The IGS Classic Arcade Collection includes three titles from the Knights of Valour series: Super Heroes, Plus, and 2: Nine Dragons, all inspired by the Chinese epic Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Beyond these beat-’em-ups, you can dive into Oriental Legend and its enhanced version Spooky, the wuxia-themed The Gladiator, the run-and-gun shooter Demon Front, and the one-on-one fighter Martial Masters.

The games keep their original content, offering the same feeling from arcades, complete with old visuals and classic sound effects that capture that era’s atmosphere. For easier access, the collection includes player-friendly features like adjustable difficulty settings, welcoming beginners while still challenging veterans. A save-and-load function lets you retry tough parts anytime, ensuring a stress-free experience without losing the arcade’s competitive feel.

Online multiplayer is a great addition, with select titles supporting up to four players in co-op. Friends can team up against tough bosses or compete for high scores on global leaderboards. While the Switch version faced mixed reviews for issues like audio emulation and slowdown, H2 Interactive aims for a smoother PC experience.

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You play as Hayaki, a skilled soldier from Reikan, an elite group sent to investigate strange activities on a mysterious island overrun with dangerous, unpredictable creatures. You’ll explore various maps with various terrain, using a map system that tracks your progress and unlocks new areas via navigation stations. This interconnected world also encourages exploration, rewarding you with hidden secrets and upgrades.

Combat in Hayaku is fast-paced and versatile. You can craft and upgrade over 12 unique weapons for Hayaki’s sword or pistol, each developing distinct behaviors as they level up, letting you choose between slashing enemies up close or picking them off from afar. Additionally, the Ride Armor customization system lets you collect parts across the island to boost a combat robot and mixing and matching these parts unlocks new abilities.

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You lead a squad of three Sovietborgs, moving through post-apocalyptic areas with guns, grenades, and a talent for big explosions. The game’s story pulls inspiration from 1980s action hits like The Terminator and Universal Soldier, mixing satire with wild chaos, while the gameplay will remind you of retro classics The Chaos Engine and Gauntlet.

The top-down view keeps the action fast and intense, with enemies such as mutant chickens, zombie hordes, and radioactive centipedes popping up from unique generators you must destroy to clear each level. Plus, there are shmup-style bonus stages, where you blast through enemy waves, and huge boss battles against towering, creepy foes.

The IndieGoGo campaign, kicking off on June 25, will fund the game’s final development and support releases for Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Dreamcast, and Neo Geo. Expect special editions like an exclusive PAL Dreamcast case and many more.

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At its heart, Kalit is about surviving in a strange landscape. Hunger and thirst are constant challenges, but they’re just the beginning, with mischievous creatures and unexpected dangers hiding around every corner. To succeed, you’ll dive into crafting tools, weapons, and gear to beat the odds. Whether it’s chopping trees with a googly-eyed axe or growing veggies to fight hunger, gathering resources is key.

The game lets you explore open lands, dive into the sea, or dig through dark mines. A fun addition is crafting makeshift diving masks or mini-submarines to uncover secrets in underwater wrecks, or even building flying machines. You’ll face cartoonish-style enemies, from small to large, reminiscent of old kids’ cartoons, plus gigantic bosses that challenge you to make weapons like guns.

For those who enjoy a slower pace, Kalit offers farming as a way to sustain your adventures. You’ll be able to plant peculiar seeds, nurture animated saplings, and harvest bizarre crops to keep your energy up, while also being able to construct custom bases complete with defense and workbenches. But the fun doesn’t stop there – you can assemble a vehicle.

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Ragebound will be welcoming and accessible to all types of players

The game kicks off with a straightforward tutorial, teaching you essential moves: wall climbing, dodging, attacking, and utilizing special abilities to dispatch tougher foes or environmental obstacles. After the tutorial, you step into the shoes of Kenji Mozu, a young Hayabusa clan ninja tasked with defending his village in Ryu Hayabusa’s absence. This narrative unfolds as you progress, eventually leading to an encounter with Kumori, a skilled kunoichi of the Black Spider Clan, who also becomes a playable character.

The demo excels at showcasing the game’s intense, yet fair difficulty, even showing the unlockable harder mode, and it teases the diverse bosses and enemies that await in each level. The fast-paced gameplay here is no joke; your primary goal isn’t to eliminate every enemy, but to reach the end, offering a significant nostalgic experience for fans.

Kenji specializes in close-quarters melee combat, while Kumori excels at ranged attacks and can briefly shift into the spiritual realm for unique platforming challenges. The game skillfully blends both combat styles. Each enemy can power up two special, high-damage abilities, marked by a specific color, indicating which attack you need to use to defeat them and unlock that ability for yourself.

Interestingly, once you meet Kumori, you gain the ability to traverse the demon world. Here, you’ll solve puzzles, clear platforming challenges, and find ways to free Ryu and open paths for him. Another excellent addition is the Ninja Fusion mechanic. This allows you to combine character abilities for attacks that can clear multiple enemies, though its use is limited to prevent overuse.

