Previews
22 article(s)Hands-on previews and first impressions of upcoming games.
IO Interactive Loses Xbox Partnership on Project Fantasy, Announces Layoffs
IO Interactive is hitting serious turbulence. The Danish studio behind 007 First Light just lost its main backer for Project Fantasy — presumed to be Xbox — and is announcing layoffs in the same breath. A double blow for a studio that seemed to have found its footing post-Hitman. What this rupture reveals about the fragility of ambitious projects outside established franchises, and what it means for First Light's future.
Clutch: One Hour of Gameplay Tests Whether Narrative Racing Actually Works
Following a Summer Game Fest reveal that turned heads, Maverick Games livestreamed an hour of Clutch's opening. An open-world racing game with stated narrative ambitions, led by veterans of Playground Games. The footage and intentions are there. What's still missing is proof they can coexist over the long haul.
Xbox at a Crossroads: Halo French Dub, Fable, The Wolf Among Us 2, and Mara
This past gaming week sent mixed signals about Xbox's platform health: a controversial French dub for Halo Campaign Evolved, Fable still struggling to prove itself, The Wolf Among Us 2 resurfacing, and the mysterious Mara emerging. Behind these scattered updates lies a fundamental question: does Microsoft still know where it's headed?
Halo Campaign Evolved: A Reassuring Grip on a Remake That's Found Its Way Back
Two missions played in advance, and already the impression that Halo Studios understood what Infinite missed. The Silent Cartographer and the control room command regain their original tension in a remake that goes far beyond a fresh coat of paint. The question is no longer whether Halo can return — it's already happening. What remains is verifying that the promise holds up over time, because a few hours don't make a full review.
Halo Campaign Evolved: Hands-On with a Sequel Unlike Anything Else
Twenty-five years after Combat Evolved, Microsoft and Halo Studios are back with a title that carries the legendary name without being a simple remaster. Arriving July 28 on Xbox Series, PS5, and PC, Halo Campaign Evolved has been placed in the hands of the press. First impression verdict: the project is ambitious, occasionally surprising, and carries a genuine gameplay proposition—but also raises some questions worth asking before launch.
Hitman Classic Trilogy Remastered: What the Original Three Games Teach Modern Assassins
Saber Interactive resurrects the first three Hitman games in a remastered collection arriving at the perfect moment. With IO Interactive riding high on 007 First Light's success and World of Assassination's Freelancer Mode still evolving, it's time to look back. What did Codename 47, Silent Assassin, and Contracts invent that the World of Assassination trilogy sometimes left behind? An in-depth preview of a collection that deserves far more than just nostalgia.
Ragnarok Console Project: The Multiplayer Roguelite Hits All Platforms
A surprise from Japan: Ragnarok Console Project launches simultaneously on PS5, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. Behind this rebooted title lies a multiplayer roguelite built for group sessions, drawing from the Norse mythology of the Ragnarok Online franchise while carving its own identity. First impressions on a project that could shake up cooperative action-RPGs.
007 First Light: IO Interactive Invents Bond Before Bond — First Impressions
IO Interactive temporarily leaves the sterile corridors of a luxury hotel for the slippery terrain of espionage in training. 007 First Light promises to tell a story no one had dared tackle seriously: the genesis of a cold killer, before the tuxedo, before the martini, before the legend. Does the studio behind Hitman have what it takes to carry James Bond without betraying either the franchise or its own DNA? First impressions on an editorial gamble as ambitious as it is risky.
Hosting the Perfect Halo 3 LAN Party With Friends: A Complete Guide
Halo 3 on Xbox, a dozen players, and a whole night ahead: that's the ideal scenario to rediscover why Bungie defined split-screen multiplayer for a decade. But running a proper LAN session with Xbox consoles requires preparation. What hardware do you need, which modes should you prioritize, and how do you structure the night so nobody gets bored? A practical guide to a gaming format that deserves a comeback.
Brebiman Soundtrack on Steam: The Music of a Mystery to Unravel
Brebiman (ブレビマン) quietly lands on Steam's upcoming pages with a soundtrack sold separately before the main game even launches. An intriguing signal for a title still shrouded in mystery. What does this OST tell us about what its developer is cooking up? Lumnix dug into what we know, what we can infer, and what this early release reveals about the editorial strategy behind this curiosity.
007 First Light: IO Interactive Reinvents Bond Before Launch — Our Hands-On
IO Interactive has dropped the first playable footage of 007 First Light, and it's a surprise: the studio behind the World of Assassination trilogy isn't just recycling its Hitman formula. This new entry attempts to build a credible origin story for James Bond, balancing surgical infiltration with unrestrained action. After several hours with the game, here's what stands out — and what still gives us pause.
Outbound: The Van Road Trip Gets Ready to Leave the Campground
Outbound is about to launch on Steam with a clear promise: recreate the feeling of a van road trip with friends, complete with open exploration, resource management, and impromptu camping. At $22.49 with a 10% preorder discount, Studio Wulfpack's game checks a lot of boxes on paper. Before release, we've dug into what we know about the project to see if the hype is justified or if the fantasy camping hides hollow mechanics.