George Yang

George is a freelance writer specializing in video games and other entertainment.

Previews

MMORPG.com •

Preview: Phantom Blade Zero is the Chinese Cultural Gaming Revolution We Need

With an incredibly stacked year of game releases, we’re still not done yet in October. After all, the juggernaut of them all, Grand Theft Auto VI, isn’t coming until next month in November. With every other game trying to launch away from its blast radius, S-Game’s Phantom Blade Zero isn’t afraid of weathering the storm. It’s one of the last big original releases before then.
Anime News Network •

Final Fantasy VII Revelation is an Overwhelming Joy

The final chapter of the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy is almost here. After seven long years, I've been waiting to see how Square Enix would iterate on each entry. The first one was much more streamlined, while the follow-up, Rebirth, went full open-world. Final Fantasy VII Revelation continues where Rebirth left off, with an even larger one.

I spent one hour playing Final Fantasy VII Revelation, and I came away overwhelmed, yet impressed. There's simply so much to do, including exploring the open world, playing mini-games, chasing side quests, and of course, fighting.
Anime News Network •

Hands-On Preview: Gundam Rogue Orbit Brings Smooth Action Mech Gameplay

When Bandai Namco revealed Gundam Rogue Orbit a few months ago, it was poised to be an entry that's meant to bring in new Gundam fans. I interpreted that this would mean Gundam Rogue Orbit would be a more approachable game and a conventional action game.

I recently got my first hands-on with Gundam Rogue Orbit, and spent about 45 minutes playing it. So far, it seems like my hunch was right, but that's not necessarily a knock on its part! The gameplay feels smooth and exhilarating, much like a modern action game.
MMORPG.com •

Preview: Final Fantasy Resonance Brings Classic Turn-Based Combat Back With a New Twist

For the past decade or so, fans of Final Fantasy or otherwise have been vocal about the series' shift towards real-time action with the most recent entries, like Final Fantasy XV and Final Fantasy XIV. Instead of sticking to its turn-based combat roots, Square Enix sought to change with market expectations and player feedback. So more action-oriented gameplay was implemented.

But it seems like Final Fantasy fans are about to have their cake and eat it too. While it’s unknown what direction Final Fantasy XVII will go in, Final Fantasy Resonance is here to fill that void in the meantime. I played about 1 hour and got a sense of what it's all about.
Anime News Network •

Persona 4 Revival Preview: More of What You Love

With the release of Persona 3 Reload back in 2024, Atlus is back with another remake, this time of Persona 4 Golden, called Persona 4 Revival. I'm one of those who thinks that the game doesn't necessarily need a remake, but I won't say no to revisiting one of my favorite games of all time.

I played about an hour of Persona 4 Revival, and it's pretty much the same as I remember of Golden, along with a shiny coat of paint and some interesting new battle mechanics.
MMORPG.com •

Preview: Roco Kingdom is a Comfy Mix Between Pokemon and Genshin Impact

Game developers have tried to recapture the global phenomenon that is Pokémon. Some franchises like Digimon, Ni No Kuni, and Persona have put their own spin on the creature-collecting genre, while others have worn their inspirations on their sleeves more often. Palworld, anyone?

In fact, publisher Tencent and developer Morefun Studios have already jumped into the fray with Roco Kingdom! The series is hugely popular in China and has been around since 2010.
Nintendo Life •

Preview: Onimusha: Way Of The Sword Is Capcom's Next Banger

Capcom is having a massive 2026, with hits like Pragmata, Resident Evil Requiem, and Monster Hunter Stories 3. The studio is now closing out the year with another highly anticipated game, Onimusha: Way of the Sword.

I spent almost three hours playing Way of the Sword, splitting my time between the PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2 versions. I came away incredibly impressed by the feel of the game, as well as the performance on Nintendo’s handheld.
MMORPG.com •

Preview: Swords of Legends Just Might Be Your Next Favorite Chinese ARPG

With games like Black Myth: Wukong and Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, Chinese games are becoming increasingly popular overseas. Later this year, the highly anticipated action RPG Phantom Blade Zero will make its way over to the west.

But there’s one series that predates all of them: GuJian. With three games and a now-defunct MMO called Swords of Legends Online, developer Aurogon is looking to make another splash globally with Swords of Legends. Formerly known as GuJian 4, it’s an action RPG that’s acting as a reboot of GuJian, aiming to join the ranks of greats like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and God of War Ragnarok.
Bloody Disgusting •

'Gears of War: E-Day' Preview: Horde Siege Makes Co-Op Bigger and Better Than Ever

I haven’t played any kind of Gears of War multiplayer since Gears 5 back in 2019. I briefly hopped onto the servers and had my share of fun playing its Horde mode, where players fend off waves of enemies in a desperate fight for survival, but I eventually set it aside for new games.

As a casual Gears fan, I was excited to see what the next installment, Gears of War: E-Day, would bring. As a prequel, you’d think that developer The Coalition would scale back. But that’s not the case, as the studio is making its multiplayer bigger than ever. I spent five hours playing E-Day’s newest iteration of the franchise’s Horde mode, called Horde Siege. It feels like a natural evolution, as it has expanded to include 12 total players, up from five in Gears 5. It’s also got approachable options that respect your time.
TechRadar •

Silent Hill: Townfall goes retro with analog horror

Having been put on Konami’s backburner for over a decade, Silent Hill’s resurgence has been nothing short of extraordinary.

