Growing up, I was notoriously a Nintendo girl. From the Wii to the Switch, Nintendo was the only form of gaming I had ever known. To me, the PlayStation often felt like the big-kid, or dare I say, the adult console, and as the child of gamer parents, I grew up more fascinated by Dark Souls than Sesame Street. However, the world of PlayStation games had always been something I saw from a distance, not that I wasn’t allowed to play, but more that they felt too convoluted and out of my depth compared with Nintendo games.

But, there was one game that caught my eye without even touching a controller: Final Fantasy VII. I remember watching Advent Children for the first time in my youth, and for those unaware, it’s a movie that takes place after the events of the original game, which, by that point, is major spoiler territory. However, I didn’t care much and was captured by the world and character dynamics in front of me. Even beyond viewing this movie, I found myself noticing it in small ways when I least expected it, and when I heard the name or saw a character, I immediately knew who they were. Eventually, around 2020, the remake came out, i watched my parents, like usual, explore this world and play the game. And I ended up with this itch to play it for myself. So around my birthday, I requested a PlayStation 4, not a PS5, but a PS4, to play Final Fantasy VII remake on, and to my luck, my birthday wish was received, and I got to play the game. In fact, today marks the anniversary of that day, as it’s my birthday, and I’m about to take you on a journey of how much Final Fantasy VII means to me, because little did I know that day was only the beginning.

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The start of a remarkable adventure

Final Fantasy VII Remake delivers fully in its intro, as you’re tossed straight into a bombing mission where you take control of Cloud Strife, a mercenary for hire, who took this job from his childhood friend Tifa Lockhart, as we see him tag along with the eco-terrorist group called Avalanche. During the mission, things go south when the bombing causes more damage than intended, but never fear, stone-faced Cloud is here and couldn’t care less about the situation, as he is more focused on the money. Despite his cool-guy exterior, we see him taunted by a silver-haired man he calls Sephiroth, which suggests Cloud holds a deeper secret beyond our earliest understanding of him. Eventually, the team returns to Sector 7, the group’s home base. Here, we meet Tifa, and the game allows you to explore and breathe. As you walk the area, Cloud becomes the talk of the town, and the game prompts you to complete different side quests fitting into this area as an outsider slowly becoming a celebrity.

When the story eventually dives back in, Cloud ends up on the next bombing mission alongside Tifa and Avalanche’s gun-armed leader, Barret Wallace, with whom Cloud has a hilarious rivalry with. Once again, the mission doesn’t go well, and Cloud gets separated, landing right into the flower bed owned by the local flower girl, Aerith Gainsborough. We learn that this innocent girl is being hunted by the Shinra Corporation, and so Cloud agrees to protect her, and their relationship is incredibly charming due to Aerith’s warm and bubbly personality. Aerith lives in the other sector, Sector 5, but in our time here, we eventually leave to go back home to Sector 7 until we find out Tifa is willingly whisked away to the Wall Market, which just so happens to be the lawless entertainment district full of dangers. Going in to save Tifa requires many sacrifices, including Cloud losing his dignity by dancing in front of a crowd to earn a disguise fit enough to reach Tifa, which is incredibly rewarding, especially in a rhythm game sequence. Eventually, when we find her, we learn Sector 7 is being attacked because it is connected to the group Avalanche, and Shinra plans to “stamp out” the area with an industrial plate from above to eliminate the group. During the effort to get back home, Aerith is kidnapped by Shinra during the scuffle, all while the game puts you into the shoes of Cloud and Tifa as you fight for your home. The emotional core of this moment, specifically, is the loss of our teammates within the Avalanche, as we watch them succumb to their injuries one by one. Despite only knowing them for a short time, I felt the significant weight of the loss, a feeling I rarely had with a video game. Eventually, the team learns that Aerith was taken, and, together with Barret, Tifa, and Cloud, they infiltrate Shinra’s headquarters to find her. This trio dynamic was incredibly hilarious, as Tifa remains the voice of reason and calmness, all while Barret and Cloud are at each other’s throats. One of the funnier segments is the choice between climbing the stairs and taking the elevator to reach Aerith. I choose the stairs, and seeing the character’s personalities come out in full swing when they are tired is hilarious. Eventually, we are able to find Aerith, but we are encountered by a series of obstacles that split the team up among bosses, and a partnership between Barret and Aerith was something that I hadn’t expected, but I truly enjoyed.

When the team is able to leave Midgar, they are intercepted by Sephiroth, who leads them into a boss, more or less a series of three mini-bosses. Once they are finally defeated, we get to fight against Sephiroth, starting out as Cloud, and then, one by one, each team member joins the fray to fight alongside us. It was in this moment, I couldn’t help but feel the level of friendship and togetherness of this entire team being brought together like this, all as one. It felt rewarding for a final battle, given that a lot of the moments in the game are separated among Cloud’s interactions with each character, but single-handedly, he would curate an entire group, perfectly following the found-family trope.

In the end, Sephiroth inevitably retreats into thin air, Cloud decides he is going to continue pursuing Sephiroth, which feels like a moment where he is going alone, no matter what anyone says. However, one by one, the team comes together, rallying behind him, and there is this great feeling of hope as everyone chooses to go alongside him, because it is no longer his problem; it is everyone’s. After this, a title card appears: “The unknown journey will continue.” While I felt sad that this once in a lifetime experience was over, I was happy to have experienced it, and I felt incredibly moved in a way I had never experienced with a game before. The game itself, within the Remake, started to feel like home, and after playing, I couldn’t wait to go back.

Journey into the original

Usually, i don’t play remakes before playing the original. However, with FF7, I completely ignored that rule and dove right in. After finishing the remake, I needed more, and the only way to get it was to go back to 1997. Going back to the original game felt like playing it for the first time from a different angle. This game felt far from outdated, and in many ways, it feels like a time capsule of what once was. It’s a realization that, to me, is still hard to process, thinking about how I’m experiencing something that was made such a long time ago. This game charmed me in more ways than I expected, and the way characters express emotions by moving and flailing their arms is adorable. The pre-rendered CG cutscenes hold up so well, and in a game with no voice acting at all, despite all that, you can still see and understand the feelings they are conveying, and I found that VII performs this very well. What moved and fascinated me about the original, especially when I first played it, was the world’s scale and depth. At such a scale, there is so much this game attempts and absolutely accomplishes, from the party traveling underwater in a submarine to going to space. The game, in many ways, is ridiculous, and yet every time it just works.

The turning point for me was how deep this game had gotten, and it feels like it’s structured like an iceberg, where we started off at the top but slowly went deeper. To me, that was a lot for the broader view of what this game is, and I think the way the turmoil sets in paid off really well, both in gameplay and story elements. The part that really nailed the atmosphere was when a threat persisted in the form of a meteor bound to pass through the sky and destroy the planet entirely. But no, this wasn’t just something we heard about. It was something we could see, because after it was summoned, you now saw it looming in the sky throughout the rest of your playthrough, as the game played ominous, looming music to feel that tension. The world deeply reflected that, where now everyone you spoke to was accepting their death and the end of the world. Gone were the moments of happy towns and villages, and that truly set in deep for me.

And then there is Aerith.

Her death is the most iconic yet devastating moment in the series, and I knew for years this was her outcome, which led her death to land softly, in a way where I had been expecting it. However, the one thing I didn’t expect to feel was longing for this character, even though she had brought so much joy to the party. Hours after her death, I found myself losing that memory of what playing as her even felt like. What truly got me was her missing icon, where, among the smiling faces of the party (except Barret and Vincent), hers was now gone entirely. There was no way to get her back, no way to reverse things, and I think that hit me hardest, realizing what I deeply missed, what was no longer there anymore.

When I finished the original, I felt a sense of pride that I now had knowledge going into the second installment of the remake, now referred to as Rebirth. I was able to recognize every location, story beat, and callback in the trailers, and having that insight made me feel like an official fan of this series.

Seven stages of rebirth

Going into Rebirth, it had been a game I had been anticipating more than I anticipated my own birthday. After spending a significant time with the original, I felt an overwhelming excitement to explore the world again with fresh eyes. I remember waiting for my copy to be delivered, surrounded by snacks, and throwing a small party with myself in celebration of getting the game. I remember waiting impatiently for the download of this behemoth of a game to finish, but diving right into it was something I’ll never forget.

Rebirth, at its core, is one long road trip as the team travels across continents to find Sephiroth, where their only lead is mysterious robed figures walking toward a specific destination while uttering the words “reunion.” Exploring this game was vastly different from the Remake, with endless things to do, and now the team was finally exposed to sunlight beyond the dark, cold, industrial world Midgar possessed. My favorite addition to Rebirth was Queen’s Blood, a strategic card game where you build a deck and compete to claim territory and build enough points against your opponent. The game begins in the town of Kalm, a lush, lively area very different from the environment we originally came from.

Queen’s Blood, however, follows you in every region of the game, with new opponents harder than the others (which has led to a few rage quits here and there).

