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This Week (Sept 6 - Sept 12) |
This week, like the last, is in no shortage of gaming news, with Nintendo dominating the week’s announcements with two Direct presentations that revealed The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake, Metroid: Ravenous, and Kirby and the World Beyond, alongside new details for The Legend of Zelda’s 40th anniversary. Elsewhere, Xbox stepped in to publish Hideo Kojima’s PHYSINT, Atlus opened the door to potential Persona 1 and Persona 2 remakes, and Valheim reached its 1.0 release with the Deep North update. Tokyo Game Show 2026 is also just around the corner, so another busy week could be ahead.
Our reviews this week found several games that make a strong impression through their central ideas. Their scores ultimately depended on how well those ideas held up across the board, though, with some titles sustaining their appeal and others… not so much as their limitations became more apparent.
Regardless, here’s a quick look at some of the week’s biggest gaming headlines.
Gaming News At A Glance
Nintendo Direct September 2026 Reveals Kirby and the World Beyond, Metroid: Ravenous, and More
Ocarina of Time Remake New Features Were Shown Off During 40th Anniversary Direct
FF7 Revelation FITS System Was Supposed to Be Grindy Before Director Shut Down the Idea
PHYSINT Picked Up By Xbox After PlayStation Departs Project
The Apothecary Diaries: The False Imperial Brother Gives Maomao a Mystery Adventure of Her Own
Other News and Developments This Week
Review Roundup: Sept 6 to Sept 12
Great Games All Around This Week
⚫︎ Touhou Embodiment of Scarlet Devil Review (New Classic)
⚫︎ Marvel’s Wolverine
⚫︎ Valheim 1.0
⚫︎ Orbitals
Other Reviews This Week
Gaming News At A Glance: Nintendo Direct September 2026 Announcements, Ocarina of Time Remake Gameplay Features, FF7 Revelation FITS System Change, Xbox Steps In to Publish PHYSINT, The Apothecary Diaries Gets a New Game
Nintendo Direct September 2026 Reveals Kirby and the World Beyond, Metroid: Ravenous, and More
The September 9 Nintendo Direct packed Nintendo’s upcoming Switch 2 lineup with several big announcements. Metroid Ravenous was revealed for January 2027, and Kirby and the World Beyond is set for Spring 2027. Nintendo also showed new footage and release details for Professor Layton and the New World of Steam, Persona 4 Revival, and several other upcoming titles.
The presentation also brought updates for existing Switch 2 games and several third-party releases. Monster Hunter Wilds is coming to the console in December, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity – Definitive Edition is set for February, and Resident Evil titles are headed to Switch 2. Nintendo confirmed a Yo-kai Watch 2 remake and revealed The Apothecary Diaries: The False Imperial Brother among the new projects shown during the Direct.
Ocarina of Time Remake New Features Were Shown Off During 40th Anniversary Direct
The first gameplay showcase for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake revealed how far Nintendo has taken its modernization of the 1998 classic. Castle Town has fully modeled areas beyond its original fixed backdrops, and Link has new movement options that include sprinting and on-demand jumping. The remake also introduces microphone support for playing the ocarina, alongside a continuous day-and-night cycle across Hyrule.
Those changes have made the reveal a point of debate among fans. The expanded world and updated characters have drawn praise, yet the semi-realistic character designs have drawn the ire of fans over their uncanny appearance. New voice performances and the optional ZELDA NOTES hint system have also divided early reactions.
FF7 Revelation FITS System Was Supposed to Be Grindy Before Director Shut Down the Idea
Final Fantasy VII Revelation almost had players earning their combat options one at a time. At PAX West 2026, director Naoki Hamaguchi revealed that battle director Teruki Endo pushed the team to unlock all four FITS styles for every character early in the game, with the full system becoming available around five to six hours in.
The panel also detailed how Cid and Vincent were built to stand apart from the rest of the cast, with Cid relying on marked enemies and aerial attacks and Vincent freely weaving his Galian Beast transformation into combat.
PHYSINT Picked Up By Xbox After PlayStation Departs Project
PHYSINT has found a new home after a major shake-up behind the scenes. PlayStation ended its collaboration with Kojima Productions on September 10, with Hideo Kojima later revealing that the company had informed his studio in June that it planned to cancel the project. Xbox has since expanded its existing partnership with Kojima Productions to publish PHYSINT, and Kojima confirmed that development is continuing.
Xbox now has a direct publishing role in Kojima's next action-espionage game, raising questions about where PHYSINT will ultimately be available. Xbox has recently renewed its focus on console exclusives, so an Xbox-exclusive release is possible, though no platforms have been confirmed. The companies have yet to reveal whether the deal will change the game's release plans beyond keeping development alive.
The Apothecary Diaries: The False Imperial Brother Gives Maomao a Mystery Adventure of Her Own
The Apothecary Diaries: The False Imperial Brother is coming to PC, Switch, Switch 2, and PS5 in early 2027, with series author Hyuuganatsu directly involved in its story and characters. Developed by Gust, the game follows Maomao as she investigates the “Five Mysteries” and “Five Curses” across the rear palace and the capital.
Players will gather ingredients, create medicine through Maomao’s notebook, then use their evidence during deduction sequences to confront suspects and piece together cases. The game will also tell an entirely original story.
