All posts by Nova Solaris
Nova Solaris

Blue Reflection Quartet Pre-Orders Are Live — All Four Games in One, Out July 30

If you have been waiting for the ideal entry point into Gust’s magical-girl JRPG series, the wait is nearly over. Koei Tecmo and developer Gust dropped a brand-new second trailer and opened digital pre-orders for Blue Reflection Quartet on June 21, with the collection set to launch 30 July 2026 on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam.

BLUE REFLECTION Quartet – Second Trailer — via KOEI TECMO AMERICA on YouTube

What Is Blue Reflection Quartet?

Blue Reflection Quartet is the definitive collection of the entire Blue Reflection series, bringing all four entries under one roof for the first time. The series follows high-school girls known as Reflectors who draw power from the emotions of those around them — part slice-of-life, part magical-girl RPG, with striking art by illustrator Mel Kishida, who also served as character designer and general supervisor on the collection.

Blue Reflection Quartet key art featuring the series heroines
Image courtesy of Koei Tecmo

Everything the Collection Includes

Quartet packs in four distinct games, each updated or adapted for this release:

  • Blue Reflection — the original 2017 PS4 title, now with updated textures and visual effects.
  • Blue Reflection: Second Light — widely regarded as the series high point, with eight additional characters added and quality-of-life improvements throughout.
  • Blue Reflection: Sun — the mobile entry, rebuilt as a full console experience with a revised battle system.
  • Blue Reflection: Ray — a condensed version of the 24-episode anime adaptation, recreated with 3D characters playable as a standalone story.

On top of the four games, a Reference database ties the universe together with chronological flowcharts, character relationship maps, and an official artwork gallery — handy for newcomers trying to make sense of the interconnected cast.

Blue Reflection Quartet gameplay menu screenshot
Image courtesy of Koei Tecmo

Pre-Order Now — Bonuses and Pricing

Digital pre-orders are live now on the PlayStation Store and Nintendo eShop for USD 49.99. Pre-ordering before launch nets a set of four special photo frames usable in Blue Reflection: Second Light’s photo mode, representing each title in the collection. A free Quartet photo frame is also available to anyone who grabs the digital version before 12 August 2026.

Blue Reflection Quartet battle scene
Image courtesy of Koei Tecmo

Physical editions are confirmed for Japan only (PS5 and Switch). Singapore players will need to go digital — either the PlayStation Store Asia, Nintendo eShop, or Steam, all of which carry the worldwide digital release.

Last Words

Blue Reflection has always had a devoted following in Singapore’s JRPG community, and Quartet removes every barrier to entry: one purchase, four games, all platforms. If you have been curious about the series but unsure where to start, check our other game news while you count down to 30 July. Pre-orders are open now — the special photo frame bonus runs until 12 August, so there is no rush, but no reason to wait either.

The World Is Dancing — Final Trailer Out Now, Streaming on Muse Asia from 29 June

Historical anime The World Is Dancing dropped its final pre-broadcast trailer today, with the premiere exactly one week away. Singapore and Southeast Asia fans can catch it via Muse Communication — mark 29 June on your calendar.

The World Is Dancing anime key visual — Oniyasha performing on a Noh stage
Image courtesy of Shochiku / Cypic

Dancing Through the Muromachi Period

Based on Kazuto Mihara’s manga serialised in Kodansha’s Morning magazine (2021–2022, six volumes), The World Is Dancing follows Oniyasha — the childhood name of Zeami Motokiyo, the historical figure credited as the father of Noh theatre. Set in 14th-century Japan during the chaotic Northern and Southern Courts conflict, the story revolves around a deceptively simple question: why do people dance? When Oniyasha witnesses a performance he instinctively knows is “good,” something shifts — and a lifelong artistic obsession begins.

The anime is produced by Cypic and directed by Toshimasa Kuroyanagi, with series composition by Sawako Kawamitsu and character design by Keigo Sasaki. What sets it apart from most historical productions: choreography for the Noh sequences was supervised by a Kanze-school Noh performer, supported by choreographers who also worked on the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics Opening Ceremony. The dance scenes are being held to a standard well above typical anime stagecraft.