However, the game comes fresh with the addition of new party members, including Yuffie Kisaragi, Red XIII, and Cait Sith, which brings a tone of humor I believe the story needed more than ever. Each of these characters carries new movements and weapon types, which makes building a party a lot more interesting because you can have a combination of just about anyone. Yuffie was one of my favorites to play as, and my fondness for her dates back to the Remake DLC featuring her. She is high energy, with thrilling, quick combat fit for a ninja like her, and I fell in love with how smooth her gameplay and combat feel almost immediately in Rebirth, along with the addition of synergy abilities, where each character carries specialized team-ups that nail down that teamwork energy.

Despite all the fun to be had in this game, it never strayed from getting me deeply, something I don’t often experience, nor have I ever with video games. At my core, I had never felt such a deep, emotional connection to a game as I did with the Final Fantasy VII series. Even knowing the story beats of the latter half of this game from the original, it still managed to surprise me in many ways, both the good, the bad, and the strange. Admittedly, I shed many tears over this game, but what truly got me the most was realizing it was almost over. Usually, when I finish games, I’m satisfied that I finished them rather than never touching them again. And so the final turn Final Fantasy VII Rebirth takes is where the game leads into its climax, a memorial for the character Aerith and our farewell to her. As I said already, with Aerith I had expected this big blow to happen, but there was still a level of hope in what the game’s story had discussed, that our main antagonist Sephiroth is seeking the Black Materia to summon a meteor that will come crashing into their world and we may have a chance to change the fates of each character. When the group goes to find it before him, things go badly, and Aerith and Cloud get separated. Cloud wakes up in a dream world where Aerith seems to be bracing Cloud for the future of her death with a meaningful, heartfelt goodbye, one she was never able to give in the original game. Together, we walk the paths of Sector 5 on one last adventure similar to our time in Remake, and the solemn energy and weight of it all soon become something too much to bear as I start to realize maybe we won’t be able to change this outcome as we hoped for. And when she walks away, leaving Cloud and us, the player, behind, I already know what’s waiting for us when we find her again.

I had mentioned that originally, Aerith’s death scene never hit as hard in the original game because I had known what had happened, and what the magic of rebirth had done for me was give me this incredibly emotional experience of being able to relive the moment, somehow more unknowing than I was before, about what was going to happen. I remember walking the steps of the Forgotten Temple, and for me, that’s when I started to unravel. I hadn’t even seen what was going to happen, and yet the tears were already flowing. This is why, to this day, I carry and respect this game to the highest degree for what it did for me. Once the bandaid of Aerith’s death had been ripped off harshly, I was hit with emotional whiplash through a 10-series boss fight, including multiverse crossovers and characters reuniting in ways I hadn’t expected them to. And yet, when the fight was over, I found myself letting the weight of the fact that an important member of this team, this family, was gone, and seeing the characters reflect that grief in a cutscene about this loss really got to me. But what was the salt in the wound for me was watching the entire party load into Cid Highwind’s tiny Bronco and fly off while a spiritual ghost of Aerith watched them and had been left behind amidst the grasslands, where her last words were goodbye. This hurt me so badly in so many ways that I can’t even explain. Finishing Rebirth was quite the experience for me, and it altered my brain chemistry in a way I never expected. I remember that night I laid there and just wept because this adventure was over and only one more awaits. The way this game ended in such a sad and solemn way got the best of me, and the one and final title card, “No promises await at journey’s end,” left me in shambles. If this isn’t proof of what this remake series as a whole accomplishes, I don’t know what will.

The friends we make along the way

Final Fantasy VII is a masterclass in character development, and this is not said lightly. Across the original game, the films, the novels, and the remake trilogy, there has been such a strong level of character consistency across each form of media, and that consistency makes them feel like people you actually know, from their deepest fears to their likes, their contradictions, and their struggles. They feel so remarkably human that connecting with them carries a strong sense of familiarity.

If you were to take a look at this group, you would see such variety among the people. You would never assume in a million years that a vampire would have anything in common with a flower girl, and yet this trope of the ragtag group just works seamlessly, not because they are the same, but because they are the same at heart, with experiences and losses that drive them together as one found family. Each one of these characters has been hurt and disgraced by Shinra in some way, and each is working through loss. This shared wound is what makes them family under these circumstances, as they recognize that pain and come together to fight it.

A feature I appreciated most in Rebirth was the addition of the relationship system, where, as Cloud, you can develop deeper connections with each party member based on dialogue choices and even the choices you make when picking side quests. A lot of these conversations and side quests are riddled with small, intentional personal moments between Cloud and the other character, giving you an opportunity to see your teammate beyond the battlefield, and for me, that was special. Each side quest shines for each character, allowing you to see a pocket of their life, one-on-one, off duty from the mission at hand, letting you into the character’s private thoughts and worries, and making you grow closer to them in a way a cutscene, for me, sometimes wouldn’t fulfill.

I feel like, beyond Cloud as a character, the remake series puts so much love and depth into each character that there is never a time when we just settle on one perspective. We get to settle on many others in the party, as the game puts you into the shoes of other characters, which, for me, drives home the point that it’s everyone’s problem, not just Cloud’s. The pain and loss affect everyone else as well, and for me, that’s important.

I also, as the player, felt so attached and a part of this journey alongside these characters because there is so much to see that, in a way, it never felt like I was just viewing the situation. I was a part of it, too, and staying at inns was a big aspect of this. In the remake, and even the original, you always arrive at an inn to rest, and it fades to black, but with Rebirth we get to peek behind that curtain a bit to see these characters actually winding down, where we are given late-night scenes and small yet intimate conversations and insights into vulnerabilities between each character, which made this feel like a family, and I looked forward to each inn visit for this very reason. And that is the particular magic of Final Fantasy. You feel like a participant in the story rather than an observer, and every single time this group would come together for a fight, I felt that familiarity because they were my people, too.

This world is my home

This world as a whole has become a place I could explore with my eyes closed. I have spent so much time across many different versions that it has become a second home to me. What made it special was that it felt alive and breathing with each step you took. In the original game, the world changes as the story progresses, which is completely common for many games, but for its time and, especially, for its storytelling, it hits incredibly hard. Landmarks and areas you explored and felt comfortable in soon become rubble or ghosts of what they once were. For instance, there was an area that suffered a massive attack, and after this plot point, all that was left was a giant crater, with the area no longer usable. However, this would be reflected on the map itself. As you cruised through the skies, you could see the damage from below, and that stuck with me. This also aligns with my strong feelings for Sector 7 in the remake, where we meet new people, visit the Seventh Heaven bar, and have recently moved into a new apartment, effectively cementing the area as a home. However, the game would rip that right from under you when the area would be destroyed, and when that happened, all that was left was the aftermath of rubble, fire, and residents in shock over the loss of important people in their lives, screaming out for help. It’s the moment I realized the loss and grief wasn’t just something cloud, and the party is affected by, but it’s the kind of loss that belongs to everyone who built their lives here, and I found myself missing Sector 7 deeply after it had been destroyed because I lived and breathed here, and now it was gone, nothing more than a memory.

Beyond the injustices and trouble that Midgar as a whole brings, I felt so much longing and relief to travel here once more, playing as Zack Fair. This is where everything had started, where friendships, rivalries, and a life were forged. To see Midgar in the state it is in the film Advent Children hurts deeply, because the remake allowed us to revisit this area in more depth, and now you develop a much stronger attachment to this city after seeing it is nothing but ruins. And the game truly lives by its thematic promise of loss and the memories you hold for it. Places you loved are destroyed, people you love are gone, and yet the group continues to push forward time and time again because life still finds a way, no matter what.

And that, to me, is why this series means so much.

Thank you, Final Fantasy VII.

Final Fantasy VII changed me, and this is not an exaggeration under any circumstances. I mean it from the deepest part of my heart. As someone who first encountered this world and these characters at such a young age through a film I knew nothing about, finally being handed the game to play it myself was an experience I would never trade for anything else. The remake series allowed me to see the game and these characters again, because after this, I’m not sure we will ever get that chance again. While this game is often praised as the best, I approached it with fresh eyes and wonder, and I will always carry it with me.

I am eagerly and nervously waiting for the final installment of the remake trilogy, and I will be incredibly devastated when it ends, but I will always remain grateful I discovered it when I did. This journey, which started on this exact day, has snowballed into me becoming so attached to a game like this, and it is one of the reasons why I will always be so proud to be a gamer, because it’s such an honor to experience a work of art like this.

This has been one of the longest things I have ever written, and I absolutely poured my heart out. Thank you so much for sticking along with me on this ride. There is so much more to come, but it wouldn’t have been possible without you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading. Till our paths cross again, see you soon. <3

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[potential spoiler warnings!]