Great chance to try it out before the game launches this summer

Precise platforming is a core component, with sections demanding quick reflexes and careful timing as you’re being jumped by multiple enemies, especially during Kumori’s timed sequences that reset upon failure. The game’s vertical level design adds significant depth, featuring hidden areas packed with collectibles. Overall, this was a truly fun experience; it’s not overly punishing, at least initially, and I’m highly anticipating the hidden shop feature that wasn’t available in demo.

Let’s not overlook the demo’s great visuals, which expertly blend retro pixel art with modern detail. Environments like haunted temples and fiery battlegrounds are richly designed, featuring smooth animations and grotesque enemy designs clearly inspired by The Game Kitchen’s Blasphemous. The music is equally impressive, led by Blasphemous composer Sergio de Prado, and brilliantly complemented by contributions from original NES NINJA GAIDEN composers Keiji Yamagishi, Ryuichi Niita, and Kaori Nakabai.

NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound will release on July 31, 2025, and it will launch across PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. This demo is in fact part of a larger franchise resurgence, with NINJA GAIDEN 4 also set to arrive in October 2025, which is being developed by PlatinumGames.

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You play as Mina, a renowned inventor and “digger,” tasked with saving an island from a curse. Inspired by Game Boy Color graphics, it offers exploration of a vast, interconnected world. You’ll jump, dodge, and dig to overcome obstacles and battle enemies. Mina’s trusty whip, Nightstar, is her primary weapon, but she can also use a variety of unique secondary weapons, each with distinct moves.

Additionally, the trailer highlighted detailed animations and visuals that enhance the retro aesthetic with a modern twist. A chilling yet touching story, inspired by Victorian gothic horror, sets the tone, while an electric MSX-style chiptune soundtrack by master Jake Kaufman adds to the atmosphere. You’ll encounter bizarre characters, uncover secrets in exotic locations, and face bosses while exploring a world filled with interconnected zones.

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Commandos: Origins marks the return of the iconic real-time tactics (RTT) series after a nearly two-decade hiatus since Commandos 3 in 2003. As a prequel, it dives into the origins of the elite WWII commando squad, featuring familiar characters like Jack O’Hara (Green Beret), Thomas Hancock (Sapper), Francis Woolridge (Sniper), Samuel Brooklyn (Driver), James Blackwood (Marine), and Rene Duchamp (Spy). With a focus on stealth-oriented gameplay, Commandos: Origins aims to blend the series’ classic formula with modern upgrade.

As a newcomer to the Commandos series but a huge stealth fan, I find these games incredibly tense and strategic. Despite the occasionally weird AI patterns, they’re consistently fun, making you lose track of time. Each game brings something unique despite their similarities, and Commandos: Origins is no exception. It’s challenging, far from easy, and absolutely worth it for fans of the genre or the earlier entries. Three difficulty levels (Recruit, Regular, and Veteran) adjust enemy detection speed and mission complexity, with Veteran mode being especially brutal for series veterans.

Real-time tactics and Command mode

In Commandos: Origins, you’ll navigate large, intricate maps set in diverse WWII environments, from Arctic tundras to African deserts. The core gameplay revolves around planning, trial-and-error experimentation, and executing synchronized actions to complete objectives like sabotage, rescues, or raids. So, expect a lot of saving and loading. The game doesn’t waste your time in that regard; need to reload or change difficulty? It’s all easily accessible.

The game’s isometric perspective provides a top-down view of detailed maps, filled with enemies whose vision cones dictate safe movement. Unlike turn-based tactics games, Commandos: Origins demands split-second decisions while managing multiple characters. Command Mode helps immensely here, allowing you to pause the game to let you queue simultaneous actions for your squad. For example, you can have the Green Beret choke a guard while the Marine distracts another and the Spy delivers a silenced shot.

However, from the start, this mode was a mess. Sometimes it wouldn’t commit to a command, for example, to throw a grenade and you can only do one action at a time. If you need to shoot multiple times with your gun, you have to repeat the command yourself as enemies often require multiple bullets to be killed. Characters also moved strangely sometimes and can get stuck inside enemies. Yes, there are bugs.

“Commandos: Origins demands split-second decisions while managing multiple characters.”

You’re free to explore the map in your own way

The open-ended level design encourages creative solutions. For example, you can lure enemies with a radio, have the Green Beret bury himself in dirt for an ambush, or use the Marine’s throwing knife to clear a path. With so many options, you can complete levels or missions without killing every enemy. But, the game’s reliance on trial-and-error can test your patience, as small misclicks or unpredictable enemy behavior often require quick-loading. Additionally, the game offers a two-player cooperative multiplayer mode, letting you tackle missions together either online or via local split-screen.

