Now that the 2025 Wholesome Direct is done, we know the over 60 cozy games featured during the event. While most are headed to PCs, a few console and mobile titles showed up as well. In addition, eight ended up being shadowdrops during the event, among them the Switch and PC games Instants and Squeakross: Home Squeak Home. Quite a few also ended up being playable for the first time, with an array of demos showing up for them on Steam following the presentation. XSEED and Marvelous also announced they would be localizing Milano’s Odd Job Selections for the first time and releasing it on consoles and PCs.

Here is the full list of every one of the cozy games that came up during the Wholesome Direct 2025.

• All Will Rise - on Kickstarter - PC
• Ambroise Niflette & the Gleaned Bell - on Kickstarter - PC
• Anxiety Puppy - Q4 2025 - PC
• The Berlin Apartment - November 2025 - PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC
• Big Hops - 2025 - PC, Demo on Steam
• Camper Van: Make it Home - Out today - Switch and PC
• Capy Castaway - TBD - PC
• Clawsome - 2025 - PC
• Collector’s Cove - TBD - PC, Demo on Steam
• Crescent County - on Kickstarter - PC and Xbox Series X
• Danchi Days - TBD - PC, Demo on Steam
• Discounty - August 21, 2025 - Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC, Demo on Steam
• Dosa Divas - 2026 - Switch, Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC
• Everdeep Aurora - July 10, 2025 - PC, Demo on Steam
• Fireside Feelings - Out today - PC
• Fishbowl - TBD - PS5 and PC
• Gecko Gods - Fall 2025 - PC, Demo on Steam
• Gemporium - August 2025 - PC
• Gourdlets Together - 2025 - PC
• The Great Coffee Caper - TBD - PC, Demo on Steam
• Guardian of Nature Episode 1 - Out today - PC
• Haunted Paws - Alpha on June 7, 2025 - PC, Demo on Steam
• Heidi’s Legacy: Mountains Calling - 2026 - PC
• Hotel Galactic - July 24, 2025 - PC
• Instants - Out today - Switch and PC
• Is This Seat Taken? - August 2025 - Switch and PC
• Islanders: New Shores - July 10, 2025 - Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC
• KuloNiku: Bowl Up - Q3 2025 - PC
• Leaf Blower Co. - 2025 - PC, Demo on Steam
• Let’s Build a Dungeon - TBD - Xbox Series X and PC
• Letters To Arralla - TBD - Demo out now.
• Little Kitty, Big City - Free Content Update Summer 2025 - Switch, PS4, PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X
• Llamalandia - TBD - PC, Demo on Steam
• Luma Island - June 20, 2025 - PC
• Lynked: Banner of the Spark - Out now - PC
• Mafate - TBD - PC, Demo on Steam
• MakeRoom - August 7, 2025 - PC
• Mazey Village - TBD - PC
• Mecha - TBD - PC
• Milano’s Odd Job Selections - 2025 - Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC
• Muri: Wildwoods - 2025 - PC
• Monument Valley 3 - Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC - July 22, 2025
• Omelet You Cook - Out now - PC
• On-Together - TBD - PC
• One Move Away - 2025 - PC, Demo on Steam
• Out and About - Playtest out today - PC, Consoles in 2026
• Outside the Blocks - TBD - PC
• Pawsta - on Kickstarter - PC
• Puni the Florist - TBD - PC
• Seasonala Cemetary - Out today - PC
• Sheepherds - TBD - PC, Demo on Steam
• Shiba Sweet - TBD - PC
• Squeakross: Home Squeak Home - Out today - Switch and PC
• Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar - August 27, 2025 - Switch and PC
• Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game - July 29, 2025 - 
• Tiny Wander - TBD - PC and mobile
• Town to City - TBD - PC
• Townbox - TBD - PC
• Vending Dokan - Early Access out today - PC 
• Week in the Life of Asocial Giraffe - 2025 - Switch, Switch 2, and PC
• Winter Burrow - 2025 - Switch, PC, and Xbox Series X

The Wholesome Direct 2024 roundup included about the same number of cozy games as the 2025 one.