Resident Evil Requiem for me, was one of my most anticipated games of 2026, with my eagerness to see this next installment spanning all the way to 2021 after finishing Resident Evil Village. When I finished RE8, I was left shocked, not just because the game was intense and took a lot out of me (which it did), but because they killed off the main character, Ethan Winters (RIP, mold man). His character had carried this series on his back since 2017, but with his story ending on a simple title card, “The father’s story is done,” I was left wondering what they would do with it going forward.

Now, if you had told me that one of the main characters in RE9 would be Leon Kennedy and that we would be going back to the ruins of Raccoon City, I wouldn’t have believed you (I would have passed out), and yet here we are. For me, it’s really shocking to see how far this series has come, with a 9th installment carrying it forward, plus many other spin-offs. Time and time again, the franchise surprises me. And Resident Evil 9 proved one very important thing. The series is going to outlive all of us.

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THE FRANCHISE THAT CAME A LONG WAY

Quick history lesson. I’m sure that if you already clicked on this article, you know what Resident Evil is, but it’s in my name, so I’m gonna have to dump some lore on you. Sorry, I don’t make the rules, but it will be quick, I promise. ;)

Don’t scroll. I saw that!

In my eyes, the core of Resident Evil is pretty simple. Shoot zombies, but be heavily inconvenienced while doing it. Which, in this case, falls in line pretty well with the coined term survival horror. This inconvenience is core to the franchise and has always been, given that the entire first era of the Resident Evil series centered on one city, Raccoon City, before they blew it to pieces, leaving only one question: Where do they go from here?

The answer is none other than Resident Evil 4, yeah, that Resident Evil 4 that has many ports. I’m not shocked we haven’t gotten one for a Samsung smart fridge yet, but jokes aside, Resident Evil 4 is the golden goose of the franchise and has always been. It blew up beyond anyone’s comprehension, becoming a new vision for the series, moving forward with new mechanics, settings, and characters. To this day, it’s still deemed a masterpiece and even won Game of the Year at the 2005 Spike VGAs, which, with all these achievements, would mean whatever came next had to be just as good as Re4 had been.

What would follow would be RE5 and RE6, which wouldn’t be as much of a “lightning in a bottle” moment as RE4 was. Both games leaned heavily into the action elements that had made RE4 special. The only issue is that horror was no longer in the room with us, and many fans grew frustrated with how RE6, specifically, lost the plot along the way, in favor of what the game was supposed to be: a “Hollywood action” style. To this day, if you were to ask anyone who is a Resident Evil fan what their most hated game is, it would most likely be Resident Evil 6. For me personally, which promise not to tell anyone, but I actually kind of did like Re6. It definitely isn’t a game I would choose if I wanted to be scared, but it’s one I’d want to have fun with. But that’s not the point here.

The backlash Resident Evil 6 received specifically would not have looked good for the franchise at all, which led the developers to take a step back, look at the broader problem, and figure out what worked, ultimately producing the savior of the franchise, RE7. It would take a completely new approach, being first-person and completely terrifying, which is what fans wanted from the series all along. What would follow this golden streak for the franchise were the remakes, which would continue to bring in new fans along the way, making the franchise even more successful than it once was.

But here’s the thing: with a growing fanbase of the new vision for the series, there were still holes left unfilled and ignored by the franchise. The fanbase had grown split by preference, with first-person versus third-person and classic zombies versus whatever werewolf abomination was in that village. And it left the series in a place where it needed to pick a side.

But what if it didn’t?

A NEW BEGINNING

Resident Evil 9 is living proof that the developers looked at every complaint, debate, and split in the community and decided to give them the best of both worlds while finding a way to make two different playstyles work.

The game as a whole feels like a love letter to the series without ripping off nostalgia or past feelings. In many corners and parts of this game, you can feel the essence of the older entries sprouting in ways that are rewarding and intentional rather than cheap. For me, it was so reminiscent to see ink ribbons return in hard mode and to have two playable protagonists with overlapping stories, as we did with Resident Evil 1 and Resident Evil 2. To me, these were essential parts of the game from the beginning, and now to see them return in a new mainline entry truly felt special, like seeing an old friend after so many years.

What makes Resident Evil 9 exciting beyond nostalgia is that it feels like a definitive direction for where this franchise is headed. For me, Resident Evil 7, while an absolutely amazing game, felt like an experiment, a way to see what stuck and what didn’t. What makes Resident Evil 9 feel so different as a reinvention is its commitment. Many of the elements we see in this game were test runs from its predecessors, used here as finished products rather than as trials. And with what Resident Evil 9 did, I think Capcom finally perfected the formula for the series moving forward.

SURVIVAL AT ITS FINEST

For YEARS, I have always wanted a proper approach to dual-protagonist gameplay and storyline. I have always adored how, in Resident Evil 1, you had the opportunity to choose between Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine, and the same applied to Resident Evil 2, where players could choose between Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield. Resident Evil 9 flows between both protagonists, and while the option to choose either isn’t there, the game presents players with the best of both worlds, featuring Leon Kennedy and Grace Ashcroft.

Grace Ashcroft plays in first person. It’s slow, utterly terrifying, and follows the core of survival horror with a limited inventory. Her sections in the sanitarium, down to the smallest detail, are so reminiscent of Resident Evil 1. Trekking through the dark, looming hallways of the Spencer Mansion is exactly how it felt to wander around this giant sanitarium with no clue where to go, what to do, or how to escape, minus the very obvious objectives the game gives you. The point is, the game is absolutely intense in these sections, and playing as Grace really captures the feeling of vulnerability. Notably, one of my favorite puzzles in this section was tracking down different body parts for a corpse, which I know may sound incredibly concerning, but you need to hear me out on that one. I decided to play the majority of Grace’s sections in third person, which gave me a completely different experience from the first-person option. The game was just as chilling as before, but it was the fact that I had a choice that made the option between these two modes mean so much.

Leon S. Kennedy, on the other hand, yes, I am using his government name now, plays exactly as you expect him to. A lot of his gameplay style is just like the Resident Evil 4 remake, with added defensive options and finisher moves, which are my favorite part when fighting the zombies. His sections play in third person with a more action-forward approach, fitting an iconic veteran who knows what he’s doing (minus the unnecessary backflips). Going from Grace to Leon was incredibly relieving, especially when Grace’s sections had me close to seeing the light. Playing as Leon felt like he was a walking, talking save room because it gave me breaks from the intense moments during Grace’s storyline. You feel really powerful playing as his character, but at the same time, it’s not like he’s just plowing through all these enemies. It takes precise parry timing to land those satisfying moves. I appreciated the switch from time to time because it kept the gameplay fresh, and you had to adjust to each switch based on who you were playing as, which kept me hooked.

The way the game also handles these overlapping stories is truly impressive, given that most Resident Evil games with two protagonists would give you an option to choose one or the other. However, I really loved how, in RE9, bouncing between these two stories with Grace and Leon is handled really cinematically, and it felt like seeing the series through a new lens, as it has never taken this direction before. But it definitely works. I also found that, when going from Grace to Leon, being able to see the mess I made playing as Grace definitely kept the situation and story consistent. You truly did feel like you were living in the moment just hours prior and were able to see the damage, which felt unique to each playthrough.

PERFECTION OF PERSONALITY

Finally, I’m at my favorite part of this segment, which is characters. For me, the Resident Evil characters are always written in a really lovable and relatable way, so you become a part of their journey of growth and survival, and Capcom nails it every time, especially with Resident Evil 9.

Grace Ashcroft is an FBI intelligence analyst who is deeply introverted and struggles with anxiety, which is quite the combination for someone in a horror game. If it were me, I would have just let a zombie bite me and called it a day, but Grace works really well with these qualities because her fear feels completely human. Watching her take deep breaths to gather herself and push through felt compelling for a character like her in the series, as it’s rare for characters to experience a situation like this and really show how scared they usually are. But having Grace’s personality on full display, especially in her gameplay, keeps the game feeling real and immersive. For example, she can trip and fall when playing as her. Speaking of immersion, the voice acting for Grace carried a lot of weight in her emotional scenes, revealing who she was at her core. It truly sold her character, and Angela Sant’albanos performance as Grace made me connect with her much more.

Leon, on the other hand, is the Leon we all know and love. There is a reason he is as popular as he is (besides the other reasons), but he remains the same guy we have known across the series, most notably in the remakes. One thing I truly appreciate about his character is the consistency carried through the remake series into this mainline title. It feels as if we have grown with Leon from his rookie days to his role as a government agent, and he hasn’t changed much. His jokes and one-liners still land every time. With Leon, one thing I had been concerned about was his characteristics, as we see he’s going through a hard time in Requiem, and the story seemed to be taking on a moodier, angrier tone regarding the character’s struggles. But despite being on his deathbed, Leon is still kicking and cracking jokes each time. And with his character, I adored seeing how selfless he actually is. While we have always known him to be a hero, this was one of those times when we weren’t exactly sure whether he would die, and despite everything going on, he still pushed through. That is what I like to see with his character. Something about seeing those moments of vulnerability with a character like him, at this age and with this level of experience in his career, the traumatic experiences of Raccoon City affecting him to this very day allowed us to see the cracks of that rookie is still within him, which is what made this character a complete perfection.