Watch the Final Trailer

The World Is Dancing — Official Trailer (English Subtitles) via IGN on YouTube

The final trailer, released today by Shochiku, previews the ending theme “Namonai Hana” (Unnamed Flower) performed by three-piece band hockrockb, and introduces the last two newly-announced cast members. The footage shows Oniyasha’s troupe navigating the political intrigues of the Muromachi court alongside the electrifying rivalries between performance schools.

A Cast That Actually Sings

The World Is Dancing assembled one of the more eye-catching voice casts of the summer season. Yumiri Hanamori leads as Oniyasha, with Katsuyuki Konishi as troupe master Kan’ami, Takahiro Sakurai as the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, Romi Park as rival performer Zojiro, Maaya Uchida as Kogane, Mamiko Noto as Nariko, and Inori Minase as Chiharu.

Today’s announcement rounded out the ensemble with two veterans: Yoji Matsuda joins as Inuo, a mysterious figure who drifts in and out of Oniyasha’s life and shapes his artistic path, and Miyuki Sawashiro takes on Shirabyoshi, a woman struggling to survive the era’s brutal social order. Matsuda noted this is his first time appearing as a series regular in a serialised animation.

Crucially, the performers are not just lending their voices — they are singing in-show. Hanamori and Park have already recorded songs for the series, heard in an earlier music trailer. The opening theme, “Shusho” by Macaroni Empitsu, feels like a perfect match for a story about finding one’s artistic voice in a turbulent age.

The World Is Dancing main cast visual — Oniyasha, Kan'ami, and troupe members
Image courtesy of Shochiku / Cypic

How Singapore and SEA Fans Can Watch

Muse Communication holds streaming rights for South and Southeast Asia. Singapore fans should keep an eye on the Muse Asia YouTube channel and affiliated platforms for the rollout — a precise SEA start date has not been officially announced at time of writing, but Muse titles typically follow the simulcast window closely.

The series lands early on Amazon Prime Video Japan on 29 June at 22:00 JST, ahead of its main television broadcast on 2 July on Tokyo MX and BS Asahi in Japan. HIDIVE is streaming it from 29 June for North America and several English-language markets. The world premiere of Episode 2 will screen live at Anime Expo 2026 on 2 July at 6:45 pm PDT.

For more of the season’s anime offerings, browse our Manga & Anime coverage.

Last words

Summer 2026 is not short on anime, but The World Is Dancing occupies a lane entirely its own — a slow-burn historical drama about the birth of Noh theatre, assembled with real choreographic craft and a singing cast that includes some of Japanese voice acting’s biggest names. If the final trailer is any measure, Cypic is building something quietly worth following. Check Muse Asia when the 29 June window opens, and dive in from the start.

Mushoku Tensei Season 3 Premieres 5 July — Studio Bind Is Back

After a two-year gap, Rudeus Greyrat is almost back. Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3 has locked in a 5 July 2026 premiere date, with Studio Bind returning for what is shaping up to be one of the biggest isekai events of the summer season.

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3 | OFFICIAL TRAILER — via Crunchyroll on YouTube

What Is the Perugius Arc — and Why Does It Matter for Mushoku Tensei Season 3?

Mushoku Tensei Season 3 key visual featuring the main cast
Image courtesy of Studio Bind

Season 3 picks up from Volume 14 of Rifujin na Magonote’s original light novel, heading into the so-called Everyday-life Arc. Rudeus and his companions make for the legendary floating fortress of the Dragon God Perugius — a destination that promises answers about the world’s deeper mysteries. But the journey takes a dark turn when one member of the group is struck down by a deadly illness, forcing Rudeus to navigate a new kind of crisis: not a dungeon boss or a magical disaster, but the threat of losing someone he loves to something he cannot simply fight off.