Camper Van: Make It Home, Fireside Feelings, Instants, Omelet You Cook, Out and About, Seasonala Cemetary, and Squeakross: Home Squeak Home are all available on PCs now, with Instants and Squeakross also available on the Switch. 

The post All the Wholesome Direct 2025 Cozy Games and Shadowdrops appeared first on Siliconera.

During Summer Game Fest 2025, Capcom revealed the new cast of characters coming to Street Fighter 6 for the Year 3 DLC. The new season will feature Sagat, C. Viper, Alex, and Ingrid.

C. Viper made her debut in Street Fighter 4 and hasn’t appeared since then. Sagat and Alex last appeared as DLC characters for Street Fighter 5. Meanwhile, Ingrid is an original character that first appeared in Capcom Fighting Evolution and made its first appearance in the Street Fighter series in Street Fighter Alpha 3 MAX for the PSP.

Here is the release window for each DLC character:

• Sagat - Summer 2025
• C. Viper - Autumn 2025
• Alex - Early Spring 2026
• Ingrid - Late Spring 2026

Additionally, the announcement trailer featured pro wrestler Kenny Omega cosplaying as each of the 4 characters. You can check out the reveal trailer for the Street Fighter 6 Year 3 DLC here:

Elena is the latest DLC character to release for Year 2, and she made her appearance in the game on June 5, 2025.

Street Fighter 6 is currently available for the PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Switch 2, and PC. Additionally, the Street Fighter 6: Years 1-2 Fighters Edition is now available for the same platforms including all the DLC content for the first two seasons of the game.

The post Meet Street Fighter 6 Year 3 DLC Characters appeared first on Siliconera.

Capcom officially revealed Resident Evil 9 as Resident Evil Requiem, a new game in the survival-horror series. The reveal trailer appeared during Summer Game Fest 2025, and it showcased new character Grace Ashcroft and the ruined remains of Raccoon City after the zombie outbreak. This came after an earlier teaser during the showcase featured Executive Producer Jun Takeuchi saying Capcom would need a little more time before being announced.

First, you can check out the reveal trailer for the new Resident Evil game here. A character named Grace is the first to appear and seems to be the new protagonist.

As a reminder, Capcom announced that a new Resident Evil mainline title was in development with Resident Evil 7 Director Koshi Nakanishi back at the helm. The announcement appeared during the Capcom Next Summer 2024 broadcast back in July 1, 2024 alongside other Capcom titles.

This is Capcom's second big June 2025 reveal. It also showed Pragmata again and set a 2026 launch window for it.

Resident Evil Requiem is currently in development and will come out on February 27, 2026 for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC via Steam. We'll learn more about the game over the coming weeks and months.

The post Resident Evil Requiem Coming in February 2026 appeared first on Siliconera.

During Summer Game Fest 2025, Sega made a number of Sonic Racing CrossWorlds announcements, including a September 25, 2025 release date for most platforms and character cameos with Hatsune Miku and from games like Persona 5, Like a Dragon, and Minecraft. However, the Switch 2 version doesn’t have a release date yet. There was also a new trailer showing off each of these crossover racers in-game. There will also be online cross-platform matchmaking for multiplayer.

You can see the trailer here. Hatsune Miku is confirmed for Sonic Racing CrossWorlds first, then we see Joker from Persona 5, Ichiban Kasuga from Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and finally Steve from Minecraft. 