As characters, Leon and Grace both exist in their own elements, and I appreciated how full-circle a moment this was for both characters. And here I start getting into lore territory. Grace is the perfect archetype for a character who I do think has a lot of potential to become a more established survivor in the future. A lot of the Resident Evil characters started off in their early 20s. None of them had ever experienced an outbreak before or even seen a zombie, and that’s what made the game so perfect. You weren’t playing as someone who knew what they were doing. You were playing as someone who had never seen these things before. To me, that’s why Grace’s introduction to the series and as a character is absolutely perfect. She follows that formula incredibly well, and it felt like she could have existed in the older games because of how on-the-nose it felt for a character like her. While I do miss the veteran characters, I do hope that, in the foreseeable future, this formula is kept with two characters as a way of introducing more new protagonists. However, I think Leon’s character arc in this story is especially strong, given the parallels between him and Grace. I noticed them automatically and couldn’t help but feel how much Grace felt like I was playing as a younger Leon Kennedy in his police officer days (you know? the worst first day of his life). Grace is a rookie FBI intelligence analyst who has never seen any of this before, and Leon more or less begins to fill the shoes of the late Marvin Branagh, the officer we meet in Resident Evil 2, who is injured and turned before we can properly help him. However, with Leon, he truly fulfilled the role of mentor to someone caught up in the same situation as he was. For instance, the scene where Grace is crawling under the gate to get to the other side while “the girl” chases her before Leon saves her and hands her his gun (which had like one bullet in it, thanks a lot, Leon) was almost a one-to-one match to Leon’s experience. For me, Leon as a character was someone who carried a lot of survivor’s guilt for never being able to save someone from Raccoon City, so being able to save Grace from a place that carried a lot of horrors felt like a fulfilling moment for his character, and it was this type of depth that I truly appreciated.

SETTING UP FOR THE FUTURE

When I started this, one of my main points was that I felt this franchise had finally found what it had lost all those years ago. I feel that it holds true not only for the gameplay style but also for the story and the elements introduced, which makes me excited to see what will happen in the future of the Resident Evil franchise, from Umbrella to bigger, grander conspiracies. I think Resident Evil 9 set up the perfect lead-in for the bigger issue and big bad at hand, being the connections beyond Umbrella’s own menacing actions. I did feel like one day this antagonizing force would become a constant that would soon grow dry if something new wasn’t introduced. However, the series proves in this game that there is much more to come. And with that, I’m incredibly excited.

Resident Evil 9 Requiem, at its core, felt like everything I had been asking for, as the roots of this series now feel unearthed after decades of searching. Not only did the game succeed in returning to where it came from while remaining fresh and opening a door to somewhere new, but I feel that it would have been incredibly hard for the franchise to do all those years ago, and somehow, they managed to pull it off. The developers had clearly been listening, and Re9 is structural proof of that, as the game knows what it is and what the fans need without favoring the other.

Despite every reinvention, obstacle, and moment when this franchise almost lost itself entirely, it keeps on surviving, and I don’t think anything is going to stop it soon.

Thank you so much for listening to me go on and on about one of my favorite franchises. Trust me, there are many more to come, so join me and my discussions here on skill issue. See you later ;)

-Lore <3

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The $20 that started EVERYTHING

So I remember it like it was yesterday, if yesterday meant almost a whole decade ago. A few days after my birthday, I remember being given $20, and as everyone may know, $20 as a kid was like winning the lottery. I thought I was so rich at the time, but obviously I could have bought anything: a Barbie doll, some play makeup, literally anything, and what do I choose? Tomodachi Life, obviously. Now, at the time, I had a Nintendo 3DS, and I was working with what I had, which was just Animal Crossing. I had this weird obsession with watching Nintendo trailers on the e-Shop all day long, and I stumbled across Tomodachi Life, which, for me, seemed like the coolest thing my eyes had ever witnessed.

So what happened, you may ask? Well, I went to Toys R Us (I miss that store) and got the game for $20 total. If Nintendo games were $20 nowadays, I would have so many. I didn’t realize how good I had it at the time, but I got the game and ended up with over 1,000 hours in it, and it truly dragged me in with its charm and wackiness. This was a game that, in many ways, never took itself seriously, and for me, that was my everything.

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Fear of a new game

When the Nintendo Switch first launched, I remember pretty much forgetting all about my DS. Yes, you all have me on record saying how much I loved the DS era, but when I was younger, a new shiny thing was a new shiny thing. Obviously, I was going to be obsessed with the Switch for a while. And in that long while, we got a lot of new installments from the best series Nintendo has to offer, which left one question: Tomodachi Life. Given that it was a DS game with DS features, I found it hard to imagine a Tomodachi Life game on the Switch. The question was, how would they actually pull that off? And I had no clue at all, but I knew it was something I really wanted on the Switch. I had Animal Crossing already. I had Splatoon, Super Smash Bros., Mario Kart, etc. This was the last game I could now only recount from memory, and I wanted to see it brought back to life. But here’s the thing. As much as I wanted to see this game actually happen, I was unsure how it would fare because, like most new releases, it would need to add features and make changes to keep the game fresh and interesting. So I was scared for this game because of how unique it always was, you know? Like, there is so much in this game that is pure nonsense, and I really didn’t want any of that to be replaced with something else. And I felt that way with Animal Crossing New Horizons. Yes, I am bringing up Animal Crossing again. It’s like something I can never get off my mind, but I love that series to death. And when the new game came out, a lot was missing, and I felt very confused and put off by the central theme the game now had, because a lot of characters from the older games got replaced or left behind, or features were completely forgotten about, like I can’t even upgrade Timmy and Tommy’s store anymore beyond a little shop, ahem. Like I was saying, I was scared. So when Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream did come out, I wanted to get as much out of it as I could to better understand the game, you know? However, and I’m going to need you to get close for a second because I must preface this, this is not a review or really anything. I always refer to my talks as me simply yapping to yap, but this is all me, raw, just talking about something as a longtime fan: the good, the ugly, what made me laugh the most, so let’s get into it, shall we?

What makes Tomodachi Life Tomodachi Life?

Getting into this, I think I do need to explain a bit about what Tomodachi Life is so you can get a better idea of what this game actually is, because, whoops, I never explained it in the intro. The premise and mechanics of the game center around the Mii system, where you fill an island with friends, family, and even your pets (not including the fact that it most likely will look like a terrifying humanoid Mii version of the family dog). And basically you just watch them live their lives. The more Miis you add, the more the island grows, so on and so forth. By adding more Miis, new locations can unlock. The Miis can interact with each other, bounce from apartment to apartment, and befriend one another, which is the gist of it all. This is essentially one little pocket world you can peek into whenever you want to.

And what made it special was that creative control. You shaped a majority of what your island was because it’s all personal to you, and whatever scary-looking Mii you decide to add to your island. The game was spontaneous in many ways. It was unpredictable and funny, and it felt like tuning into a new episode of a show every time. They could be arguing, dancing, hanging out, and doing things you may not approve of... But come on, it was funny, and that was the whole reward, and for me it kept the game fresh and had me coming back almost every time.

What it gets right

Going back to what I was originally saying, I was, for good reason, a little scared there would be tremendous changes to the newer installment. But here is where I set the nostalgia aside for a second, because there is a LOT to talk about.

Quality of “tomodachi” life changes

I think this is the most important one to start with because, for one, the game feels like an enhanced version of the original experience, with many new additions that make it much more comfortable to play. Many of the new additions specifically have to do with the fact that we can now nudge and toss the miis, literally, around the island and next to other miis to interact. This comes in handy a lot when you have two miis, for example, from the same series, and you want them to interact. That was always the biggest problem I had with the original game because I would make someone, and they would not interact AT ALL with who I wanted them to interact with, which was tough. I was at it for hours just to get two miis to have a conversation. Luckily, Living the Dream fixes this, and now I can control interactions. It’s truly life-changing.

The good ole personality system

I cannot overstate how good the personality system in this game is. It’s not just about venturing and comparing it to other life sims; even down to the smallest details, I feel like the game hands over a lot to make the characters act one-to-one like their real-life counterparts, and that’s COOL. It lets you get incredibly specific with how they eat, walk, and talk. It’s practically impossible at this point to have two miis that feel the same, especially as time passes and you add more characters. Everyone just has their own thing going on now.