Other News and Developments This Week
⚫︎ The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct | Everything Announced
⚫︎ Final Fantasy Resonance Demo Has Fans Wondering If Sephiroth Is Playable
⚫︎ League of Legends Developer Riot's MMO Development Teased as 'The Grail' by Riot Co-Founder
⚫︎ Onimusha: Way of the Sword Opens to 1 Million Sales on Release and Positive Reviews
⚫︎ FF7 Revelation's Chocobo Piko Grows Into a Real Party Member Who Fights By Your Side
⚫︎ Genshin Impact x Baskin-Robbins Launches Flins, Linnea, Odette, and Illuga Limited Merchandise
⚫︎ DbD September Roadmap Reveals Xenomorph 2v8 Event and Next PTB Date
⚫︎ Monster Hunter Outlanders New TGS Demo Promises New Content, Pre-Registrations Open
⚫︎ Persona 4 Revival Producer Teases Future Persona 1 And 2 Remakes
⚫︎ Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time Remake Gameplay and Release Date Revealed During 40th Anniversary Direct
⚫︎ 6 Things The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake Changes From the Original
⚫︎ NIKKE x JR Central's Oshi Tabi Kyoto Collab Returns With Train-Exclusive Merch
⚫︎ Roco Kingdom Dev Talk Details Jinies and October 27 Global Beta
⚫︎ Marvel Rivals' Gorr the God Butcher Gameplay and Kit Revealed for Season 10
⚫︎ Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 and Ocarina of Time Amiibos Now Up for Pre-Order
⚫︎ Metroid Ravenous Brings Samus Back in Dread's Sequel on Switch 2
⚫︎ Kirby and the World Beyond Coming to Nintendo Switch 2 in Spring 2027
⚫︎ Nintendo Switch Sports Brings Back Wii Sports Legend Matt, and Fans Are Not Ready
⚫︎ Valheim 1.0 Launches With The Biggest Biome Yet in the Massive Deep North
⚫︎ FF7 Revelation’s Highwind Was So Important, the Devs Rewrote the Story Around It
⚫︎ FF7 Revelation's Director Canceled His Team's Long Vacation to Make Two Story DLCs
⚫︎ FF7 Revelation Director Tells Fans Not to Expect an FF7 x Fortnite Collab
⚫︎ 30+ Subtle Changes You May Have Missed in the Ocarina of Time Remake Trailer
Review Roundup: Sept 6 to Sept 12
Great Games All Around This Week
A carefully crafted path can define how a game unfolds from start to finish. Player freedom can take that experience in a completely different direction. This week’s reviews cover both ends of that spectrum, from Marvel’s Wolverine’s tightly focused superhero adventure to the open-ended worlds of Valheim and Minecraft, with co-op games like Orbitals and Bombanana finding their own ways to put players in control.
Touhou Embodiment of Scarlet Devil Review (New Classic)
Touhou: Embodiment of Scarlet Devil is a bullet hell where the real challenge comes from learning how to survive patterns that, at first, look completely absurd. Getting through a stage means learning the movement and recognizing gaps. This release brings this classic entry up to modern standards without losing its original identity.
The gameplay is still ridiculously good, with bullet patterns that push you hard without feeling unfair. The updated presentation also does a great job of preserving the original game’s identity, and the remastered soundtrack is every bit as memorable as Touhou’s reputation suggests. The story remains the weakest part by a wide margin, since there simply isn’t much here for anyone who wants the game itself to explain its famously deep lore.
Marvel’s Wolverine
Marvel’s Wolverine is a brutal action game built around letting Logan fight exactly as ferociously as his character demands. He is vicious and unrelenting in this game. Insomniac delivers its strongest superhero combat yet, with every hit carrying weight and enough flexibility to keep Logan’s abilities satisfying throughout the campaign. Strong character writing and expressive performances add real depth to his relationships, and the comic-book presentation complements the game’s polished visuals. The story loses some of its focus as it reaches the third act, yet the overall package still stands as a confident take on Wolverine.
Valheim 1.0
Valheim is the quintessential hardcore survival experience. Across eight increasingly dangerous biomes, players can build their own path from simple survival to the halls of Valhalla, with a staggering amount of crafting, base building, exploration, and combat along the way.
That scale is easily Valheim’s biggest strength. Every biome brings enough new challenges and content to feel like a substantial new chapter, and the multiplayer is deep enough to support entire survival campaigns with friends. Its low-poly visuals also hold up remarkably well, and the strong sound design makes the world’s dangers much easier to read.
Orbitals
Orbitals is a co-op puzzle adventure where two players work together to explore a strange, gorgeous world and figure out how its gadgets can be used to solve each challenge. Its best moments come from the simple discoveries you make with a friend, especially when an unexpected solution turns a basic tool into something much more clever.
That sense of discovery carries the game for much of its 10-hour campaign. The puzzles are fun to work through together, and the hand-drawn visuals and strong voice work give Maki and Omura plenty of personality. The problem is that many of Orbitals’ best ideas barely have time to develop, with some mechanics appearing for only a handful of puzzles before the game moves on. There’s still plenty of fun here, especially with the right person beside you.
Other Reviews This Week
⚫︎ Minecraft Review | The Culmination of Limitless Possibilities in Modern Gaming
⚫︎ BrokenLore: Don't Lie Review | Deception Loses Its Bite When You Already Know the Truth
⚫︎ Bombanana Review | Communication is Key, But Misunderstanding is Fun