Here’s the full Summer Game Fest 2025 showcase, in case you missed it:

We already knew about many of the Sonic the Hedgehog series characters who will be in Sonic Racing CrossWorlds. Here’s the list:

• Amy Rose
• Big the Cat
• Blaze the Cat
• Charmy Bee
• Cream and Cheese
• Dr. Eggman
• E-123 Omega
• Espio the Chameleon
• Jet the Hawk
• Knuckles the Echidna
• Metal Sonic
• Rouge the Bat
• Shadow the Hedgehog
• Silver the Hedgehog
• Sonic the Hedgehog
• Sonic the Werehog
• Storm the Albatross
• Tails
• Vector the Crocodile
• Wave the Swallow
• Zavok

We also know the prices.  It will cost $59.99 on the Switch. The Switch 2, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC versions will be $69.99. 

Sonic Racing Crossworlds will be on the Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC on September 25, 2025, and it will be on the Switch 2 as well.

The post Sonic Racing CrossWorlds Has Hatsune Miku, Persona 5, Minecraft appeared first on Siliconera.

During Summer Game Fest 2025, Bandai Namco revealed Code Vein 2. The title will debut in 2026. We’ll see it on the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC. It will also be available to wishlist as of June 6, 2025.

Here is the very first trailer. It shows a protagonist character dealing with opponents in a medieval mansion. After taking out an opponent, we see him happen upon a being that seems to resemble a girl who once lived there. After that, we see him go through a portal and encounter another entity. It appears this time around, manipulation of time will have some effect on the story and gameplay. The video primaril focuses on CG segments that set the stage for the adventure, rather than really showing off gameplay for it yet.

Here's the first trailer:

The original Code Vein debuted in 2019. It showed up on the PS4, Xbox One, and PC. In one of Bandai Namco's final updates on it, it was confirmed to have ed over two million in sales. The series was known for being able to fight alongside NPC allies or other people.

Code Vein 2 will come to the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC in 2026.

The post Code Vein 2 Debuts in 2026 appeared first on Siliconera.

Level-5 released the Switch 2 version of Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time, and at the same time confirmed camera adjustments based on player are on the way. There’s a new trailer showing the gameplay changes for the latest release, as well as some screenshots showing the changes to the view after players requested changes.

Ahead of the Switch 2 debut of Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time, Level-5 shared brief videos highlighting the frame rate and graphics updates. This latest video offers a more extensive look at gameplay. It began by showing peeks at how the graphics are improved in this version. Then, it offers examples of the frame rate updates when fighting, gathering, and crafting. The loading times come up after that to show how quickly it is to transition between time periods. 

As for the camera changes in Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time, there will be better angles and greater visibility. The two images shared by Level-5 seem to be taken from Ginormosia. In each, the field of vision is far longer. The patch adding them will show up on all platforms in mid-June 2025.

Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time is available on the Switch, Switch 2, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC worldwide. 

The post Fantasy Life i Switch 2 Version Arrives Ahead of Camera Update appeared first on Siliconera.

HoYoVerse shared details about the 5.7 update for Genshin Impact, including insight into new characters like Skirk, the Stygian Onslaught challenge mode, and its release date. Things kick off on June 18, 2025, after the Kinich and Raiden Shogun rerun banners end. 

The presentation confirmed that yes, this is one of those interlude Archon Quest updates. We’ll see our avatar and Dainsleif learning more about the protagonist’s twin and the Abyss Order. There will also be a Traveler’s Tales: Gilded Chapter, which involves cameos from past characters. Sumeru is getting a new event. Stygian Onslaught will be there for more advanced players who want to challenge bosses at different difficulty levels for rewards. 

We also know all the Genshin Impact characters who will appear alongside Skirk. Phase one will feature the five-stars Skirk and Shenhe. Both are Cryo characters. The four-star debuting on those banners is the Hydro unit Dahlia. The second part of the update will feature rerun banners for the five-star Pyro Archon Mavuika and five-star Dendro ally Emilie. 

You can see the trailer for the new update, which spends a lot of time looking at Skirk in Genshin Impact, below:

The events trailer looks at temporary events in the new Genshin Impact update, as well as the new Stygian Onslaught mode that will be a permanent addition.

Here is the full 5.7 Special Program: 

Genshin Impact is available for the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, PC, and mobile devices, and the release date for the 5.7 update is June 18, 2025. 