The miis have left containment

A gameplay element that was just generally hard to ignore in the older games was that the game is from a fixed camera angle, except in their apartments. At the cafe, at the beach, or at the amusement park, a fixed camera angle awaits. This wasn’t a big deal for me until Living the Dream came out. I realized how much I was missing out on up-close moments. In Living the Dream, you have sight over everything. You can follow a Mii for hours and watch them just live and exist, rather than just trying to catch them wherever they may have gone, which, most of the time, my Miis were working a 9-7 and were never home. But now they just exist both inside and outside, and it’s definitely a sight to see because the game offers items to place all over the island, like a seesaw or a bench, and you can just watch these Miis, like National Geographic, come up to them and start using them, which is very fun to watch, both Squidward and Peter Griffin on a seesaw together, if I’m being honest here. That sense of discovery was never in the original game, which made this such a new and fun addition that I never thought I needed before.

Rooming to the max

In the original game, you could only ever move in with your spouse, which often happened after two miis got married. Now, in the newest installment, miis can actually request to move in with whoever they want, as long as they are friends and can handle having a roommate. I unexpectedly found this feature to be one of my favorites because living together brings new cutscenes and interactions in this shared home, and each one is genuinely hilarious to watch. I love seeing the miis cook, clean, and sneak a snack from the fridge, which, obviously, had to be my mii counterpart committing such crimes. But it was something I once again didn’t know I needed until I had it. For me personally, I’m living in a home with all of the Resident Evil gals. However, Leon Kennedy has yet to warm up to me. He’s missing out.

Creativity has no limits

And last but not least is the level of creativity this game allows. Obviously, the original game had many ways to be creative. However, Living the Dream introduces more than one, which makes the things you can produce limitless. You can create the world’s greatest abomination, craft very specific food items, and list whether they’re hot, cold, or spicy; your miis can look very specific if you have artistic intent. Homes, both externally and internally, can be as specific as you want them to be, and, get this, you don’t have to pay for expansion packs to do any of it. (You know who you are.)

Thing I truly miss

I think I would definitely be doing a disservice if I just sugar-coated everything through rose-colored glasses just because this game is one of my favorites, which it is in many ways. However, I obviously can’t ignore that some game attributes are missing or have been completely reworked. One aspect of Tomodachi Life I had always looked forward to was the baby miis growing up. In the game, your miis could have children, and often you would see them grow up day by day. Your miis would call you to babysit them. This would trickle into babysitting mini-games where you could rock, play, and spend time with your mii’s child, pretty much becoming part of the growing-up process and witnessing this mii grow up almost every day. That was something I remember looking forward to so much as a kid, and now it’s replaced with a montage. Yeah, you got that right, a montage. Now, I obviously still appreciate being able to see the mii grow up, but this montage often happened in the original game as a way of showing us the mii’s childhood up until adulthood, and it was honestly emotional because you were part of their growing process, and now you don’t really get to be. In Living the Dream, you are told that one of the Mii couples had a child, and after learning its name, you get a quick montage, and then the Mii is suddenly grown up, and the parents’ reaction is, “Oh wow, they are adults now. They grew up so fast.” When I first saw this, I was like... I really didn’t know what to think of it, but I do think this is one of the things I miss the most about the original game, specifically because it was such a rare occurrence that felt like a reward when it happened. However, I can understand why they stripped us of babysitting privileges, as they may have seen many videos of 8-10-year-old players absolutely terrorizing these digital babies.

The same can be said of the concert hall, a feature in the game where players could watch their miis perform ballads and songs from different genres. Players could also edit the lyrics, which, as you can already imagine, might read, “Oh... that’s probably why it’s not available now.” However, given that we can make the miis say pretty much anything in this new game, the choice to leave the concert hall out is definitely beyond me and any reason I can think of. I also don’t really like the way proposals are handled, especially because when miis fall in love and want to confess, you can choose where they confess their feelings, while when they plan on proposing, that’s locked centrally in their house, which isn’t really my cup of tea. It doesn’t make sense why the proposal can’t happen outside the house like the confession can, so it did confuse me a bit.

The not-so-verdict. Verdict

I definitely feel like the journey to Tomodachi Life, living the dream, was well worth the wait, and I still get giddy about checking up on my island almost every single day, just like I did when I was a kid. When I learned the game was getting a new installment, I felt pretty much every emotion, but above all, I was just excited to return to my childhood game. This honestly is one of those games where I still feel the magic in many ways. Every feature, except a few, is there, and a lot of the game’s central mechanics have been realized for a modern audience in the best way they possibly could. It’s definitely quite the experience to have so much power in my hands when it comes to creating the island to my own liking, as much as I want. I found myself just enjoying the fun of playing this game late at night, and it definitely made me feel like a kid again, especially since I don’t have to hide my Switch under my pillow for staying up too late playing video games. Now I have to go check on Peter Griffin and make sure he isn’t starting any problems. Thanks for reading ;)

-Lore <3

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A guilty pleasure list of games I love too much not to talk about

FINAL FANTASY VII: REVELATION

Yes, I am sure you could already guess this would be on my list, and of course, how could it not? I am still speechless, especially after how much was shown at the event itself. Going into this week, I had a hunch that FF7 Part 3, or shall I say Revelation, would be shown, but with as much as was shown, I was blown away [and very close to having a heart attack]. Years prior, Square Enix had always given small teasers for FF7, so I was going in thinking we would get a trailer drop and a small tease, and yet we got a whole PRESENTATION. I was not expecting so much time to be put into this game, given what was shown, so I walked away from SGF incredibly pleased and excited. FF7 is my favorite game of all time, and I am both emotional and excited that the journey is almost over. However, given how chaotic the end of FF7 is, I am looking forward to seeing how that vision gets pulled together into one final entry. Final Fantasy VII: Revelation is set to launch in Spring 2027 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2. No PlayStation exclusivity, shockingly!

RESIDENT EVIL: VERONICA

This being the SGF opener is something I hadn’t expected myself. It felt like Code Veronica had been teetering between being remade and simply being forgotten. It’s been a long-standing joke that this game was forgotten or would never be remade, so it still feels like a dream that it’s finally being given remake treatment like the other games. Personally, I do think it’s really smart to cover Code Veronica, or Veronica. I am a little sad they got rid of the “Code” in the title, but given the storyline that takes after Claire Redfield shortly after the events of the RE2 remake, Claire is finally getting her flowers and stardom in the same way Leon Kennedy did with RE2 and RE4 remakes. With Resident Evil: Veronica’s story centering on the Redfield sister and her expedition to find her older brother, Chris Redfield, it properly sets Chris’s arc up going into RE5. I do anticipate a remake soon, now that this game is in the works. I am excited to return to 1998, when everything in the Resident Evil series began. Capcom truly is not letting their foot off the gas when it comes to the Resident Evil franchise, and I’ll take it as a massive obsessed fan that I am. Resident Evil: Veronica is targeting a 2027 release window on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and yes, Nintendo Switch 2 is a part of the club.

ALIEN: ISOLATION 2

I knew it the moment a teaser was posted, and it looks ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. As I said before, I loved the first game, which launched in 2014, and it still holds up today. Its graphics are so good that I myself wouldn’t be able to tell it even came out back then, let alone in 2014. The game captured the tension and fear of the original Alien film, with callbacks and Easter eggs littered throughout, so I am excited about what this second installment brings. The new setting is Kurosaki Station, which is very different from the Sevastopol we once explored in the first installment. Unfortunately, we haven’t yet received a release date, but we do know it’s coming to PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2.

STREET FIGHTER 6 - YEAR FOUR CHARACTERS

Not a new game, but I need to get this out of my system because, by far, it was one of the greatest surprises yet. Season 3 just wrapped up a few weeks ago, and as an avid Street Fighter 6 player, I was expecting a possible Season 4 announcement. Capcom revealed three brand-new fighters: Yasmine, Arjun, and Bosch. I immediately sat up when I saw him because I remembered him as our rival in the World Tour story mode, so it was shocking to learn we are now going to play as HIM? [Of all people]. However, when the trailer was wrapping up, I was disappointed because I assumed there would be something bigger, grander, almost, and then Tifa appears on screen, punching the Street Fighter logo out of the frame, and it’s confirmed that Tifa from Final Fantasy VII is coming to Street Fighter 6. By this point, if I am honest, my heart already couldn’t take seeing Code Veronica, and yet this showed up. I genuinely did not think this was possible, and to see one of my favorites appear on screen in a game she has never appeared in before blew me away. It radiated the same excitement I used to get with Super Smash Bros. character announcements, and I wish other fighting games did major reveals like this one because it almost had me in tears. I am so incredibly excited to be able to play as Tifa in early 2027, which seems like it will coincide with the release of Final Fantasy 7: Revelation, and I cross my fingers that the group eventually finds their way into everyone’s favorite game, Fortnite…

STELLAR BLADE: BLOOD RAIN

I heard the music and immediately knew what it was. Somehow, Shift Up created a very unique universe and aesthetic, and within a few seconds of seeing the gameplay, I could tell this was Stellar Blade. [And I love that about this game]. Stellar Blade came out in 2024, which led me to believe we wouldn’t see anything from the series for years, but Shift Up somehow proved me wrong. I am so excited to play this game and explore this world alongside the new protagonist, Evie [different from the old protagonist, Eve]. Another difference is that Evie seems to rely on transformable gauntlets in combat, unlike Eve, who fought with her blade. No release date yet, as the game is in early development. However, one bit of news is that Shift Up is self-publishing this time, unlike last time, when Stellar Blade was published by PlayStation.