It is a quieter arc by Mushoku Tensei’s standards, but fans of the source material know it lands some of the series’ most emotionally resonant moments. After Season 2’s harrowing conclusion — which left both Rudeus and his audience reeling — the shift into this more grounded chapter feels earned.

Studio Bind Returns With the Same Team That Built the Benchmark

Consistency is one of Mushoku Tensei’s greatest strengths, and Season 3 is no exception. Director Ryosuke Shibuya is back, as are character designers Sanae Shimada and Ryota Furukawa, and composer Yoshiaki Fujisawa, who has scored every instalment of the anime to date. The returning core voice cast is intact: Yumi Uchiyama as Rudeus, Kokomo Kohara as Roxy, Ai Kayano as Sylphiette, and Ai Kakuma as Eris.

Roxy Migurdia in Mushoku Tensei Season 3
Image courtesy of Studio Bind

Two notable new faces join the cast this season: Haruka Tomatsu steps in as Nina Farion, and Tetsu Inada voices Gal Farion — characters whose significance to the Perugius storyline will become clear once the season is underway. Both are experienced voice actors with extensive credits across major anime titles, which suggests the new roles are being taken seriously.

With an 8.2 rating on IMDb and four consecutive Crunchyroll Anime Awards nominations across its first two seasons, Mushoku Tensei has established itself as one of the genre’s flagship productions. Season 3 inherits that reputation and, from the looks of the official trailer, intends to uphold it.

Yuiko Ohara Opens; Mika Nakashima Brings the Season Home

The theme song lineup for Season 3 is turning heads. Yuiko Ohara — whose warm, introspective style proved a perfect fit for this series in earlier seasons — handles the opening theme. The ending, meanwhile, goes to Mika Nakashima, whose contribution is titled Prayer, If It Ends.

Singapore fans who caught Mika Nakashima’s 2026 Asia tour will recognise the name immediately — she is one of Japan’s most beloved singer-actresses, with a discography that spans J-pop ballads and anime tie-ins alike. Having her sign off each Mushoku Tensei episode this summer is a genuinely exciting pairing, and the ending theme PV released in early June 2026 gives a strong sense of the emotional register she brings to the material.

Where to Watch Mushoku Tensei Season 3 in Singapore

Crunchyroll has confirmed a worldwide simulcast for Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3, with episodes dropping weekly as they air in Japan from 5 July. Singapore viewers should note that streaming rights for anime in Southeast Asia sometimes differ from the global arrangement — previous seasons of Mushoku Tensei were available locally via platforms including Muse Asia, Netflix, and meWATCH in addition to Crunchyroll, depending on the period. We recommend checking your preferred platform close to the premiere date to confirm local availability.

For more anime coming this summer, keep an eye on our coverage as the July season ramps up.

Last Words

Two years is a long time in anime fandom, but Mushoku Tensei has always rewarded patience. The Perugius Arc brings a different energy to the series — slower, more introspective, and emotionally heavier than the action peaks of earlier seasons — and that shift in register is precisely what makes it such a compelling pivot point in the story. With the same creative team, a stacked voice cast, and a genuinely exciting music lineup headlined by Mika Nakashima, Singapore fans have every reason to clear their schedule for 5 July. Rudeus’s journey continues — and if the trailer is any guide, Studio Bind has no intention of letting the standard slip.

Pokémon Horizons Season 3 Part 3 Lands on Netflix 26 June

The wait is almost over — Pokémon Horizons: Season 3 — Rising Hope Part 3 lands on Netflix this Friday, 26 June 2026, picking up where one of the most story-driven Pokémon anime seasons in recent memory left off.

Pokémon Horizons Season 3 Part 3 — official clip still featuring Dot's Gimmighoul and Sinistcha
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

What’s Happening in Part 3

Part 3 takes Liko, Roy, and the rest of the Rising Volt Tacklers to Blueberry Academy, where the intensity dial gets turned all the way up. Training is the focus — and not just any training: the young trainers are preparing to challenge Elite Four members and sharpen their edge against the Explorers, the organisation threatening to spread Laquium across the world.