The post 5.7 Genshin Impact Update Adds Skirk, Stygian Onslaught in 2 Weeks appeared first on Siliconera.

June 6, 2025 is a big day for HoYoVerse and Zenless Zone Zero, what with the title making its Xbox debut, version 2.0 debuting, and a number of major storyline additions and quality of life adjustments arriving all at once. We’ve already seen the company make major adjustments, such as TV Mode adjustments and adding two more Ether Agents. To go over what went into this latest leap to a new version and platform, Siliconera spoke with Zenless Zone Zero Producer Zhenyu Li about the development process, characters, and its influences. 

Jenni Lada: Did any real-world cities shape the new Waifei Peninsula region in Zenless Zone Zero 2.0?

Zhenyu Li: When deg Waifei Peninsula, I drew a lot of inspiration from my home region, Guangdong, and its local culture. In Failume Heights, you'll find many establishments commonly seen in Cantonese communities, such as Yum Cha Sin, pawnshops, and traditional restaurants. These give the entire city a more authentic, lived-in atmosphere. Additionally, many of our team grew up watching Hong Kong films, so we infused Waifei Peninsula with a cultural fusion reminiscent of Hong Kong cinema. We hope this approach allows Zenless Zone Zero Season 2's unique artistic design and cultural flair to be appreciated by players worldwide.

There are quite a few Factions in Zenless Zone Zero that don’t have a full three for a complete squad yet. For example, Obol Squad, Stars of Lyra, and most recently Mockingbird. How do you come up with timelines internally for adding ? Will we end up seeing Factions that don’t ever end up with more than one or two in them?

Zhenyu Li: We don't have any specific restrictions on the number of in each faction, so there are no predetermined upper or lower limits for faction sizes. Future changes in faction numbers and whether new will will all depend on the needs of our narrative pacing and content.

When coming up with Thiren designs, how do you determine which types of animals and combinations can and can’t happen?

Zhenyu Li: We want Zenless Zone Zero to be a game without limitations. When creating Thiren characters, we don't set predetermined standards for what "can" or "cannot" be done. Instead, we focus on whether the character design fits the plot and background needs, whether their image can leave a lasting impression on players, in short, whether they're fun. As long as we strike a balance between aesthetics and plausibility, any kind of Thiren could potentially appear in the game.

26 of the confirmed playable characters in Zenless Zone Zero are women. Any chance we’ll start seeing more guys, especially ones who are five-stars?

Zhenyu Li: There will definitely be more male Agents in the future, including S-Rank ones. While we can't reveal who they all are just yet, we'll continue to introduce different characters as new versions of the game are released and the story unfolds.

The Defense role character pool in Zenless Zone Zero is rather low right now, with Caesar as the only S-rank Agent. Is there any particular reason for this and will we see more Defense units in the future?

Zhenyu Li: Defense characters generally have unique roles in team composition and combat. For example, Caesar provides shields for the team while also boosting the squad's overall damage. Because of this, we're careful when deg Defense Agents to ensure each one offers a distinct experience, rather than duplicating mechanics or playstyles. As gameplay expands further in Season 2, we'll introduce more Defense characters with unique mechanics, guided by both our design principles and player .

Zenless Zone Zero is filled with a lot of fashionable characters. What sorts of inspirations do you look to when deg costumes?

Zhenyu Li: We want every character in Zenless Zone Zero to be vibrant, three-dimensional, and unique. Before deg each character's appearance, we first consider their personality traits, using their background to guide the visual design direction. This ensures that every character's appearance reflects their compelling inner qualities and leaves a strong impression on players from the moment they appear. 

For costume design, we generally follow two main principles: First, each character's outfit must be inspired by modern clothing, tailored to fit both their image and background while aligning with Zenless Zone Zero's urban setting and overall artistic style. Second, each character's attire must reflect their faction's background, with the costume design enhancing character recognition.

