An intuitive and exhilarating roguelite RPG by Square Enix, DRAGON QUEST Smash/Grow is ringing in the season with its new Summer Watermelon Mania Event.
Now live in DRAGON QUEST Smash/Grow through September 22 (UTC), the Summer Watermelon Mania Event will have players clearing stages as they earn Watermelon Chunks. These can then be used to unlock new recipes, and can also be used to obtain and upgrade event skills.
On that note, obtainable Watermelon Pips can also be traded in DRAGON QUEST Smash/Grow’s Swap Shop to unlock the summertime event-exclusive outfit, accessory, and additional rewards.
Players will also be able to obtain up to 1,200 gems by signing into DRAGON QUEST Smash/Grow daily to claim login bonuses.
Known for her work as Silent Hill 2’s Mary Shepherd-Sunderland and Maria, Monica Taylor Horgan will be a Guest of Honor at Sac Gamers Expo 2026 this fall – her first convention appearance!
A free and ambitious update for Super Evil Megacorp’s radical roguelike Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate, The King’s Gambit is now available.
An interconnected realm of magic awaits when Thekla Inc. and Arc Games’ puzzle adventure Order of the Sinking Star releases for PC and consoles October 8.
Voiced by Cedric Williams, South Town’s resident dancing king Duck King will make his way to SNK’s Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves as part of Season Pass 3 on August 27.
Now available for the PlayStation 5 and the Nintendo Switch, the global retail release of Tribute Games and Universal Products & Experiences’ Scott Pilgrim EX has made its way to participating retailers and the official iam8bit website.
Known for her work as Silent Hill 2’s Mary Shepherd-Sunderland and Maria, Monica Taylor Horgan will be a Guest of Honor atSac Gamers Expo 2026 this fall – her first convention appearance!
Monica Taylor Horgan did the voice and motion capture work for Mary Shepherd-Sunderland and Maria in Silent Hill 2.
In addition to Silent Hill 2, she can also be heard in other titles like Shenmue, Dead or Alive Ultimate, and the narrative voice for the Nintendo DS titles Let’s Yoga & Let’s Pilates.
Learn more about previously confirmed Sac Gamers Expo 2026 Guests of Honor below:
Exhibitor spaces available but limited! To get an Application please email: contact@sacgamersexpo.com Make sure you clarify Artist or Vendor! pic.twitter.com/k4DqW0z0E8
An intuitive and exhilarating roguelite RPG by Square Enix, DRAGON QUEST Smash/Grow is ringing in the season with its new Summer Watermelon Mania Event.
A free and ambitious update for Super Evil Megacorp’s radical roguelike Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate, The King’s Gambit is now available.
An interconnected realm of magic awaits when Thekla Inc. and Arc Games’ puzzle adventure Order of the Sinking Star releases for PC and consoles October 8.
Voiced by Cedric Williams, South Town’s resident dancing king Duck King will make his way to SNK’s Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves as part of Season Pass 3 on August 27.
Now available for the PlayStation 5 and the Nintendo Switch, the global retail release of Tribute Games and Universal Products & Experiences’ Scott Pilgrim EX has made its way to participating retailers and the official iam8bit website.
Players will be able to become the new Gatekeeper – and ultimately fix their lives – with Harvester Games and 11 bit studios’ Trainwatch.
Blending together adventure, time-management, life simulation, and even horror, learn more with our preview…
Trainwatch Preview – Adventure x Life Sim x Horror!
Living up to its name, Trainwatch will have players taking on the mantle of the new Gatekeeper Troy as they set out to find a new lease on life.
It’s not the most glamorous life, however; this “ugliest pile of bricks ever built by man” is surrounded by nothing but gloom and fog in the middle of nowhere.
And for a full month, no less.
However, Trainwatch packs a heavy atmosphere along its heavy story. Troy is trying to win back the love of Agatha, treating this less-than-stellar role as his redemption arc.
Time management also comes into play in Trainwatch. While our demo was short, we were able to see its day-night cycle alongside its character progression and inventory management.
However, Trainwatch also features a heavy story. Players will need to navigate Troy’s journey as they contend with sobriety, danger, and even sanity. One will need to keep an eye on the phone for the call to open and close the gates as they utilize its time management system and inventory.
More than anything else, Trainwatch features an incredibly immersive atmosphere. While our time with the demo was short, we were eager to see what was going to happen next.
Featuring an immersive atmosphere, Trainwatch’s combo of adventure, life sim, and horror have us eager to learn more about Troy’s redemption arc.
We're so happy to announce #Trainwatch – a new title joining our 11 bit portfolio, created by a solo-developer Rem Michalski from @harvestergames 🚂
Step into the shoes of Troy, a new Gatekeeper at a desolate railway crossing. Tend to the gates for one month and stay sober to… pic.twitter.com/DEzeXp3T3m
Featuring an expansive open-world and action that channels gaming’s greatest legends, we got some hands-on time with Silver Palace’s Dichotomy Test after our Anime Expo 2026 session – learn more with our preview…
Another HoYoverse hit, our brief time with the Honkai: Nexus Anima Evolution Test proves they truly understand what we so love about the creature-collecting adventure genre.
San Francisco Bay Area natives (like us!) will be thrilled to hit the Shark Tank with the release of EA SPORTS NHL 27 this September, featuring San Jose Sharks Cover Athlete Macklin Celebrini.