RAYMAN LEGENDS: RETOLD

Every day, it feels like my childhood is coming back in every way, and the same can be said for Rayman Legends, which came out in 2013. I have a lot of memories of playing this game, as it was one of those colorful, fun platformers I, for some reason, was obsessed with, much like I was with Little Big Planet and Super Mario 3D World. Rayman Legends: Retold is a complete, from the ground up 3D remake, and, as the title suggests, it’s a full reimagining. So diving into this world with a fresh take is definitely exciting. I will always love the original, but I was truly taken aback during the State of Play when I learned that the game is coming out THIS YEAR??? It’s set to launch October 1st, 2026, on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2!

GOD OF WAR: LAUFEY

This game was revealed at the very end of the State of Play, and, to be honest, I legitimately thought my livestream froze because the footage was a black screen for the first several seconds. False alarm, luckily. However, the trailer opened with the very beginning of God of War 2018, then shifted us into Faye’s shoes, who dies and goes to the Everywhen, an afterlife realm where fallen gods reside. When Kratos said she was at peace, that man was lying. No, she absolutely is not. One of my biggest takeaways from the trailer is how much I specifically missed the big spectacles and battles God of War has, and Laufey definitely carries that DNA in full swing, no pun intended. I adore characters with fast movement, and Faye absolutely serves on that front 100%. I look forward to seeing what this game brings. It’s already seemingly incredibly chaotic. I mean, we have a piece of Jell-O falling us around in the game, so I have very high hopes. 10/10.

PERSONA, PERSONA AND MORE PERSONA

If you told me Atlus would show us two Persona games in one breath, I would assume you were lying. When it comes to video game predictions, I’m always careful about assuming two things will be shown at once, because there’s always a marketing strategy, and it’s often rare for publishers to want their games to overlap. But Atlus said absolutely not, saying, “Here you go. Now leave me alone,” when it came to Persona 6. I was stunned. While it was obviously a small teaser, I was joking about thinking Persona 6 would actually show up, and they did it anyway. I don’t expect the game to come out until Persona 4’s revival does. I feel P6 will be launched around 2028, which is already too long for me. I’m impatient, I know, but in the meantime, Persona 4 Revival launches on February 18, 2027. It feels like déjà vu, as the last Persona remake also came out around the same time Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth was launched, so there may be a high possibility the same could happen. And, of course, I’m mentioning Final Fantasy 7 again. How could I not?

Kingdom Hearts IV

Of all the places I expected this to show up, I wasn’t even expecting a literal Nintendo Direct. I had the strong idea that, given the Final Fantasy 7 revelation, this game would never make it to the light of day until the trilogy was over. Shockingly, it did. It has been years since we got a full trailer, and this was honestly one of the most shocking highlights of the Direct for me. We didn’t get any release dates, which is as expected; however, it is expected to be on the Nintendo Switch 2 day one.

Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake

Oh, Nintendo… they have been blowing me away with their remakes lately, and I didn’t think it could get any better after the Star Fox reveal a month ago. Then they announced an Ocarina of Time remake. At the time of writing, I am still absorbing much of this news, but seeing a Nintendo remake in this style definitely caught me off guard. Link’s design closely mirrors the fan-made versions that circulated the internet for years, so the fact this is the direction Nintendo seems to be going in is remarkable. That said, we were only given a tease and confirmation. However, we have a 2026 release window, which honestly makes it even better.

This week’s accumulation of new surprises made me proud to be a gamer. I wasn’t expecting as many surprises, and my god, it felt like Christmas. So many announcements dropping brought back the feeling of E3 I hadn’t felt in a very long time. I remember the years following E3’s fall, and it felt like the game industry was in an awkward position for a while, with many announcements scattered or even sparse. With so many games revealed all together this week, it was the biggest highlight, regardless of which game it was, and it felt like E3 was back.

I am SO excited to review these games in the future. Thank you so much for reading my ramblings. See you later ;)

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This week, yes, this week, marks gaming’s biggest week of the year. As someone who always loves a good predictions list, I thought, why not share mine with you guys?

I should mention I will be trying to keep things reasonable and will not be adding grains of salt, even though I am fighting every bone in my body not to go overboard. I may still be very much wrong on this list, and if I am, I will shave my eyebrows. (probably)

Nevertheless, to keep it organized for you, I’ll go down the line: PlayStation, Xbox, and Summer Game Fest. You may be wondering, lore, where is Nintendo? And when it comes to predicting what Nintendo may be up to, it’s like trying to predict lottery numbers. I’ll stay in my lane for this one.

PlayStation state of play! - June 2nd

PlayStation’s State of Play can be hit-or-miss, depending on who you ask, but the February show was immensely strong, with plenty of surprises, which has me really scared about what may be shown at a summer event. Also worth noting: did anyone notice how strange it is that this is the state of play with an official watch party attached? I’m SCARED (in a good way).

Wolverine

PlayStation has already confirmed that Wolverine will be here, so technically this is a given, not a prediction. However, I’m curious about the characters set to appear in the game and the gameplay itself. Similar to how Spider-Man 2 was presented, I do foresee a full gameplay and cutscene showcase from Wolverine this time around. The game is set for September 15, 2026!

Marvel tokon: fighting souls

Believe it or not, this was the final surprise reveal at last year’s show, but we are now slowly nearing the release date of August 6, 2026. Given that it’s a PS5 exclusive, I would assume the game would appear here. My biggest guess and prediction is that we will get a new character reveal, most likely someone to appeal to even more people, but the game is already looking amazing with a large roster of characters, so this would be a cherry on top.

Kena: scars of kosmora

I genuinely cannot wait for this game. The first Kena completely blew me away with its art direction and gameplay. It was just beautiful. Ever since 2021, I’ve always hoped that Ember Lab would return with more Kena, and luckily, my prayers were answered back in February. Since it was revealed, I am hoping we see it again with a possible release window. My gut tells me sometime between fall and winter, or even early 2027.

Silent Hill Townfall + transmission

To be real with you, I never in a million years would have imagined Silent Hill being such a consistent participant in these state of play events, but with Townfall just recently revealed, I could see, within a few days, a transmission being announced that would point to a planned Silent Hill feature during the state of play, as that’s been a consistent pattern among Konami and PlayStation. However, what I do expect and hope to see is a release date here. I would cross my fingers and hope for news about the Silent Hill 1 remake. However, based on the pattern I’ve noticed, each game seems to get its spotlight, so I wouldn’t expect to see it until 2027.

Resident Evil 9 PSVR2 port

A State of Play seems like the right place for a PSVR 2 port of Resident Evil to appear. With the game released just a few months ago, it’s fair to expect it any time now. Re8 and Re4 both received similar treatments. However, I don’t expect a release date right away, more of a quiet “in development” confirmation. I also feel this port will coexist and launch alongside a DLC, which could happen in the fall.

A remaster nobody saw coming

It always feels like one is shown at these types of events, and, to be honest, I can sense it, but I can’t really say what it might be because there’s always that one surprise remaster of a game you either wanted or forgot about. If I were to ever expect anything, I would say inFAMOUS, maybe?

Forza Horizon 6 PS5 release date

Since finishing everything that can be done in Forza Horizon 5 on PS5, I have developed a very UNHEALTHY obsession with driving virtually. As a PS5 owner, I’m crossing my fingers that we finally get a release date announcement for Forza Horizon 6. The glowing reviews and gameplay videos have me experiencing massive FOMO. I’m struggling here.

Little devil inside

This game first appeared at the PS5 showcase back in 2020, and the last trailer dropped in 2024. Since then, however, there has been silence. I’m hoping now it’s time for the game to resurface again and for us to see it right where it began.

PlayStation Classics catalog

Every State of Play seems to be wrapped up with a classic catalog drop, and while it’s not the most interesting, if you know me, I’m feral for retro games. My hope, and I’m crossing my fingers when I say this, is that the original Silent Hill games finally make it in. (Also, a little note on the PS3: A lot of PS1 classics are still available on the PS3 store, wink wink.)

Resident Evil remake/ DLC

I’m rubbing my hands like a fly right now, but there’s a lot of buzz about the RE9 DLC, and, like many, I really want one bad. As is common with Resident Evil DLCs, I’ve noticed many are announced or launched in the fall. Given we recently received a shadow drop of the “Leon Must Die Mode,” maybe a DLC is too soon, but who knows. On the topic of Resident Evil, if a DLC is set for the fall, then, as is typical of a state of play’s nature, it leaves room for a remake announcement, which seems plausible given the series’ 30th anniversary. If this were to happen, I’d presume Code Veronica, as there’s been a clear arc for the remake series from RE2, RE3, and RE4. With most of Leon’s story wrapped up from the remakes, the question is what our favorite biker girl is up to, which is a perfect way to continue from where the story left off and eventually lead into the RE5 Chris Wesker saga, whether it shows up here or at Summer Games Fest. Either is a given, and I’d be happy regardless.

