impact
⚫︎ Bandai Namco Teases New RPG Ahead of March 5 Reveal
⚫︎ Control: Resonant Introduces Skill Trees and Exploration Mechanics in Latest Preview
⚫︎ Resident Evil Requiem (RE9) Heavy Censorship Disappoint Fans in Japan
⚫︎ Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 Voice Pack DLC Faces Player Criticism
⚫︎ Bang Dream! Our Notes Brings MyGO!!!!! and Ave Mujica to Mobile in 2026
⚫︎ Black Beacon Ends Chinese Server Updates Two Months After Global Shutdown
⚫︎ Until Then Afterimages DLC Announced With Xbox Release Set for 2026
⚫︎ Dead by Daylight Could Revisit More Past Chapters After All-Kill: Comeback
Review Roundup: Mar 1st to 7th
Pokemon Pokopia is Peak, Ethan Winters Lands on Switch 2, And a 3D Bullet Hell
This week’s reviews span cozy simulation, survival horror, and fast-paced action. Pokémon Pokopia reimagines the series as a life-sim experience where players control a Ditto rebuilding a forgotten world through crafting, exploration, and growing relationships.
Meanwhile, Resident Evil Village brings Ethan Winters’ journey to the Nintendo Switch 2 with stable performance and familiar survival horror tension, while Homura Hime closes out the lineup with stylish combat and a story about an exorcist battling corruption, even if its replay value may feel limited. Altogether, the week showcases strong variety across different playstyles.
Pokémon Pokopia
Pokémon Pokopia is a cozy life-sim spin-off branching from the usual battle-and-grind Pokémon series. Set in a seemingly dystopian era where humans have disappeared, Pokopia starts off with a little Ditto waking up in what looks to be ruins. Taking on the appearance of its supposed former trainer, Ditto attempts to build both friendships with other Pokémon and structures to revitalize the land.
Pokopia highly stands out as a comfy game with features that are reminiscent of Animal Crossing and Dragon Quest Builders. With various materials, requests, and Pokémon to unlock, the game delivers a satisfying loop of learning and discovery. And as your Ditto gains more moves and friendships, room for creativity, crafting, and exploration expands. As a different take on the series, Pokémon Pokopia is a solid game for both old and new fans to try.
Resident Evil Village
Resident Evil Village follows Ethan Winters as he finds himself stranded in an unfamiliar and isolated village. With a looming castle nearby that may hold clues to his daughter’s whereabouts, Ethan begins a desperate journey through the village, slowly unraveling the truth behind its strange inhabitants and circumstances.
While the story may feel somewhat disconnected compared to other entries in the Resident Evil series, the game’s gameplay loop and exploration remain consistently engaging. The title also performs well on the Nintendo Switch 2 when docked, with only minor performance hiccups when played in handheld mode.
Homura Hime
Homura Hime follows the story of the Flame Princess, an elite exorcist tasked with eliminating archdemons that have begun spreading corruption across the land. While the premise initially appears straightforward, the narrative gradually reveals a surprisingly endearing story layered with morally gray themes.
The combat system is equally noteworthy, offering light and heavy attacks, parries, and a range of exorcist skills that allow for meaningful skill expression. However, despite its satisfying combat loop, the experience does struggle somewhat with long-term replayability.
Other Reviews This Week
⚫︎ NeverGrave: The Witch and the Curse Review | Unoriginal in the Best Ways
⚫︎ Scott Pilgrim EX Review | Great for Everyone, EXceptional for Fans
⚫︎ Planet of Lana 2 Review | Elevated Journey Supported by Orchestral Brilliance
⚫︎ Medabots Survivors Review | More Like Meh-dabots
From Mongolian Meadows to the Endless Blue and the Looming Spire
Early access reviews this week dive into ambitious worlds still in active development. The Legend of Khiimori offers a grounded exploration experience centered on travel, culture, and horse management, while Tides of Tomorrow pushes narrative design forward with its time-linked mechanics and branching storytelling. Both titles show strong potential as they continue to evolve toward their full releases.
The Legend of Khiimori [First Impressions]
The Legend of Khiimori centers on Naraa, a young Yam courier who dreams of standing among the best while reconnecting her scattered people one delivery at a time. The game offers only a light central narrative, instead focusing on discovering the land and its culture through Naraa’s travels and the people she encounters along the way.
Exploration stands out as one of the game’s strengths, even though random crashes and bugs occasionally disrupt the experience. Its horse management systems are also refreshingly complex, offering an unusual but welcome twist for a survival-leaning exploration game where the focus lies more on maintaining your mount than the player character.
Tides of Tomorrow [First Impressions]
Tides of Tomorrow is a first-person narrative adventure set on the ocean world of Elynd. Following a catastrophic event known as the Great Flood, a phenomenon called plastification now threatens to wipe out what remains of life on the planet. Players must explore the world, search for a cure, and shape the story through a branching narrative influenced by their decisions.
One of the game’s most intriguing features is its Tides of Time mechanic, which records fragments of another player’s playthrough. These echoes allow players to witness past choices in specific locations, sometimes providing clues or guidance left behind by others. The system gives the experience a strangely interconnected feeling, almost as if players from different timelines are subtly helping one another, which makes it one of the more ambitious ideas to watch ahead of the game’s full release.
Slay the Spire 2 [Early Impressions]
Slay the Spire 2 is the sequel to the genre-defining indie masterclass by Mega Crit, returning players to the monolithic and mysterious Spire filled with countless floors packed with dangerous creatures. The original title established a strong foundation for replayability through distinct characters, unique card pools and synergies, and tight energy management that keeps runs engaging.
The sequel retains that tried-and-true formula while introducing meaningful additions, including multiplayer support, new biomes that expand as players progress through a run, and additional unlockables. Based on current impressions, it shows strong potential to carry the legacy forward while expanding it with worthwhile new systems.