There’s been a lot of fine-tuning in Zenless Zone Zero since launch in of how missions proceed and combat, and it’s clear the influence Honkai Impact 3rd had on it in some ways. What are some of the most notable changes in 2.0 based on both before and after the 1.4 update?

Zhenyu Li: In version 2.0, we aim to bring players a completely fresh experience. From a narrative perspective, we've reimagined Waycraft to better align with Zenless Zone Zero's urban fantasy setting while incorporating modern social values. We remain committed to our “people-first” approach to storytelling, focusing on the perspectives and actions of ordinary individuals rather than heroes. In of gameplay, version 2.0 expands on core mechanics and deepens the experience of existing content. In Lemnian Hollow, we've enhanced the sandbox-style combat stages, integrating Zenless Zone Zero's unique gameplay features. Players can look forward to 3D combat stages that offer greater freedom, broader exploration opportunities, and smoother, more dynamic combat experiences. 

To this expanded gameplay, version 2.0 also emphasizes infrastructure upgrades and innovation. First, alongside the combat stage improvements, we've enhanced basic systems and features, like UI and new 3D navigation maps, to ensure convenience and seamlessness for players. Second, we've deepened the links between existing game content: for example, the new temple management gameplay connects interactive experiences across various shops in Failume Heights, allowing players to immerse themselves more fully in New Eridu's self-contained city life and explore it through a clearly structured gameplay loop.

What kind of “this shouldn’t work, but it absolutely does for me” type of team of characters do you like to put together in Zenless Zone Zero when not trying to prioritize Factions and Elements?

Zhenyu Li: If I didn't have to worry about power level, faction, or stats, I'd probably just follow my curiosity and try out some interesting combinations—like a team of all characters over 160cm tall, an all-Thiren team, or even an all- team.

With games like Genshin Impact, we almost sort of have an idea of how long the main campaign might last due to regions tied to it. Do you internally have any sort of timeline on how long you expect the main Zenless Zone Zero story might run or how many arcs it might include?

Zhenyu Li: Zenless Zone Zero is a unique game that reflects our development team's own narrative approach and methodology. Rather than relying on area-based progression, Zenless Zone Zero leans toward a story-driven narrative, with each area naturally complementing the unfolding plot as narrative elements are presented to players. Our goal is for Zenless Zone Zero's storytelling to consistently surprise players, steering clear of predictable paths set by established settings. In fact, the main story only offers one possible thread—each player's understanding, experience, and emotional connection to the game is truly their own. We don't want to predetermine the story's direction; instead, we want players to freely imagine and explore Zenless Zone Zero's world, ensuring that their journey is always filled with unexpected moments.

Zenless Zone Zero is available for the PS5, Xbox Series X, PC, and mobile devices, and 2.0 is available now.

The post Interview: Preparing Zenless Zone Zero 2.0 and Its Characters appeared first on Siliconera.

Following the Digimon Story: Time Stranger release date reveal in the June 2025 State of Play, Bandai Namco confirmed it will sell a Collector’s Edition through its storefront. This will be the only way to get the $199.99 limited edition of the game, with PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC versions available. These include everything in the Ultimate Edition of the game, alongside a Jupitermon figure.

This basically means the Digimon Story: Time Stranger Collector’s Edition includes more physical bonuses compared to the $69.99 standard, $99.99 Digital Deluxe, and $119.99 Ultimate Edition. The exclusive items are the almost six inch tall figure of Jupitermon, four Digimon Card Game cards with art inspired by the game, and the 100-page The Art of Digimon Story: Time Stranger art book. A physical copy of the game is also included in the PS5 and Xbox Series X bundles, though the PC one only comes with a Steam code.

As for the other items, it involves additions included in the other versions of the game. If someone gets the Digital Deluxe release, that comes with a Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth costume pack. It also has the Ultimate Edition’s Season with three episodes and 15 more Digimon, the Farm Item Golden Moai, Cyber Sleuth BGM DLC, Public Safety Suit and Special Supplies DLC, a costume pack with 12 more costumes, and an early unlock for special versions of Agumon and Gabumon. 