Phantom Blade Zero

This game looks absolutely incredible, and the moment it was revealed at a State of Play, I was absolutely intrigued. With a September 9th, 2026, release date, yes, I know September is stacked, right?! I’m expecting one final update on the game before launch.

Metal Gear Solid remake (and another one)

The MGS Delta remake did really well after its release, which makes me wonder whether Konami will keep the momentum going with another remake. Similar to the Silent Hill franchise, they have been on a roll, so the question is whether the same thing occurs with MGS. And the last time there was a summer PlayStation event, we learned about Delta, so who knows what we could see next.

XBOX games showcase - June 7th

This list is a little short, but it contains goodies, I swear

Fable

Everything I’ve seen from Fable has me automatically interested, and the moment I learned I could be a landlord in the game, you already know it was a day-one buy for me. The unfortunate news, however, is that we don’t have an official release date yet beyond the fall window given, so I hope for some news on it. (Breaking news future lore here, uh, the game was delayed to February 2027, but who knows? Maybe we can still get something right? right?)

Persona 4 revival

I want, I need, and I cannot wait to play this game. It was announced a while ago, and at every Xbox showcase I keep hoping it will show up again (spoiler alert: it didn’t). I hope this showcase is the moment we see more and possibly get a release date window, too. Oh, and possibly a new installment gets announced, too, wink wink.

Clockwork Revolution

This game has so much Bioshock energy, and while waiting for a new installment from that series, Clockwork Revolution is something I hope to get my hands on soon. There is no release date yet; however, I hope to see more of it here at this show.

Summer Games Fest - June 5th

And for the main course!

Final Fantasy VII part 3

Yeah, you already know who it is. FF7 Remake Pt. 3 has been expected to show up this week at one of the big events, despite its PS5 exclusivity. I do feel Summer Games Fest is the best spot to showcase not only the title reveal but also the season in which the game will launch, presumably next year. Given that the game has been featured before at Summer Games Fest and The Game Awards, it’s a no-brainer that it may end up being the big opener or the last surprise.

OD knock

Since Silent Hills (or PT, as we knew it) was canceled nearly a decade ago, I’ve felt a huge void left by that game. However, Kojima Production's announcement of their Xbox-exclusive OD knock has made me really eager for it, and I need that game VISCERALLY. I’m hopeful it will appear at this summer’s Games Fest, especially now that Death Stranding 2 looks to be fully completed, with PC ports and additional updates.

Sega - jet set radio / crazy taxi

With the new Shinobi art of Vengeance game released last year, this leads me to wonder what is next on the list of Sega remakes. I definitely think that, given what we know at the moment, a proper reveal is in order, and it leads me to hope that either one makes an appearance now that Shinobi has been released and did pretty well.

New Sonic game

Putting this in here just because, but on a serious note, it always feels like a new Sonic game makes an appearance, whether it’s a new adventure, a racer, or a spin-off, because right now it’s impossible to guess. However, I feel like we will get a tease here.

Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis

Just announced; however, I’m crossing my fingers for a release date. As you can already tell, a majority of this list is me hoping for release dates. I’m not even going to lie. And since it’s been so long since we all stepped into the shoes of Lara Croft, I’m hoping for another trailer and a release date reveal.

Control: Resonant

Remedy has built one of the most interesting interconnected universes over the last few years, spanning titles like Alan Wake and Control. And with the introduction of the Control franchise, I’ve wanted to get my hands on more. So when Control Resonant was announced, I went insane. The trailer itself opens the door to many questions about where this story is going next, and I want a release date badly, as it’s expected around 2026, so I’ll be on the lookout.

Alien Isolation 2

This game BLEW my mind [and scared me a lot, but we don’t talk about that]. The first Alien Isolation game came out 12 years ago, and about 3 weeks ago we got a teaser for a potential sequel that caught me off guard. I’m hoping for a full reveal here at the Summer Games Fest. The first game was an absolute master class in tension and fear, and I’m looking forward to seeing what’s next.

Devil May Cry 6

Give it up for day 63 of me asking for another DMC game. Capcom has been on a roll with RE, Monster Hunter, Mega Man, and hello?! Onimusha, too? With all these new installments, I’m questioning what’s up next for the publisher and the franchise itself as the recently released anime ramps up hype for the series day by day. If anything, I could see it making a surprise appearance at the summer games fest. Capcom, for sure, knows how to make an entrance at these shows, so my eyes will be peeled for any news. Wacky woohoo pizza man, please come home.

Street Fighter 6 - new character reveal

It’s tradition at this point for fighting games, especially Street Fighter, to show up with a new character or two. With season 3 having just wrapped up at the perfect time, I’m for sure expecting a new character reveal here. It could perhaps be a returning character or a guest, who knows.

Virtua Fighter VI

I have been shaking in anticipation since the new Virtua Fighter was announced. We have been getting small glimpses of gameplay, but it feels like we are only really seeing the skeleton of it. I feel like a full reveal at the Summer Games Fest would be perfect for cementing the game, and if that happens, it could make its mark with a 2027 release window.

Meta Quest VR reveal

I just know, at this point, I can smell it from here. Every year, it seems like there’s a Meta Quest game that shows up with a glimpse of gameplay that lets you step into the shoes of a recognizable favorite, and I love these. I can’t explain it, but I feel like it’s coming again. Now I’m wondering who exactly it will be.

ILL

ILL immediately caught my attention when it first surfaced, and since I’ve taken an interest in this new survival horror game, the atmosphere and monsters already hold up and establish what this game will be. Given it was shown at last year’s Summer Games Fest, I do hope it makes an appearance again with a release window, as it’s expected sometime around late 2026.

Thank you for reading!!

And that’s the list! What did you think? And what do you hope will be there this year? Let’s talk. Hopefully some of these predictions are right (I want to keep my eyebrows).

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[spoiler free!]

Pragmata was first announced back in 2020 (I know it was so long ago), and it happened right during the PlayStation 5 live showcase. When the trailer was first introduced, I was immediately interested in what Pragmata had to offer, especially with an opener like that. The trailer, in its own way, only featured beta versions of Diana and Hugh, so very little was specifically shown, but for me, it was the atmosphere and the situations the characters were seemingly being put into that drove me to grow even more interested in what Capcom had been cooking up behind the scenes. For me, I often don’t get attached to games with cinematic reveal trailers because they don’t show the gameplay. Like, you know, those game ads where they show you this very in depth animation and then it switches to something completely different, yeah, that one. So this time, strangely enough, I was captivated regardless. Over time, 6 years passed, and my GOD, those 6 years were worth the wait.

From clean-up crew to robot dad:

The main star of Pragmata is obviously Diana, with her very sweet and bright personality. She’s bound to become a favorite among the masses. However, I found myself truly enjoying Mr. Spacesuit Man even more, yeah, I know im boring. Hugh, as a character, goes from “No, I don’t trust robots” to carrying Diana wherever he goes, which is hilarious because he switches up so quickly. But beyond this, I did feel like Hugh was a really well-written protagonist, a space dad, as they say, because the game doesn’t dump all of this lore on you and delivers it in small increments when it truly matters. He feels like a normal person with a normal life back on Earth, and through his dialogue with Diana, you’re left wondering what that looks like.

Getting into Diana, she is such a charming little character, and I had so much fun playing as her. I love how Pragmata gives an even balance between her and Hugh. As you know, most video games with two protagonists often sideline one or have one character do most of the heavy lifting, but Pragmata somehow found a way for both characters to coexist and fight alongside each other, which was such a unique gameplay aspect I enjoyed. And it was this duo that really worked well. I felt, with their conversations. Each one felt very natural, made this relationship believable, and made you feel connected and drawn in almost immediately.

A feature I think enhanced this dynamic, in particular, was being able to return to the hub, aka the shelter, as the professionals call it. It allowed optional dialogue with Diana after missions and the ability to gift any REM “read earth memory,” which are little toys Diana can play with within that space. I loved that I was able to make the area feel like a home in some way, and that each time we returned from a mission, the characters would reference the enemies we fought, the information we learned, or small observations from the journey. And I know, I know, it’s small, but I swear to you, it’s what made this game feel so alive and made the characters feel like they existed beyond the cutscenes that played.

Oh my god, help me. I can’t put this game down.

The gameplay, in my opinion, was the game’s biggest hook. Pragmata didn’t feel like a standard shoot-and-run, but the hacking system added an extra layer that made the gameplay feel more interactive. I had so much FUN experimenting to a horrendous degree with different hacking chips, weapon combinations, and upgrades.

