Games

The biggest question everyone’s asking is whether the creature designs are original, or if they just seem like copies of other popular monsters. A common criticism of similar games is that their creatures look too familiar. The demo at PAX East didn’t showcase many of the creatures – called aniimo – but the ones I did see seemed noticeably different from Pokémon.

I’m so excited! Xbox is testing out some cool new Achievement updates for Insiders like me right now. They’re letting us customize how Achievements look and feel, and the visuals are getting a refresh too. It’s starting with a small group, but they’re planning to roll it out to all Insiders soon, and eventually everyone! I can’t wait for these changes to hit all Xbox consoles.

The big question everyone’s asking is whether the creature designs are original, or if they just seem like copies of other popular monsters. A common criticism of similar games is that their creatures look too much alike. The demo at PAX East didn’t show many of these creatures – called aniimo – but the ones I did see seemed noticeably different from Pokémon.

It’s easier to understand why this game isn’t called a Disgaea title, even though it features characters and elements from the Disgaea series.

I was really surprised by a new game from Adglobe – the creators of Ender Lilies and Redemption Reapers. It looked completely different from their other game at the show, which was a fast-paced action game like Disgaea. However, I soon learned it wasn’t a new series at all! It’s actually the third installment in the Brigandine franchise, and it’s coming out this year – six years after the last game. Even though I hadn’t played any Brigandine games before, I got to try it out at PAX.

Originally released in Japanese arcades in 1984, The Tower of Druaga is an action RPG developed by Namco. It later came to the Famicom in Japan in 1985 and is now available on the NES through the Nintendo Classics app, along with two other games. You can watch the launch trailer and find more details on Nintendo’s website.

On January 13, 2026, voice actor Nadolny received a sentence for a crime committed on June 3, 2025. He was arrested in Texas for stealing property worth less than $2,500.

Magic: The Gathering is heading back to school, but a bit later in the year, with the upcoming release of Secrets of Strixhaven. After a recent collaboration featuring the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the game is returning to its roots with a focus on the famous college for mages.

The Counter-Strike map Dust 2 is legendary – almost everyone who plays the game knows it. It’s been the backdrop for countless victories and defeats, and players have memorized every detail. Meanwhile, the new player housing feature in World of Warcraft, introduced with The War Within, lets players customize their own personal space. While many decorate with furniture, one creative player went above and beyond, building an entirely new game within their housing instance.

Man, the poutine debate is intense. It’s like the pineapple on pizza situation all over again – everyone’s got a strong opinion on what actually makes a proper poutine. It’s crazy how passionate people get about this stuff!