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New Bandai Namco RPG Is Sword Art Online Echoes of Aincrad Bandai Namco teased a new RPG reveal earlier this week, and it turns out it is a new Sword Art Online game called Echoes of Aincrad . It will be available on the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC via Steam . Pre-orders are live ahead of the July 10, 2026 debut, there is a pre-order DLC incentive, and $89.99 Deluxe and $109.99 Ultimate Editions will appear. The idea is that the game will mimic the experience of living through the SAO Aincrad VR MMORPG. We’ll create custom characters and go on adventures. That will also mean fighting to survive. As a pre-order incentive, people get the Proto-Elucidator Series Weapon Pack that has six weapons and shields and six weapon blueprints. If someone gets the Deluxe Edition, they get a combination of early unlocks and DLC. A Starter Pack with 10 High Healing potions, 10 High SP Potions, 10 Mystic Crystals, and 50,000 Col will be available, you’ll be able to take part in the Death Game Mode right away without needing to earn it, and when the expansion releases it will automatically be downloaded and yours. The Ultimate Edition adds flutter Boots and Flutter Robes Armor Pack, a digital art book, a digital soundtrack, and a “special anime.” Here’s the first trailer for the promised Bandai Namco RPG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDX-FMSvNV4 The Sword Art Online game Echoes of Aincrad will come to the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on July 10, 2026, the original anime series is on Crunchyroll , and Yen Press handles manga, audiobooks, and light novels based on the series. The post New Bandai Namco RPG Is Sword Art Online Echoes of Aincrad appeared first on Siliconera .

SiliconeraMar 5

3 New Characters Will Be in Bunny Garden 2 This Spring Qureate opened the English website for Bunny Garden 2 , and it confirmed Erisa will be one of three new characters joining the cast. The other two are still unrevealed. That makes six characters, including returning heroines Kana, Miuka, and Rin when it arrives on the Switch and PC in Spring 2026. We don’t know if a physical release is planned like the original game . Like the original game, Bunny Garden 2 stars a recently unemployed man named Haito Kanda. When he’s at his worst, he finds out about the Bunny Garden hostess club. Gameplay then involves spending whatever money you have on drinks and gifts for the women working there so you can spend time with them, perhaps forming relationships. However, as Haito is broke and the bar is only open on Saturday and Sundays, there are life sim elements as you try to make money any way possible so you can attend. While different types of jobs will appear, someone could also gamble or sell all of their belongings (emptying out their home in the process) just to get more money. The official site also went over some of the gameplay mechanics that are new and returning in the Bunny Garden sequel. You can still buy drinks and food, like usual. Relationships are boosted via gifts and remembering what you talked about with the heroines. New elements include ASMR scenes, Twister , karaoke performances, and a few minigames. Qureate did note that the Switch version perspectives and camera angles will be slightly different than the PC one on Steam. Bunny Garden 2 will come to the Switch and PC worldwide in Spring 2026, and it will be playable in English, Japanese, and both Simplified and Traditional Chinese with Japanese voice acting. The post 3 New Characters Will Be in Bunny Garden 2 This Spring appeared first on Siliconera .