Mysteries around Terapagos deepen as the crew works to understand its connection to Laquium, while the Brave Olivine receives a surprise message that sends everyone scrambling. Dot’s newest partner, Gimmighoul, steps into the spotlight — as does the match-green tea Pokémon Sinistcha, featured in the official Part 3 clip below. New rival Ult, who declared himself Roy’s challenger last season, continues to push the group forward.

An Astonishing Battle! | Pokémon Horizons: Season 3—Rising Hope Part 3 — via The Official Pokémon YouTube channel

Catch Up Before Friday

If you’re joining late, Rising Hope is the 28th season of the Pokémon anime and the third arc following Liko and Roy — the freshest protagonists since Ash hung up his Poké Balls. The season opened with a year time-skip, placing the Rising Volt Tacklers in a new chapter after the events in Laqua left the group without a leader.

Parts 1 and 2 — 22 episodes between them — are already on Netflix. Season 3 runs to 47 episodes in total, so Part 3 adds a substantial new stretch to the story. The official episode count for Part 3 has not been confirmed at time of writing, but previous releases suggest around 10–12 new episodes.

Pokémon Horizons Season 3 Rising Hope — official Netflix trailer key art
Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company

Where Singapore Fans Can Watch

Netflix Singapore carries Pokémon Horizons, so Part 3 should be available on your account from 26 June — no VPN needed. For fans who want to watch without a Netflix subscription, the Pokémon Asia ENG YouTube channel has been streaming Season 3 episodes for free since March 2026, making this one of the most accessible Pokémon anime releases for fans in the region.

Check the official Pokémon announcement for the latest details, and see all our anime coverage here.

Last words

Singapore Pokémon fans have been eating well lately — between Pokémon GO events, the TCG, and Pokémon Champions Mobile hitting #1 on iOS locally, this is a genuinely great time to be a Trainer here. Part 3 of Rising Hope arrives just as the Summer 2026 anime season heats up, making this Friday’s drop a tidy warm-up for what’s ahead. Save your Netflix queue for 26 June.

Pokémon GO Flying Taxi: Shadow Reshiram and Squawkabilly Debut This Week

Your Pokémon GO calendar for the next seven days just filled up. Starting this Tuesday, 23 June, the Flying Taxi event brings two game firsts at once — Squawkabilly makes its GO debut and Shadow Reshiram appears in the game for the very first time.

Pokémon GO Flying Taxi event featuring Squawkabilly debut
Image courtesy of Pokémon GO / Niantic

Flying Taxi Event: Squawkabilly Arrives in Pokémon GO

The Flying Taxi event runs from Tuesday, 23 June at 10:00 a.m. to Monday, 29 June at 8:00 p.m. local time. Its headliner is Squawkabilly, the Parrot Pokémon from Scarlet and Violet, debuting in GO with a regional form system that matters specifically for Singapore players.

Squawkabilly comes in four plumage forms, each tied to a hemisphere:

  • Yellow Plumage — worldwide
  • White Plumage — worldwide (also appears in the wild and Field Research)
  • Green Plumage — Eastern Hemisphere only — this is what Singapore trainers will encounter
  • Blue Plumage — Western Hemisphere only

Wild spawns during the event include Hoothoot, Rookidee, and White Plumage Squawkabilly, with shiny encounters available. Field Research rewards include Spearow, Hoothoot, Rookidee, location-based Squawkabilly, and Wattrel.

Raid bosses for the Flying Taxi period: 1-Star — Swablu, Starly, Vullaby; 3-Star — Hisuian Braviary, Corvisquire, Bombirdier.

Flying Taxi: Taken Over — Shadow Reshiram’s First Appearance

Pokémon GO Flying Taxi Taken Over — Shadow Reshiram makes its debut
Image courtesy of Pokémon GO / Niantic

Overlapping with the main event, Team GO Rocket’s takeover runs from Thursday, 25 June at 12:00 a.m. to Monday, 29 June at 8:00 p.m. local time. The headline: Shadow Reshiram makes its very first appearance in Pokémon GO.