Here’s an image showing everything in the Digimon Story: Time Stranger Collector’s Edition. That also shows the pre-order bonus that comes if someone orders it ahead of launch.

You can also see all the editions of the game in the June 2025 trailer:

Digimon Story: Time Stranger will come to the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on October 3, 2025. 

The post Digimon Story: Time Stranger Collector’s Edition Includes Jupitermon appeared first on Siliconera.

Capcom shared some details regarding how it will be handling cheaters in Monster Hunter Wilds, and it mentioned how it will stop pre-release content and unauthorized quests from appearing. It stated offenders will be suspended if they took part in malicious activities or actions that go against the of service for the game. It also reminded us that Hunter Profiles allow us to report people if we see bad or malevolent behavior.

In the case of cheaters who already used “unreleased content,” Capcom is already suspending those Monster Hunter Wilds players. It stated it looked at both “activity history” and “gameplay data” when coming to conclusions on social media. It didn’t note how long s will be suspended.

As for the illegal quests that appear in games, Capcom noted those will be tackled in Title Update 2. The game will automatically update to prevent people from even being able to go on quests that are “illegitimate.” People who made those quests will be suspended for it. The company also shared an infographic to help point out some “tells” for illegal quests, such as a mission featuring three or more monsters as targets or offering more than five rewards for a mission that has one monster to fight.

Here’s the full infographic to help avoid fake quests:

In the meantime, another recent update is more positive. We can earn Felyne headgear that makes our Hunters look like Palicos. That’s part of an Event Quest that debuted on June 3, 2025. It’s only around for a limited time.

Monster Hunter Wilds is available for the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC.

The post Capcom Dealing With Monster Hunter Wilds Cheaters Tampering With Quests and Content appeared first on Siliconera.

Square Enix announced the Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles English voice actors, and the FFVII Remake voice actors for Aerith Gainsborough and Cloud Strife will both be reprise their roles as the characters. Both Briana White and Cody Christian are confirmed. The two appeared in both FFVII Remake and Rebirth.

The full list came up after Square Enix talked more about the June 2025 State of Play reveal. It shared eight of the English voice actors. Among them is the English voice of Clive Rosfield, as Ben Starr will be Dycedarg. 

Here’s the full list of Final Fantasy Tactics English voice actors we know so far:

• Aerith: Briana White
• Agrias: Hannah Melbourn
• Cidolfus: Timothy Watson
• Cloud: Cody Christian
• Delita: Gregg Lowe
• Dycedarg: Ben Starr
• Mustadio: Harry McEntire
• Ramza: Joe Pitts

In the original Final Fantasy Tactics, you could actually encounter both Aerith and Cloud. It’s also possible to recruit Cloud, if you follow certain steps. 

In addition to the $49.99 standard edition, there will be a Collector’s Box. That includes a Ramza Akademy version figure, a set of three Chocobo plush, Outlying Church pop-up art, an art sheet, acrylic Zodiac Stones, and an option to get it with the game. It costs $200 directly through Square Enix, but sold out.

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles will come to the Switch, Switch 2, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on September 30, 2025. 

The post FFVII Remake Cloud & Aerith Voice Actors in Final Fantasy Tactics appeared first on Siliconera.

Keita Takahashi games have a habit of spreading joy and positivity. Wattam emphasized friendship and working together. Crankin’s Time Travel Adventure toyed with the concept of time management. Katamari Damacy made tidying up a little more silly and embraced chaos. To a T is the developer’s unique look at coming of age and growing up while dealing with unexpected challenges, all while overcoming them throughout the game. The story and soundtrack are fantastic, as you’d expect, but some of the execution isn’t exactly on-point. 