SiliconeraMar 5

Review: Gumball in Trick-or-Treat Land Has GBC Vibes Exquisite Laundry Pet’s Gumball in Trick-or-Treat Land is a love letter to Game Boy Color RPGs. It’s the sort of game that doesn’t take itself too seriously, sticking strictly to a silly Halloween theme. Which can be quite fun, thanks to unusual characters, turn-based battles, and clever writing. However, the limitations also mean it might get a little frustrating. Gumball is an actual gumball. They were in a machine, but after you select a flavor (color scheme), you drop into Trick-or-Treat Land. You want to get home, but the Chaos Sweets are ruining everyone’s day. If you want a mysterious Scarecrow to use magick to send you back, you need to reach every Hallowed Patches to restore it, dealing with unusual enemies and making the world safer along the way. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tsOQlg5afQ It’s probably obvious after seeing some screenshots and that trailer, but Exquisite Laundry Pet went for a Game Boy Color aesthetic for Gumball in Trick-or-Treat Land , even adhering to those limitations so strictly that it is available on both a cartridge for Nintendo’s handheld and PCs via Steam . It’s the game’s greatest strength, I’d say. The restrictions forced the developer to get creative with its themes and gameplay, and when you keep that in mind with playing, it really does feel as though it’s calling back to that moment in time. The presentation and gameplay do remind me of what it was like to go through the Final Fantasy Legend or Magi Nation games. Still, even with needing to stay within certain boundaries, there is a whole potion ingredient and food and drink system and quite a few sidequests that unlock things like extra shops to add to its range. That is a bit of a double-edged sword, however. While Gumball in Trick-or-Treat Land is charming and features a surprising number of side quests in addition to the main storyline, it’s also very open-ended. You need to go everywhere and talk to everyone to figure out where the seven Hallowed Patches. On the plus side, finding quest items isn’t difficult and even the people you talk to who don’t offer valuable information have fun things to say. However, I do strongly recommend having a notebook nearby so you can jot down who wants what, where they are, and maybe even draw a lil’ sketch of their sprite to ensure you won’t forget their fetch quest. Images via Exquisite Laundry Pet While things are very open-ended and require you to pay attention, the Gumball in Trick-or-Treat Land combat system is quite simple and sticks to the theme. As you’d expect from a Halloween-themed affair, Gumball uses treats in addition to spells and skills when fighting. The “treat” action is a basic attack that may or may not land, the abilities are also candy-themed items you pick up as you progress through the world and are far more reliable methods of defeating foes at the cost of MP. You’ll even eventually recruit partners who can join in the fight and help you out! The downside to it is, as this is a very freeform game where you aren’t told where to go and when, it’s very easy to wind up in an area with too-strong opponents and perhaps get frustrated by a one-hit KO. Especially when you’ll have only a few points of HP at the very start. Gumball in Trick-or-Treat Land succeeds at keeping the Game Boy Color RPG vibe alive. It offers a lot to do while staying within certain limitations. However, those boundaries also mean it can sometimes be difficult to discern your next steps or running into fights you just can’t win at that point. Still, it’s a cute game and Exquisite Laundry Pet embraces that Halloween and GBC aesthetic. Gumball in Trick-or-Treat Land is available on the PC and Game Boy Color . The post Review: Gumball in Trick-or-Treat Land Has GBC Vibes appeared first on Siliconera .

SiliconeraFeb 27

Review: Scarlet Hollow Proves Black Tabby’s Storytelling Prowess Slay the Princess proved to be a stunning accomplishment for Black Tabby Games. The team crafted an exceptional story that defied expectations and felt like a refreshing addition to our visual novel libraries. Scarlet Hollow , an episodic follow-up, proves that wasn’t a one-off. The developer once again shows it knows how to handle compelling narratives with many possible outcomes. While there’s still The Final Chapters to close things out and we typically don’t review early access games here at Siliconera, I feel confident in already stamping a seal of approval on this already-impressive title. You’ve never been to Scarlet Hollow. You know the Scarlet came from there and is renowned, or rather notorious, but your mother Vivian never brought you to her hometown. After learning your cousin Tabitha’s mother and owner of the town’s Scarlet Mine died, you take the bus in to stay with her for a week to be there for her and attend the funeral. However, something you soon learn your mother had good reason for leaving, as things are off in the small town. It isn’t that it’s a dying community with a failing mine. There are otherworldly and supernatural things going on, and it seems things will only get more dangerous the longer you stay. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjBop46lTn8 While Scarlet Hollow is a traditional visual novel in that involves reading the story and making choices at certain points that change the course of relationships and directions, there are a few elements to it that almost make it feel a bit more like going through a D&D campaign due to the way you establish yourself early on. You aren’t a default and predetermined individual. You select two out of seven traits at the outset, which can determine different responses or possibilities when exploring the town and dealing with situations. So Talk to Animals perk will let you talk to the critters around the area. (But at the same time, you need to be careful about doing so in front of people so they don’t get suspicious!) If you select Powerful Build, you’ll be able to get physical to solve problems. Going with Mystical as one of your innate abilities means you’ll be more aware of the supernatural elements. Another thing that makes Scarlet Hollow stand out is how involved the choices can get. With most visual novels, you make a choice and it sets you down a certain route toward a certain ending. (Black Tabby Games’ Slay the Princess worked like this.) But there’s so much going on here with a staggering number of variants that can affect certain outcomes, relationships with individuals, information you do or don’t possess, and possible options available to handle situations. I feel like sometimes it can feel more like an adventure game, given how often I’d need to think critically about how a choice might affect my character heading into future episodes in terms of their capabilities or potential allies and enemies. Images via Black Tabby Games This is especially true with Tabitha, our cousin in Scarlet Hollow . While there are some more friendly and even romantic-leaning relationships with other characters, there’s a sense of nuance to the dynamic with her that really makes the game stand out. There are many times when I felt like choices I made or responses I chose, even if they weren’t directly to her, shaped her opinion of me. Given the connection throughout the episodes and storyline, it results in some fascinating outcomes. Even better, the reactions made me want to know what would happen if I did choose other extremes or possibilities. Which is another plus about Scarlet Hollow , as it’s evident this will be another Slay the Princess style game where Black Tabby Games makes replaying seem so appealing that it’d be mandatory. The number of cogs and factors here seem staggering. Especially when you factor in the traits. Different combinations feel like they could be so fun! I have two save files going right now with different builds so I can (hopefully) see two different endings from different extremes, but I’m still tempted to go through even more. Images via Black Tabby Games Also stunning is the visual direction in Scarlet Hollow , as Black Tabby Games went with a similar artistic direction as Slay the Princess . There are occasional bits of color, which feel muted and sepia-toned, but it’s largely a monochromatic kind of affair. Everything looks hand-drawn and sketchy, like the kind of art you’d see used in dark, original Grimm’s Fairy Tales or the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark illustrations. It’s eerie, haunting, and gorgeous. Between Slay the Princess and Scarlet Hollow , Black Tabby Games is fast turning into a developer whose titles you can’t afford to ignore. The creativity, character development, and world-building are excellent in this latest visual novel, and the degree to which our experiences can change based on our choices is astonishing. It’s so well-thought out and impressive, and a perfect example of “your choices matter.” Scarlet Hollow episodes 1-5 are available in early access for PCs via Steam , and the first episode is free in the demo. The post Review: Scarlet Hollow Proves Black Tabby’s Storytelling Prowess appeared first on Siliconera .