To encounter it, you’ll need to work through the GO Pass: Flying Taxi, earn a Super Rocket Radar, and track down Giovanni — who appears exclusively at PokéStops during this event, not in balloons. That means heading out to explore, not waiting at home. Defeat him and you get your shot at Shadow Reshiram, with shiny encounters possible.

Sierra, Cliff, and Arlo are also running updated lineups, and new Shadow Pokémon have been added across all Grunt encounters, including Shadow Rookidee, Shadow Noibat, Shadow Seel, and Shadow Hoothoot — all shiny-eligible.

GO Pass and Bonuses

The GO Pass: Flying Taxi unlocks automatically when the event opens on 23 June. Progress through the pass to earn Tier 1 bonuses including 2× Catch Candy, and Tier 2 rewards increased Stardust from Team GO Rocket encounters. Paid upgrades: GO Pass Deluxe (US$4.99) for enhanced rewards, or GO Pass Deluxe + 6 Ranks (US$6.99) to fast-track to Rank 7 automatically.

Last words

For Singapore trainers, this is a serious week to be outdoors. Shadow Reshiram is a top-tier Dragon and Fire legendary that has been absent from GO until now, and Green Plumage Squawkabilly is an Eastern Hemisphere exclusive you can only grab here. Combined with the Mega Skarmory Super Mega Raid Day on Saturday 27 June, the end of June is shaping up as one of the most event-dense weeks of the season. Check out other GO events we’ve covered to stay on top of the rest of the schedule.

Jimoto Saiko! Is Coming to Netflix — MAPPA Adapts the Viral Hometown Manga

Studio MAPPA — the team behind Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man — is adapting Jimoto Saiko! (地元最高!), the viral web manga by artist Usagi, into an anime series streaming exclusively on Netflix worldwide. Singapore fans get global day-one access alongside every other country.

Jimoto Saiko! | Official Teaser | Netflix — via Netflix Anime on YouTube

What is Jimoto Saiko! (地元最高!)?

Before the anime announcement turned heads, Jimoto Saiko! was already a quiet phenomenon in Japan. Creator Usagi launched the manga on X (then Twitter) in February 2021, drawing in readers with its sharp mix of cute character art and genuinely chaotic storytelling. Publisher Saizusha has since compiled it into eight collected volumes — the most recent arrived in August 2025.

The title roughly translates to “Our Hometown is the Best!” and the whole series lives in that tension. The story follows Chanel and her crew of girls who have never left their neighbourhood — a place where violence, poverty, shady operators, and petty crime are ordinary background noise. And yet, they love where they’re from. Netflix itself describes the series as a “slice-of-life comedy” with an “adorable art style” wrapped around “chaotic storytelling” — which is an accurate if underselling description of what makes this manga stick.

Jimoto Saiko! key visual — girls in their hometown, MAPPA Netflix anime
Image courtesy of MAPPA / Netflix

MAPPA Takes the Helm for This Netflix Anime

The adaptation was announced during MAPPA’s 15th Anniversary Lineup Reveal livestream on 19 June 2026 — the same showcase that confirmed Attack on Titan 3, the Chainsaw Man Assassin’s Arc, and Dorohedoro Season 3. Adding Jimoto Saiko! to that slate underscores just how wide MAPPA is casting its net right now.

Confirmed production team so far:

  • Director: Tokio Igarashi
  • Series composition / Scripts: Ryō Takada
  • Character design: Rio
  • Animation production: MAPPA
Jimoto Saiko! character visual — Chanel and friends, MAPPA anime adaptation
Image courtesy of MAPPA / Netflix

A Teaser That Sets the Tone Perfectly

The teaser trailer dropped alongside the announcement, set to “milk” by singer-songwriter aiko — who is openly a devoted fan of the original manga. That choice says a lot: this is not a production team simply optioning a trending property. The contrast between aiko’s warm, melodic track and the rough-edged world on screen gives the teaser a tonal mix you don’t often see from a first-look trailer, and it works.