Teen is a young adult who is not only dealing with growing up, as they just turned 13, but with being shaped like a T. Their arms are perpetually extended at their sides. While this means certain accommodations need to be made in their everyday life, such as a service animal that assists with some tasks and special tools for accomplishing daily tasks, it presents a sudden unexpected advantage. On our avatar’s birthday, they discover they can fly by spinning quickly and moving about. What follows feels like an anime series, right down to segments being broken down into episodes prefaced by the PREP’s “Perfect Shape” main theme and punctuated by the Rebecca Sugar track “Giraffe Song.”  

The story and its execution are perfect. Even though we can completely customize Teen’s appearance, they still feel like a defined character with fourth wall-breaking moments of exposition, identifiable struggles, and a kind heart. The narrative isn’t preachy, even though it emphasizes inclusion, accessibility, acceptance, and individuality. It’s just plain pleasant. I do wish that some narrative segments didn’t only offer set outcomes, even if you managed to perfectly execute inputs. Also, the repeated use of the opening and closing themes, while designed to mimic an episodic show, can break up the flow of the story. I loved both tracks, and I’m still hearing PREP’s tune in my head at random moments throughout my day even after not playing in quite some time, but it accentuates exactly how short some of these story segments can be in a negative way. Once I started skipping them, which is an option, I found it helped with the pacing.

The aesthetic in To a T is also great, though this is common for Keita Takahashi games. It resembles titles like Katamari Damacy and Wattam, with similar facial features on characters, unexpected anthropomorphic NPCs, occasional weirdness, and vibrant color palettes. It’s a very distinct, poppy look. So as usual, everything stands out. Likewise, the music is lovely, with the songs with vocals being ridiculously catchy.

It’s the To a T gameplay that can sometimes feel like it isn’t on par with the game’s story and appearance. There are no tutorials in the To a T, beyond actual inputs shared to show how to make Teen fly. I can appreciate why Uvula made this decision. Life doesn’t come with an instruction manual, and it accentuates the struggle a person in a T-pose would face. But it means flailing through situations as you work out what each button should do, and even a few episodes in you might find yourself experimenting to figure out how to accomplish a thing. While you can send Teen around town to collect coins and play minigames so you can get things like more clothing, I honestly had more fun following the narrative than exploring.

While these may be patched out of the game by the time you’re reading this, I did notice a few bugs in To a T too. The biggest one involved segments when I’d need to adjust Teen’s positioning to go through doors or narrow gaps. You’re supposed to turn the right analog stick slightly on the PS5, then press with left one at the same time. Except more than a few times, after getting into the new room or area, Teen would immediately turn back around and go into the last spot. I even stopped holding the right analog stick once the animation started, in case it was my own doing somehow, and nope! I tried using a different controller. It kept happening. (I found disconnecting the DualSense, then reconnecting, helped.) There would be times when I felt like actions should have triggered, based on my input, but they wouldn’t . (This especially happened with the face washing minigame.) 

Of course, some of the issues came down to the controls and execution just being poorly handled and unexplained. The TV is the best example of this. On the PS5 at least, managing to aim the remote at the proper spot to make it spin, especially as it rises up, proved quite frustrating. There’s also a minigame involving catching ice cream that is more annoying than fulfilling. In general, I think I’d suggest that sometimes these moments can last a bit too long. I’ll it being flummoxed at how long the first interactive activity on the first moments with Teen carried on. 

What does work well are the accessibility option. The input to fly in To a T can be a bit tricky. It involves using the analog sticks to spin. However, it can be shortened and tied to triggers instead. It’s really encouraging! Especially since the game as a whole works to spread a message about inclusion and acceptance. 

To a T looks gorgeous and I found the game’s story charming, but the gameplay isn’t always entertaining due to certain design choices. Dropping us into Teen’s world with no explanation about controls can get confusing. The episodic nature is also fine, but can breaks up the pace in an unpleasant way. Fans of Keita Takahashi will be pleased, but others may want to try the demo before they hop onto T’s unicycle.

To a T is available on the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC. 