SiliconeraFeb 26

Metal Gear Solid Naked Snake, The Boss, Eva, and Ocelot Figures Appear This Year Konami will release Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater figures of Naked Snake, The Boss, Ocelot, and Eva in 2026. Game Watch reported they’ll be available as arcade prizes in Japan. There’s no exact release window there, but they should appear in Q3 2026. Meanwhile, Good Smile Company’s online store put up listings for all four and said they’ll appear in Q4 2026 in North America for $20.99 each. [Thanks, Game Watch !] All four of these figures are static ones with no additional parts or poses. Each one features them in relaxed poses, though we do see them armed with signature weapons. They’re non-standard scale, so each one stands at almost eight inches tall (200mm). This also means various height differences between characters aren’t represented. Here’s how the Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater Naked Snake, The Boss, Ocelot, and Eva figures will look: Images via Konami And here are the direct links to each figure on Good Smile Company’s site: The Boss Eva Naked Snake Ocelot The Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater Naked Snake, The Boss, Ocelot, and Eva figures will appear as prizes in Japan in Q3 2026, followed by a Q4 2026 debut worldwide. Pre-orders at Good Smile Company close on March 18, 2026. The game is available for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam. The post Metal Gear Solid Naked Snake, The Boss, Eva, and Ocelot Figures Appear This Year appeared first on Siliconera .

SiliconeraFeb 25

More Sanrio Desktop Mate DLC Characters Teased The next batch of Desktop Mate DLC will contain more characters than usual, as Hello Kitty isn’t the only Sanrio mascot who will appear. Over the last four days since her reveal , four additional icons were teased on the application’s social media account . This would be the largest number of characters to join the game so far, as previous add-on drops tended to only add between one and two new options to the game. Like Hello Kitty, all of the other Sanrio Desktop Mate DLC character reveals involved silhouettes of the mascots with a brief teaser about their identity. Since the shadows are fairly obvious and the Sanrio copyright is on each one, their identities are incredibly obvious. We still don’t know if they will all be bundled together in one add-on, with people able to see them randomly appear, or if there will be a separate purchase for each character. Here’s the full list of all confirmed Sanrio Desktop Mate DLC characters so far. Cinnamoroll Hello Kitty My Melody Pochacco Pompompurin And here’s a gallery of all of the silhouettes. Images via Sanrio and infiniteloop As a reminder, the Desktop Mate app allows characters to appear on your PC desktop as you work. You can also interact with them. Since its launch, Vocaloids and video game characters appeared as DLC. With the exception of the $7.49 Yukkuri Reimu Touhou Project add-on, each piece has cost $14.99. Desktop Mate is available on Steam. The post More Sanrio Desktop Mate DLC Characters Teased appeared first on Siliconera .