No episode count or air window has been confirmed yet. But with MAPPA’s current output pace and Netflix’s global simultaneous release model, more details should follow before the year is out.

When Can Singapore Stream Jimoto Saiko?

Netflix is the exclusive worldwide home for the series, which means Singapore subscribers launch-day access alongside every other country — no waiting for a separate regional licence. A specific release window is to be confirmed. In the meantime, the Crunchyroll News write-up has the best running summary of confirmed details.

Last words

Singapore anime fans know what MAPPA can do when the studio is fully invested — the local response to Chainsaw Man and Jujutsu Kaisen speaks for itself. Jimoto Saiko! is a different flavour entirely: quieter, grittier, and strangely warm. If the teaser is anything to go by, MAPPA is not playing this safe. Check out our coverage of the latest anime news and stay tuned for a confirmed release date.

Akane-banashi anime Season 2 confirmed for January 2027 key visual

Akane-banashi Season 2 Confirmed for January 2027

Japan’s hottest rakugo anime just wrapped its first season — and Aniplex wasted no time. Akane-banashi Season 2 has been officially confirmed for a January 2027 premiere on TV Asahi, with the announcement dropping at the end of the Season 1 finale that aired in Japan tonight.

Akane-banashi official key visual — Season 2 confirmed for January 2027
Image courtesy of Aniplex / TV Asahi

What Is Akane-banashi?

For anyone who missed Season 1: Akane-banashi is based on the Weekly Shonen Jump manga by Yūki Suenaga, brought to television as a TV Asahi/Aniplex production. The show follows Osaki Akane, a teenage girl with one driving ambition — to reach shinuchi, the highest rank in traditional Japanese rakugo comedy. Season 1 adapted 12 episodes covering the Karaku Cup Arc, concluding tonight with Episode 12, “Graduation.”

What sets it apart is the craft on display: full-length rakugo sequences are performed on screen, the staging feels theatrical in the best way, and the character work is sharp. Its opening theme, Hitotarashi, was composed and performed by Keisuke Kuwata — marking the legendary singer-songwriter’s first-ever anime theme in a career spanning since 1978.

The Apprentice Training Arc Begins

Season 2 adapts the Apprentice Training Arc (前座修業篇). Having graduated from high school and entered formal discipleship under master Arakawa Shiguma, Akane takes the professional stage name Akane Arakawa (阿良川あかね) and begins life as a zenseki — a first-rank apprentice. The arc covers her earliest steps in the professional rakugo world, where every performance, every interaction with senior performers, and every small bit of recognition or rejection carries real weight.

Season 2 will air on the TV Asahi nationwide network’s “IMAnimation” block and BS Asahi starting January 2027.

Akane-banashi Season 1 main visual — Season 2 coming January 2027
Image courtesy of Aniplex / TV Asahi Animation

Six Big-Name Voice Actors Join the Cast

Alongside the Season 2 announcement, six new cast members were revealed — all of whom made cameo appearances in tonight’s Season 1 finale. The new additions are a notably veteran lineup:

  • Hochu Otsuka as Miroku Kashiwaya
  • Ryotaro Okiayu as Shomei Tsubakiya
  • Hiroshi Naka as Enso Sanmeitei
  • Mutsumi Tamura as Urara Ransaika
  • Shin’ichiro Miki as Ryuun Kenputei
  • Tomokazu Seki as Chocho Konjakutei

Between them, these six voice actors cover several decades of iconic anime and game roles. Their presence suggests the Apprentice Training Arc introduces some of the most formidable — and most colourful — senior rakugo figures that Akane will have to navigate on her climb up the ranks.