A single-player turn-based tactics title, Star Wars Zero Company will task players with commanding an elite squad through a gritty and authentic story.
Lending their talents to Star Wars Zero Company original score is GRAMMY award-winning composer Gordy Haab. On that note, the Star Wars Zero Company soundtrack will be released August 27 via Walt Disney Records.
Be sure to check out the action-packed launch trailer for Star Wars Zero Company below:
Voiced by Cedric Williams, South Town’s resident dancing king Duck King will make his way to SNK’s Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves as part of Season Pass 3 on August 27.
Now available for the PlayStation 5 and the Nintendo Switch, the global retail release of Tribute Games and Universal Products & Experiences’ Scott Pilgrim EX has made its way to participating retailers and the official iam8bit website.
An open-world adventure, Windup Games and Knights Peak’s enchanting 3D co-op title Hela: Of Mice & Magic will get a retail physical Collector’s Edition in the form of Microids’ Hela: of Mice & Magic – Harmony Edition.
An ambitious sequel to Cold Symmetry and Playstack‘s Mortal Shell, the world of Mortal Shell II is expanding its Soulslike formula with an interconnected open world.
See whether Mortal Shell II makes a lasting impact with our review…
Mortal Shell II Review
Beginning with a flower festival, Mortal Shell II has players as the Guest of Honor – with everyone happy to see you.
Players are the chosen Harbinger, the one to help Mether collect all of her Ova (eggs). Revered as a god in these lands, there is a whole temple dedicated to helping find and protect them.
The more Ova returned, the stronger the Harbinger gets – and the more experience one is granted.
While featuring a great narrative, Mortal Shell II’s many smaller stories kept me going to the very end.
For instance, Mortal Shell II tells of a big frog guy who just wants to find a wife. While he keeps getting sick, players will help him in his quest for both a remedy and a wife.
Being mindful of spoilers, stories like those kept me coming back more than the Mether and her minions throughout its approximately 30 hours of play.
While these stories are great, Mortal Shell II’s comabt is some of the best seen this year.
It comes down to impact: Mortal Shell II possesses the rare ability to feel every hit.
I’d go so far as to say Mortal Shell II sets a new gold standard for combat!
Mortal Shell II allows players to fight with melee, ranged weapons, and Shell abilities.
That being said, Mortal Shell II starts off with the most GOATed weapon combo in game history:
A Greatsword and a shotgun.
Shooting my first enemy in Mortal Shell, when I thought:
“That’s like DOOM’s shotgun!”
I knew I was in for a good time with Mortal Shell II.
Getting into a fight in Mortal Shell II, melee attacks build Resolve. One can use Adrenaline to use ranged attacks, or alternatively use Shell skills.
The Shell Eredrim serves as my main, largely due to the shoulder charge that breaks enemies’ guard and closes the distance.
Each Shell in Mortal Shell II has a different ability for different play styles.
Me? I’m just a bruiser, so I pick the big heavy armor guy with the charge and the big sword.
While there are supposedly eight Shells in all, I only had six by the end of my playthrough.
On top of Shell customization, Mortal Shell II also features Tarstones akin to charms. However, these Tarstones also grant new skills and buff basic attacks.
My shotgun in particular utilized the Barrage Stone, which launched a shotgun blast right above the enemy. Combined with the Tarstone that makes enemies explode upon death, and tell me Mortal Shell II doesn’t feel like DOOM.
Want to rip and tear even more? Mortal Shell II’s Tarstones can also be upgraded.
Mortal Shell II also places weight on its in-game economy, something I always keep an eye on.
Having so much gold worried me at first, but oh boy was I wrong.
A number of basic upgrades t weapons and Tarstones in Mortal Shell II can be had for cheap, but maxing them out easily costs over 10k – plus materials.
This same principle also applies to Mortal Shell II’s leveling system. Those sticking around the same area won’t level fast.
Rather, going to new and harder areas will have EXP double or even triple, allowing one to level up if needed.
Put simply, Mortal Shell II’s grind the difficulty match up very well.
When it comes to Mortal Shell II’s world, it’s Dark Fantasy through and through – denizens must hate living here.
Around every corner of Mortal Shell II is some monster or weird humanoid eager to rip you apart.
However, sometimes looks can be deceiving….and sometimes a hunchbacked old lady with a broom can bust out a Liu Kang bicycle kick.
Exploration is very rewarding with gold, EXP, new Tarstones, weapons, and even Shells.
The combination of good combat, fun exploration, and interesting side stories really pulls everything together in Mortal Shell II.
It’s just unfortunate players can’t see each Shell’s stats in Mortal Shell II – there’s no strength, HP, or anything of the sort.
Conversely, when I hit an enemy with the same weapon as Eredrim and Tiel, the damage difference is noticeable.
There are seemingly some stat differences…
Mortal Shell II also tasks players with manually marking completed dungeons on the map. A cool idea, but not all have a clear “you beat it, now warp back to the entrance” icon.
When scouring the map for the last few Ova, you really start to question if you completed certain spots…
Currently sitting in my top five releases of the year, fans of gritty Soulslike action RPGs will absolutely love Mortal Shell II.
Featuring a rich world ripe for exploration and deep, impactful combat, Beast of Reincarnation is a fantastic action RPG worthy of all adventurers this summer.