SiliconeraFeb 24

Resident Evil’s Umbrella Corporation ‘Suing’ Nissin Over Cup Noodles As part of Capcom’s Resident Evil Requiem promotions, the company shared a tweet on social media announcing that joked Umbrella Corporation, makers of Umbrella Noodles, is "suing" Nissin Foods over its Cup Noodles. The statement involves "IP infringement" case. As of time of writing, Nissin has yet to respond to the allegations or hinted at any kind of product tie-in. Capcom and Nintendo also released a Creator’s Voice video about the upcoming game . [Thanks, Inside Games !] The announcement ended up accompanied by a screenshot designed to look like an in-game look at a discovered document. It noted that on February 24, 2026, the plaintiff Umbrella Corporation filed a case against Nissin Foods due to the likeness between Umbrella Noodles and Cup Noodles. In the replies, a user named Willmesis shared a screenshot from the Resident Evil 3 remake of Jill Valentine in front of an Umbrella Noodles advertisement to highlight the likeness between the two items. https://twitter.com/willmesis/status/2026210592135184562 Here’s the full “Evolving Survival Horror for a New Era” Creator’s Voice video with Resident Evil Requiem Director Koshi Nakanishi. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJ8BrLpv3AQ The Cup Noodles and Umbrella Noodles “lawsuit” is the second unusual promotion to come up ahead of the launch of Resident Evil Requiem . Prior to that, Yume Group and S.Ride announced a piece of hanging fitness equipment that came with a copy of the game, referencing a part shown in which Grace is hanging upside-down. Resident Evil Requiem will come to the Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC via Steam and Epic Game Store on February 27, 2026. The post Resident Evil’s Umbrella Corporation ‘Suing’ Nissin Over Cup Noodles appeared first on Siliconera .

SiliconeraFeb 24

Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter Collector’s Edition Announced Following a tease on social media, Gungho confirmed there will be a The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter Golden Wings Collector’s Edition. This will cost $274.99 and be sold at Planax . This version will be available for the Switch, Switch 2, PS5, and PC, and pre-orders are open until March 8, 2026. Most of the items in the Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter Golden Wings edition are expected. You get a copy of the game, its digital season pass, a Steelbook case to hold the cartridge or disk, an art book, a soundtrack CD with some songs from it. The big item in it is a model diorama. That features Liberl’s Arseille being chased down by Ouroboros’ Glorious, recreating a scene from the title. Here’s the official photo of the limited edition, as well as two closer peeks at the model: Images via Planax, Gungho, and Falcom There is something to keep in mind with this version of the game. Planax noted it will be limited. If someone doesn’t place an order for a copy between February 24, 2026 and March 8, 2026, there won’t be any additional copies made and sold. Also, there will only be “approximately 2,000” PC version editions with Steam codes. The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter will come out in Fall 2026 for the Switch, Switch 2, PS5, and Windows PC via Steam, and the Golden Wings Collector’s Edition will release alongside it around that same time. The post Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter Collector’s Edition Announced appeared first on Siliconera .

