Gaming

Vampirium: 1997 casts you as Dracula’s assassin in a vampire immersive sim

• Bithell Games announces vampire immersive sim Vampirium: 1997.
• You play Dracula's assassin in a top-down, time-managed tactical sandbox.
• Early access date TBA; possibly made solely by Mike Bithell.

Bithell Games, the studio behind Tron: Catalyst, John Wick Hex and Thomas Was Alone, has announced a new minimalist immersive vampire sim called Vampirium: 1997. The game casts players as an assassin serving the King of England — who is also Dracula — with the goal of infiltrating…

5 Video Games That Need an Anime Adaptation

• Entertainment piece argues anime is ideal medium for video game adaptations, citing successful examples like Cyberpunk: Edgerunners and Castlevania.
• SoulCalibur highlighted as strong adaptation candidate due to its warriors-seeking-mystical-sword premise and diverse character designs; inFamous praised for exploring moral complexity of superpowers.

In the wake of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners and Devil May Cry's success, here are five different video games that deserve an anime adaptation.

Brigandine Abyss preview: A cult-classic series returns with Fire Emblem flavor

• Brigandine Abyss launches 26u201327 August across PC and consoles.
• Fourth series entry borrows narrative depth from Fire Emblem.
• Adds six 15u201320 hour campaigns and new event battles.

Polygon has published a hands-on preview of Brigandine Abyss, the fourth entry in the long-running but niche strategy RPG series, ahead of its release on 26 August for Windows PC and 27 August for Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. The piece matters because it…

Microsoft is reportedly considering making more of its first-party games exclusive to Xbox

• Microsoft may make more first-party games Xbox console-exclusive.
• Big multiplayer titles will still reach PlayStation and other platforms.
• Layoffs and studio closures raise doubts about delivery.

According to a new Bloomberg report, Microsoft is reportedly considering making more of its first-party games exclusive to Xbox consoles, moving away from its recent strategy of releasing titles across as many platforms as possible. The reported shift is intended to give consumers a clearer reason to choose…

Here’s the Black Flag Resynced release time for your region

This PC Gamer article sets out the release date and regional launch times for Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag Resynced, a remaster of Ubisoft’s pirate-themed action game. The piece is aimed at players wanting to know exactly when they can begin playing in their own time zone. However,…

Cat Mail Co. is a cosy game where you run a post office for cats, and I wish it let me snoop into their private lives

• Cat Mail Co. is a cosy game about running a cats-only post office.
• You sort, weigh, stamp and X-ray parcels, then load them onto a boat.
• The reviewer enjoyed it but wanted more snooping into the cats' lives.

Rock Paper Shotgun previews Cat Mail Co., a cosy first-person game from Gamersky Games and Maracas Studio in which the player takes over a run-down post office serving a clientele of cats. The writer, drawn to the game by a self-professed nosiness about other people's parcels, enjoys the…

Geekom A9 Max AI AMD Mini PC review

Geekom has released the A9 Max AI, a compact mini PC built around AMD hardware, and PC Gamer has published a review of it. The article’s significance lies in assessing whether this small-form-factor machine, which emphasises AI capabilities, is a worthwhile buy for those seeking a space-saving desktop…

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced review

• Black Flag Resynced is an inconsistent remake, good changes offset by flaws.
• Ageing 2013 design clashes with newly added missions and features.
• Combat can delight, but an awkward lock-on system spoils fights.

Eurogamer has published its review of Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced, Ubisoft's remake of the 2013 pirate-themed original, rebuilt from the ground up on the latest Anvil Engine by Ubisoft Singapore. The reviewer's central verdict is one of inconsistency: for every improvement the remake introduces, a corresponding flaw…

Mario Kart Tour servers to close on 30th September with no offline mode

• Mario Kart Tour's online service closes on 30th September 2026.
• No offline mode is planned, so the game becomes unplayable.
• Gold Pass renewals cancelled; ruby sales have already ended.

Nintendo has confirmed that Mario Kart Tour, its mobile racing app, will permanently shut down its online service on 30th September 2026, at 7am BST. Crucially, and unlike the earlier closure of Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, which was replaced by a paid offline version, Nintendo has stated that…