And omg, one of my favorite aspects of the upgrade system is the animations it adds when applied to the characters. Diana’s and Hugh’s upgrade animations are adorable to see the two cheer each other on any time one of them has leveled up. I also had major big-brain moments when using different approaches against different enemies. I loved trying new guns and chips against each enemy I came across, which let me experiment and discover which knocked an enemy down faster.

However, like many games, it always comes to an end, and I felt devastated when I finished it. I’m saying that because I’m still feeling those emotions right now, and in every way you can tell how much love and care the developers put into this project.

I often brace for that very deep, lonely moment of emptiness after finishing a game, but if I couldn’t be any more emotional, the game would end up hitting me with extra content after the campaign, including unlockables, challenges, and extra areas. It felt, in a way, like the game was handing players one big farewell gift. Honestly, this is so rare, with so MUCH extra content. Usually, you get an art book full of concept art, or you just sit in silence and question all the decisions that led you here. But Pragmata approached this differently, and I love that so much because I can return to the world the devs built and put so much love into.

Let me wrap this up so I can play again

Overall, Capcom, I’m speechless. Pragmata is, in every way, such a strong new IP that isn’t afraid to try something new and run with it. The game has everything I could ever love, including lovable characters, fun gameplay, and a world I want to keep exploring. Going into the game without knowing ANYTHING was the best thing I could have done, and I hope more and more people try the game and give it a chance.

Thanks for readinggg! - lore <3

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Now I know what you may be thinking when you read this title: “What is wrong with you?” And I would be wondering what is wrong with me, too. But what is wrong with me is that the villagers on my island don’t bully me like they used to. I’m not sure whether they were sent to anger management class or had an intervention. The mean jokes and comments they made to me in my mind are what made Animal Crossing charming, and with a title like that, I think you deserve a reasonable explanation for my desire for such ruthlessness.

A little history lesson

From the original Animal Crossing to City Folk, players were greeted by 6 personality types among the villagers who inhabited their island: jock, lazy, cranky, peppy, normal, and snooty. Now, with this lineup, it’s fair that most, if not all, of the villagers in town acted the way they did, but in recent installments like Animal Crossing New Leaf and New Horizons, the personality types were expanded with the additions of sisterly and smug, or, as I like to call them, the normal, not-so-hostile personality types. Getting villagers for every town felt like a gamble. You could never expect what types of villagers would be greeting you in your new place of residence. Some could be cute, and some would be ugly. And if you were a child, like I was when I was first introduced to this game, and you laid eyes on an ugly villager, there was a chance they would be beaten with a net several times in an effort to get them to leave (I’m sorry, Clyde). Beyond that, in Animal Crossing, you are encouraged to speak with these villagers. Almost every single day, you would boot up your console to be greeted by these animal creatures, and every conversation in the old game felt like you were speaking to a neighbor. There was a sense of community, and each and every villager, both in the original Animal Crossing game through to Wild World, felt special, even if they brutally pulverized my fashion choices to oblivion. (I thought the flower shirt looked cute, ok?).

And then we move to New Leaf and New Horizons. For someone who had played New Leaf constantly, this change in dialogue was noticeable but not as substantial as it was in New Horizons. In this game, that community’s homely feel becomes more like a calculated simulation; the villagers seem to be here just for us, rather than already living in the place we moved to. Worst of all, they were nice. I know. The horror. It’s not a bad thing that these villagers were toned down so they were less rude, but almost every day on my island felt like a simulation because they would repeat the same things over and over. They stopped feeling alive and started to feel like NPCs in the worst way, simply repeating the same things over and over again, kind of like im doing right now. What made it worse was that these villagers would repeat what they had said the day before or cap the conversation with “You again?”, which just made interacting with them feel like there was a limit until they started churning out the same dialogue. Any time I had been busy decorating my island, the moment I would realize one of my villagers saw me walk by and wanted to talk to me would be mortifying, so I would find myself digging away while they did a dance right next to me, hoping to get my attention. Speaking with each of my villagers felt less like a fun, unique way to bond with them and more like me forcefully holding a button down to get through all their dialogue so I could get back to whatever I was doing. And after recently playing and going through the old Animal Crossing games, I realized the charm was in these little animals all along.

Rewarding encounters

Now, in the older games, when you spoke with a villager, you were treated like a stranger, not in a bad way, but in a way that meant you had to work to get to know the villagers in your town. The same thing applies in New Horizons; however, it’s the personality of these villagers that really makes you work for it in order to get to know them better, instead of already being besties in one conversation. And that’s essentially what the cycle of Animal Crossing was: wake up, make bells, talk to your villagers, and pay your bills. Now, doing this in real life is obviously incredibly draining, but Animal Crossing makes it fun. But the main point in Animal Crossing as a whole is that you’re moving somewhere new and actively establishing a life here in this place with all these strange animal creatures, and what made talking to them worth it was that, despite how stand-offish they may have been originally, they slowly became closer to you the more you interacted with them. An example of this can be how we interact with Sable, who works at the Able Sisters tailor shop. I remember, as a kid, I attempted to speak with her, and she was quiet and reserved and pretty much seemed like she wanted me kicked out of the store in that moment. But I learned that, every day, the more you speak to her, the more open she becomes. While this is a habit she carries in every game, it felt worth it the more I spoke to her every single day, and this behavior was also applicable to the other villagers you would speak with in the older Animal Crossing games, which made it feel special and made this world you were in feel alive. Another character is Phyllis, who works at the post office and/or town hall at night and swaps with her morning shift, Pelly, who can come off as kinder and more open to the player, while Phyllis pretty much doesn’t care and is counting down the hours until she can finally clock off. It’s day and night between the two, and that’s what made the game feel alive and running whether I logged in or not.

And how could I forget about the man, the myth, the legend himself, Mr. Resetti? Unfortunately, he has been put on paid leave for his behavior over the past few games. However, his looming presence and his hammering down on players for not saving made it feel unique, even if it punished me for it. Over time, Resetti’s behavior would be toned down to a degree because he had been scaring players and bringing them to tears. However, it was Resetti’s presence, at least for me, that was the reason I even bothered to save. I will admit I was incredibly terrified of him, but it was the crude, unique humor of the characters I interacted with that made the game feel so much more than a slice-of-life game. And it was that aspect of living this life and interacting with all these animals in a new area that made things feel alive. A living, breathing world of characters that had their own backstories and lives beyond the small roles they played in town.

New connections

To me, the bullying and rude comments my villagers made were a challenge as the player, having to keep getting to know them every day, putting in the effort to deliver that random used rug or the missing item they just so happened to find, and, surprisingly, not steal. As the name of the game suggests, the animals you interact with matter. They make up almost the whole game, and despite the very vibrant personalities each of them had in the older games, they now remain a shell of themselves in the most recent installments. Each character felt real, but now they feel more hollow than ever.

And I think I realized why.

In the older games, you would move away on your own into a new world that already existed without you. The villagers already had lives, friendships, and personalities that had nothing to do with your presence up until that point. You were the new face and had to work your way around with nothing. In New Horizons, that idea is completely flipped. You arrive on this deserted island and have control of everything, including where the homes go and who comes and enters your island. You build, shape, and decide what this island becomes. The villagers don’t exist in a world and ecosystem anymore; they exist in your own. That created a big shift from being a new face in their town to being the landlord of an island.

I’ve always felt that each character’s abrasiveness fits with the idea that they are, in fact, animals. If you went up to a random animal right now, I doubt it would greet anyone kindly but would be standoffish and most likely confused. The only difference between real-world animals and Animal Crossing animals is that the latter will tell you your fashion taste is garbage, which is really mean. (By the way, I’m still expecting an apology letter, Gracie). However, I’ve gotten to a point where, as a lifelong Animal Crossing fan, the comments in the old games were way better, despite the repeats at times, because they had that charm and personality. A lot of the comments my villagers would make toward me in Animal Crossing simply caught me off guard in a good way and gave me unexpected laughs because the cute, innocent-looking villager called me a loser, and so what if I am? The social aspect of Animal Crossing is what made the game fun, and nowadays, I find myself rarely opening my console to check on anything because it’s not worth it anymore. Animal Crossing, for me as a child, was like a soft launch into adulthood, and the lessons that some people are simply a brief moment within your life, and that it would take time to get to know somebody. I remember forming really special bonds with some of my villagers and actually being drawn to check my game almost every day, in fear that they might move away without ever telling me. And when it did happen, it was sad because I truly did enjoy the conversations I held with each one of the townsfolk almost every day, and now in New Horizons I know I can go 5 years and open up my game and find everything the same way I left it, and that’s what made the older Animal Crossing games so different, because life happens, things change, and people come and go, and that’s what made it so special.

I hope the voices and comments from fans about the dialogue can lead to future entries that can help put some pep back into the villagers’ steps. I feel like, in New Horizons, the villagers only really serve as much of a purpose as the random, unusable props do whenever I place them on my island. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it. So, to conclude, thank you for coming to my TED Talk, I mean, lore dump.

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