Games

A huge 85% off sale on the Banner Saga trilogy ends January 5th, making it a great time for PC gamers and RPG fans to pick up these critically acclaimed titles at a very low price. The Banner Saga series – consisting of Banner Saga, Banner Saga 2, and Banner Saga 3 – is considered one of the best tactical RPG series of the last ten years. Developed by Stoic (a team with former BioWare developers), the first game launched in 2014 to widespread praise, earning a 92 on Metacritic. Banner Saga 2 (2016) scored an 87, and Banner Saga 3 (2018) received an 88. Despite positive reviews and a dedicated fanbase, the series is surprisingly often overlooked when discussing the best modern RPGs, possibly because it’s currently inactive.

I’ve been seeing a lot of debate among One Piece fans about whether Luffy is destined for greatness, a ‘chosen one’ type of character. But chapter 1169 seems to be hinting at an answer, and if my read is correct, it could be a really clever twist – honestly, it’s exactly the kind of surprise a One Piece fan would love.

Simu Liu, who plays Shang-Chi, recently shared that his character will be back in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with a new look. Speaking on TikTok with @empirestatebldg, Liu said Shang-Chi will have a completely redesigned costume in Avengers: Doomsday. He described how the new suit felt very different from his original costume in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, hinting at a significant change for the hero’s return. Liu emphasized that things evolve, and this new costume reflects that.

While Avatar: Fire & Ash didn’t open quite as explosively as The Way of Water – earning $345 million worldwide in its first four days versus the previous film’s $435 million – it’s still a huge success. This is especially true considering most movies haven’t performed exceptionally well at the box office this year. According to Box Office Mojo, this opening puts it at number 17 among all 2025 releases so far, and it has already surpassed the total earnings of several movies released by Disney’s different studios.

Lewis Pullman is generating buzz as the newest addition to the cast of Spaceballs 2. He’ll be playing Starburst, the son of the iconic characters Lone Starr and Vespa. What makes this casting particularly special is that Lewis Pullman is the real-life son of Bill Pullman, and will be acting alongside his father in the sequel. According to Variety, Lewis called the experience a “dream come true,” describing each day on set as “such a trip.” He admitted it felt like a strange and lucky experience, suggesting the making of Spaceballs 2 was incredibly enjoyable – which is fantastic news for fans eagerly awaiting the film.

Currently, the horror game Routine, developed by Lunar Software and Raw Fury, has a Metacritic score of 79, which is a good result. Horror games generally receive lower scores than games in most other genres, making 79 a respectable achievement. While Silent Hill f currently holds the top spot for horror games this year with a score of 86, Routine ranks among the top 10. With its score now stable and the year nearly finished, it’s unlikely to move from its current position.

The cover art for a recent issue of Dispatch has been altered, and it appears to be happening on both the original Nintendo Switch and the upcoming Switch 2, which is scheduled to release on January 28, 2026. It’s unclear whether Nintendo directly censored the art or if it was a preventative measure, but given Nintendo’s past actions, they were likely responsible. Although Nintendo has become less strict with censorship in recent years, examples still pop up on the eShop, and this seems to be another one.

I was really surprised to find myself enjoying Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 as much as I did – it actually made my top five games! I usually don’t like turn-based combat, and I especially struggle with the unique style often found in Japanese role-playing games. It’s just not my cup of tea.

The developer has experience with this type of game, having recently launched a strategy simulation based on Doraemon. Therefore, a game based on KochiKame feels like a logical next step for them.

Bandai Namco announced that the major update for Patapon 1+2 Replay will include a new Boss Rush Challenge.