SiliconeraFeb 24

Super Bomberman Collection Is a Multiplayer Blast Recent shadowdrop release Super Bomberman Collection brings back some classic Bomberman games, some for the first time outside Japan, and we’re happy to see it! But if we’ve learned anything from modern retro compilations , the quality is extremely dependent on execution. So how does this one do? The package contains the five Super Bomberman games, all originally released on the Super NES and Super Famicom, as well as two bonus Famicom games. The later Super titles didn’t originally release outside Japan and have received localizations here, which is a nice touch! Frankly, though, these are fairly language-agnostic games and you probably would have been fine. Putting these five games together in one collection might feel a bit redundant! And it is, to a degree. The advantage is in two ways. The first? Historical value. The game makes it easy to look at what power-ups are added in each one, and preserving all five is good regardless. The second is that you can choose your favorite variant. Each of these changes does color the experience, and through either taste or nostalgia, you’ll likely have a favorite. Image via Konami If you’re having trouble deciding, though? We’d recommend going straight to 5 . It has almost all the things from the other games, and there are options to configure it however! And as such a late Super Famicom game that other staff at Hudson were probably already working on Mario Party during development, it really takes advantage of the hardware. If it drops the ball on anything? Maybe it’s aesthetics. It’s trying really hard to do a robot/sentai thing in a way that a lot of the selectable characters feel same-y. It’s also true that each of these games has a solo campaign. The franchise’s bread and butter is its competitive play, but there’s a dedicated group of people who really embrace the single-player arcade levels. And these are good ones! We’ve spent a while playing, and we are undeniably bad at them but there’s a puzzly element to taking on risky opponents in an optimal order. When it comes to gallery modes in retro compilations, our usual stance is that it’s a great effort of preservation! But we don’t spend a lot of time with that stuff. Super Bomberman Collection ’s “unbox” mode feels a lot more robust, though. With the detail and ability to virtually open the box and pull out the manual, it captures a bit more of the nostalgia of the originals. Image via Konami While it doesn’t have built-in functionality for this sort of thing, Super Bomberman Collection takes advantage of system-level multiplayer features like Switch 2’s GameShare and Steam’s Remote Play Together. How well does it work? Better than you’d think! We spent our time testing it out on Switch 2, and didn’t experience any of the frequent connection issues we usually get. What’s more, it’s the sort of game that can weather some minor hiccups if you get them, and it also doesn’t look too bad in the windowed GameShare screen. Super Bomberman Collection , developed by Red Art Games and published by Konami, is out now on Switch 2, Switch, PS5, Xbox Series and Steam. Physical editions of the game will launch on August 25, 2026. The post Super Bomberman Collection Is a Multiplayer Blast appeared first on Siliconera .

SiliconeraFeb 22

Death Howl’s Gameplay and Narrative Help It Fit on Switch Death Howl is one of those unique strategic roguelikes that someone could play for 15 minutes for five hours straight, and it means the Switch version couldn’t come soon enough. I thoroughly enjoyed this brutal game when I played it on the PC . But there’s something about the nature of it that makes the gameplay loop and narrative beats feel highlighted so well here. As a quick refresher, Death Howl is a strategic roguelike with a nearly monochromatic kinds of color palettes and melancholy story. Based on Scandinavian folklore, we follow a grieving mother named Ro searching the other side for her dead son Olvi who was stolen away from her. This means traversing different areas, facing all sorts of entities and beasts with abilities she gathers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGF-v--wGhk The narrative is fantastic. There are so many themes running through it. Revenge is a critical one, since there’s a central stag figure associated with her son’s death and apparent abduction. Not to mention she’s angry with Death itself over the loss. Coming to terms with the situation is another, since this is a journey about grief and clearly she’s going through the bargaining and depression stages while also being angry about everything and denying that this is a situation that can’t be undone. But there’s also this veil of uncertainty over everything. Due to the use of symbolism and design choices, Ro is an unreliable narrator and there are gaps in our knowledge as players. Which means part of the motivation that keeps us going is to finally know the truth of it all. Having the game on the Switch makes it easy to keep going so we can absorb the information and take in what possible truths could be hinted at as we play. The Switch also makes for a good way to appreciate the art direction in Death Howl in the same way that the Steam Deck and other handheld gaming PCs do. This is a strategy game with sprite-based designs, an isometric perspective of the board, and limited color palettes for each region. Actual spirit designs play with shading and color options to depict details that wouldn’t otherwise be possible with the limitations. When there are effects from actions and spell usage, we see intricate animations. While it is possible to view these and take away the excellence, I feel like having it in handheld mode where you could really take a moment to look closer at details. Image via The Outer Zone It also helps that the Switch port is a great version of Death Howl . Given how text-heavy it is for cards and combat, the color and font choices make it clear even when the lettering is little. It’s almost always clear and legible. Pair that with the great controller-based scheme carried over from the PC release, and it is quite comfortable to play. Handhelds are a good fit for roguelike games, and the artistic direction, narrative, and gameplay of Death Howl make it feel especially strong on the Switch. It’s a great port that plays well on the system. The nature of the storyline makes it a perfect game to play in a darkened room. Since the gameplay encourages deck experimentation and strategic decisions, you can really get cozy and experience it. It feels exceptionally at home here. Death Howl is available on the Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC. The post Death Howl’s Gameplay and Narrative Help It Fit on Switch appeared first on Siliconera .

SiliconeraFeb 21