The post Review: To a T Would Work Better as a Show appeared first on Siliconera.

When we head back to school, we’ll also be heading back to Silent Hill. Konami revealed the Silent Hill f release date during the June 2025 State of Play. It launches on September 25, 2025. The announcement also confirmed pre-orders will go live today.

An extended gameplay trailer appeared during the showcase. In it, we see the lead heroine Hinako Shimizu wandering through town. At the start, someone calls out to her. However, she also suggests Hinako was a traitor somehow. We then see her dealing with supernatural opponents around town.

Here’s the full footage from the presentation. While there are some cinematic scenes, a lot of it seems to be actual gameplay of Hinako trying to survive in a corrupted town:

And you can see the whole June 2025 State of Play showcase below:

Silent Hill f is a multiplatform game, so we’ll see it on plenty of places come its September 2025 release date. We’ll even be able to take it on the go. Konami already confirmed back in April 2025 that this will be compatible with the Steam Deck. 

Silent Hill f will come to the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC, and the release date is September 25, 2025. 

The post Silent Hill f Release Date Falls in September appeared first on Siliconera.

A much-requested feature is heading to Genshin Impact, as HoYoVerse confirmed it will add Artifact custom loadouts that will let you more quickly equip different saved sets of Artifacts for characters as part of the update changes. There will be some limitations, but the Fast Equip section will allow each character different options. 

The announcement went over how this can be set up. In the Genshin Impact Fast Equip section for Artifacts, you need to choose Quick Configuration to start to make custom loadouts. There, you can search based on Main Affix, Set Type, and Minor Affix, as well as set an option like ones that aren’t equipped. That will then set up your selection as a Custom Configuration, with Plan 1 being the first option. Up to two of these plans can be saved as sets. This applies to each character. 

This is one of two Artifact changes in Genshin Impact, as Set Filter will be available in 5.7. It is designed to help with comparing different pieces of equipment. Both equipped and unequipped items can be searched and compared. 

There will be other gameplay changes in Genshin Impact 5.7. Retry Challenge will be an option in Spiral Abyss to ensure you get every star. It will also allow you to claim rewards from the Challenge Ended screen. The Talent Demo and Test Run sections will go over character abilities and roles. We will also be able to use Original Resin, Condensed Resin, or Transient Resin to claim rewards from Ley Lines and Domains.

Genshin Impact is available for the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, PC, and mobile devices. The 5.7 Special Program airs at 5am PT/8am ET/2pm CET on Twitch and YouTube on June 6, 2025, and update is expected to appear on every platform on June 18, 2025. 

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Shueisha announced the first volume of the manga adaptation of Metaphor: ReFantazio is now available in Japan. It is available via stores like Amazon Japan, which will ship to the US, for ¥572 (~$4). There’s no word on when or if it will release worldwide.

This first volume of the manga is 192 pages long and is only in Japanese. Since the first chapter was about 60 pages, the second 45, the third 45, and the fourth 45, it seems like the first four are the only ones that appear in print. So when the second volume debuts, it will begin with Chapter 5: The Curtain Rises. As far as the story goes, it covers from the start of the adventure to when the Tournament for the Throne begins, Will decides to enter the contest to become king, and the group starts the search for a Gauntlet Runner.

Here's how the cover of the volume looks:

It is possible to read the Metaphor: ReFantazio manga in English even though the first volume is only available in Japan at the moment. MangaPlus simulpubs the new chapters at the same time as they launch in Japan. Chapter 5 debuted worldwide on May 20, 2025. The next chapter will appear on the site on June 19, 2025. Note that this is a title where only six chapters will be available to read for free without any sort of subscription or payment. So once that update drops, it would be wise to immediately catch up so you don’t miss out once chapter 7 appears. Given the current pace of the series, that chapter will likely debut in July 2025.

The first volume of the Metaphor: ReFantazio manga is available in Japan, and the game is on the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC worldwide. 

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