Each commando’s unique toolkit adds depth to the tactical sandbox. For instance, the Sapper sets traps or uses explosives, the Sniper takes out enemies with long-range silent kills, and the Spy disguises himself to infiltrate enemy ranks. Plus, there are plenty of side objectives and collectibles which boost replayability. I personally loved the moments of complete chaos control; you don’t always have to play it safe, but poor planning can definitely get you into trouble.

The controls on PC are intuitive, featuring customizable keybindings and a streamlined hotkey menu for tools and unit selection, while the isometric camera is fully rotatable and zoomable. The minimalistic UI, with unit portraits and a clean minimap, avoids clutter. Despite these strengths, my worst experience was when enemies sometimes detected commandos in bushes they’d already left or entered a permanent alert state, which disrupted my stealth plans.

“Each commando’s unique toolkit adds depth to the tactical sandbox.”

Worth it if you know what to expect

Commandos: Origins offers a visual upgrade over its predecessors, with more detailed environments that capture the charm of WWII settings. The game’s biomes are beautifully rendered too with realistic lighting, shadows, and explosions. Character models stand out with unique animations for each commando, though cutscenes have minor graphical flaws and repetitive dialogue.

The campaign in Commandos: Origins offers around thirty hours of gameplay, and with a little exploration, you can find collectibles scattered across the map. I love how unique each map feels, which keeps things fresh and makes experimenting with different approaches genuinely fun, giving you plenty of freedom. However, even a month after release, the game still has some noticeable bugs and technical issues – nothing game-breaking though. If you enjoyed the earlier Commandos games, you’ll likely love this one too, especially since you can now play with a friend. It’s a bit pricey, but worth it if you know what to expect.

Review copy provided by the publisher

4

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Dotemu’s track record with retro-inspired games is impeccable, as seen in their work on Streets of Rage 4 and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, which reflects a deep understanding of beloved classics while pushing boundaries with modern mechanics and visuals. Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound, a side-scrolling entry, seamlessly blends the classic lore and gameplay of the original series with the depth and intensity of its modern 3D counterparts, offering the perfect mix of nostalgia and innovation to refresh the franchise’s appeal without alienating its core fans.

Ninja Gaiden has always been notorious for its difficulty, and Dotemu’s statement that Ragebound features mechanics that are “easy to learn but hard to truly master” suggests they are staying true to this tradition. The involvement of The Game Kitchen, further reinforces this. Blasphemous is a game that demands precision and strategy, qualities that align perfectly with the Ninja Gaiden ethos. I expect Ragebound to offer a similarly demanding experience, where every move counts, and every enemy encounter tests your skills to the limit.

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound introduces a new protagonist, Kenji Mozu, a young ninja from Hayabusa Village. He must form an alliance with Kumori from the Black Spider Clan to combat a demonic threat. This narrative twist, combined with the ability to control two characters simultaneously through a mechanic called Ninja Fusion, adds a layer of depth new to the series. It’s a bold move that could redefine how players experience the Ninja Gaiden universe.

Finally, Dotemu’s partnership with Koei Tecmo, the current holders of the Ninja Gaiden IP, is a testament to their credibility. Koei Tecmo’s trust in Dotemu to handle such a beloved franchise speaks volumes about the company’s reputation and capability.

The timing of the demo release during Steam Next Fest on June 9, 2025 is a strategic move. It allows players to get a taste of Ragebound before its full launch on July 31, 2025 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC (Steam) and Nintendo Switch. his builds anticipation and gives Dotemu and The Game Kitchen valuable feedback to fine-tune the game.

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Chronicles of the Wolf throws you into a world where myth and history intertwine. As Mateo, you’ll navigate treacherous landscapes and battle monstrous abominations. Journey through humble villages, opulent mansions, dank cave systems, and dark forests riddled with ghouls and ghosts. The game is packed with everything fans love: tight combat, gothic storytelling, and boss fights.

Adding to the game’s immersive experience, the narration is brought to life by Robert Belgrade, legendary for his work in the Tekken series, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (as Alucard), Mega Man X7 (Signas), and Soul Blade (Rock), while the illustrated cutscenes and haunting soundtrack are composed by Jeffrey Montoya.

Chronicles of the Wolf is set to launch on June 19th, 2025, for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox, and PC (Steam). Physical editions will be available for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5 consoles.

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Set in an alternate 1970s Sweden, Heavy Metal Death Can puts you in the boots of a naval officer on a military submarine. The Sludge has corrupted your crew into grotesque monsters. You must sneak through claustrophobic corridors, scavenge for survivors, and solve the mystery of the chaos. With fixed camera angles and tank controls reminiscent of late ’90s horror classics, the game creates a tense, cinematic atmosphere.

It’s pure Swedish surrealism, mixing cultural details like authentic 1970s naval uniforms and submarine control panels with chilling industrial horror. Your choices shape the story, leading to uneasy alliances and bizarre encounters that reveal the submarine’s dark secrets. “It’s a place that feels familiar yet wrong,” says the Krufs Productions team, who even visited a real submarine for authenticity. If you’re a fan of Resident Evil, this game is definitely worth checking out.

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