A tepid start with Ascension and The Short Message was counterbalanced by the excellent Silent Hill 2 remake from Bloober Team and the homegrown Japanese horrors of Silent Hill f from NeoBards. The series seems like it’s now heading further in the right direction with the next game, Silent Hill: Townfall.
Fangoria •

THE BLOOD OF DAWNWALKER Could be 2026's Surprise Hit

Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3 are among the best games released in the past decade, giant RPGs with plenty of content and replayability. Now, the team behind them and their new studio, Rebel Wolves, are creating The Blood of Dawnwalker, a medieval RPG featuring vampires and other night horrors.

Admittedly, I was a bit skeptical before diving into my 3-hour gameplay session, but I came out astounded. Coen is a likable protagonist, and the worldbuilding is sublime. It could be 2026’s surprise hit, and that’s saying something considering all of the incredible games we’ve gotten so far.
Kotaku •

Marvel Tokon Hands-On: Gorgeous Fighter With Novel Mechanics

I’m not going to pretend that I’m a good fighting game player. But, I will admit that if there’s some sort of cool crossover with a fighting game, I’m down to try. After all, I love Dragon Ball FighterZ and Super Smash Brothers, as nostalgia has a chokehold on me. I grew up watching Dragon Ball Z on Toonami, and I spent hours in FighterZ just reliving my favorite moments from the show. As a Game Boy kid, I almost exclusively played Pokémon, and Pikachu was my first-ever Super Smash Bros. main.

Now it’s Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls’ turn to grab me by my nostalgia and hold me hostage. I loved the Marvel and X-Men cartoons on Fox when I was growing up, and I was super excited when it was announced. I wasn’t the best FighterZ player, and I’m certainly not going to be the best Marvel Tokon one either, but it looks like it’s shaping up to be one of the most approachable fighting games out there.
Space •

'Control Resonant' takes inspiration from 'Devil May Cry', 'Neon Genesis Evangelion', and 'Inception' to craft a trippy sci-fi action game

You certainly can't accuse Remedy Entertainment of playing it safe and sticking to what they know.

2019's Control was a third-person shooter, last year's multiplayer spin-off, FBC: Firebreak, was a first-person shooter, and now this year's direct follow-up, Control Resonant, is a melee-focused action game. Despite the genre flip, though, it's undeniably Control — a freaky sci-fi horror mash-up that's dripping with atmosphere.
Crunchyroll •

The Developers Behind Granblue Fantasy: Relink – Endless Ragnarok on How the Game Was Born From Fan Enthusiasm

Even developer Cygames was surprised at how successful Granblue Fantasy: Relink was. What started as a mobile IP transitioned into a popular fighting game, Granblue Fantasy Versus, as well as one of the best Japanese RPGs of 2024. Since then, it has sold over two million copies across PC and PlayStation. The franchise’s mobile roots also made Relink stand out amongst the traditionally single-player crowd. The mobile game had players work together to take down bosses and participate in guild events, and Relink implemented four-player online co-op where friends and strangers can tackle quests together Monster Hunter-style.
Anime News Network •

Hands-On Preview: You Can't Play Stranger Than Heaven Like a Yakuza Game

Despite not having the title “Yakuza” or “Like a Dragon” in its title, Stranger Than Heaven takes place in the same universe as those games. It's actually a prequel, detailing the origins of the Tojo Clan, which is prominently featured through the series. The game takes place across five different districts and eras in Japan. Its story follows a young man named Makoto Daito who travels from San Francisco to Japan in order to start a new life.
Space •

'Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2' upgrades the sci-fi action shooter to the state-of-the-badass art

The Alien franchise is doing pretty well right now, and its future looks even stronger for gamers. With Alien Isolation 2 serving the horror-oriented side of the fanbase right now, Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 is bringing the action. Its predecessor set the foundation for some good old multiplayer fun as you and your buddies shoot down Xenomorphs. Now, the sequel is in a good position to take things even higher with meaningful changes.

At Summer Game Fest 2026, I played about an hour of Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 and spoke with Cold Iron Studios director Chris Cross about all of the new additions in this sequel, including four-player co-op, new Xeno beasties, and the new Specialist class.
Nintendo Life •

Preview: Tomb Raider: Legacy Of Atlantis Sees An "Unfettered" Lara Put The Survivor Era Behind Her

The Tomb Raider series is one of the longest-lasting in the video game industry, going all the way back to 1996. It has graced many different platforms, including Nintendo ones. And with the increased power of the Switch 2, lots of others are coming over too, including the recently released Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration.

But now, a new remake of the first game, Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, is coming to Switch 2 next year. At Summer Game Fest 2026, I got to play about 40 minut...
TechRadar •

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve Wants to be a Beacon of Hope

A lot has happened since the release of 2019’s Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown. Of course, the elephant in the room is the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact of which on the video games industry is still being felt today. From the explosion in engagement when many people were forced to stay inside and quarantine, to the massive contraction with seemingly endless studio layoffs and closures happening now.With the world as isolated as it was, there was a need for human connection. That became the underlyin...
Restart.run •

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced Will Please Old and New Fans Alike | Hands-On Preview

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag is one of the franchise’s most beloved entries. With a focus on pirate culture and naval battles, it quickly stood out. Now, Ubisoft is revisiting those shores with a remake called Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, which aims to be the next big game in the series, linking with the most recent adventures starting with 2018’s Assassin’s Creed Origins.
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