Where to Watch in Singapore

Akane-banashi Season 1 is available on Crunchyroll with English subtitles, accessible to Singapore subscribers. Episodes have also been uploaded to the official Akane-banashi Global YouTube channel — making it one of the more accessible simulcasts of the year with free viewing on YouTube after broadcast. Season 2 is expected to follow the same distribution model in January 2027.

If you have not started yet, all 12 episodes of Season 1 are a solid weekend binge before S2 rolls around. Full details on the announcement via Anime News Network (confirmed June 20, 2026) and the official website.

Last Words

Rakugo anime doesn’t show up often on Singapore streaming calendars — this corner of Japanese culture rarely gets the full anime treatment at this level of production quality. The fact that Akane-banashi earned a Season 2 with a cast this stacked waiting in the wings, announced on the same night as the Season 1 finale, signals that Aniplex is treating this as a proper long-runner. January 2027 feels like a long wait, but the Apprentice Training Arc is where things really get interesting in the manga — and now the anime gets to bring it to life. Keep an eye on our anime coverage for updates as the premiere date draws closer.

Adventures of Elliot: Millennium Tales Out Now — SGD79.90 on PS5 and Switch 2

Square Enix’s newest HD-2D release has landed: The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales launched on 18 June across Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Singapore players can grab it on PS5 from the PlayStation Store Singapore at SGD79.90 for the standard edition, or SGD92.90 for the Digital Deluxe.

The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales | Launch Date Announcement Trailer — via Square Enix on YouTube

The HD-2D Action RPG Debut from the Octopath Traveler Team

The Adventures of Elliot comes from the Square Enix development team behind Octopath Traveler and Bravely Default — and it marks their first action RPG, applying the beloved HD-2D art style to real-time combat for the first time. As Nintendo Life reviewer George Yang described it, the combat “works surprisingly well, feeling like a mix between Zelda: A Link to the Past and Ys Origins” — an encouraging debut for a team new to action gameplay.

You play as Elliot, an adventurer charged with a thousand-year mission alongside his fairy companion Faie. The game spans four distinct ages of a continent’s history, connected through the Doorway of Time artifact — meaning you might explore a medieval kingdom one moment and step into an ancient civilisation’s ruins the next. The tagline is “Hope is Timeless,” and it fits.

The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales — PS5 artwork
Image courtesy of Square Enix

Two-Player Co-Op and Switch 2 Performance

A second player can take direct control of Faie in a co-op mode — giving the fairy real agency in battles rather than leaving her on autopilot. It is a smart design choice that makes Elliot a solid couch co-op pick on Switch 2.

Nintendo Life’s review landed at 8/10, praising the emotional story, varied combat, and rewarding exploration across time periods. Minor complaints included some performance hiccups on Switch 2 — load times and menu lag — along with imprecise platforming. Neither of these spoils the overall experience, which the reviewer described as “an emotional journey through space and time.”

Editions and Collector’s Set

Two digital editions are on sale now:

  • Standard Edition — SGD79.90
  • Digital Deluxe Edition — SGD92.90

A physical Collector’s Edition is also available, bundling the game, original soundtrack, and a Faie desk-clock statue — the kind of premium set collectors on this side of the world tend to import quickly. Local retail availability is to be confirmed; check official Square Enix channels for shipping details to Singapore.

Last words

The team that made Octopath Traveler and Bravely Default stepping into action-RPG territory with their HD-2D formula is a genuinely exciting moment for genre fans in Singapore. At SGD79.90 it sits at a reasonable price point for what early reviews describe as a lengthy, emotionally rewarding adventure. Head to the PlayStation Store Singapore or the Nintendo eShop to download today — and browse our Game News section for more fresh launches.

Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance Revealed — G-Rank, Elder Dragons, 2027

Capcom unveiled Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance at Summer Game Fest 2026, and it looks like the expansion endgame hunters have been waiting for: a floating-island locale, two classic Elder Dragons, a new flagship, and — finally — Master Rank. It is heading to PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC in 2027.

Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance — Official Reveal Trailer via Monster Hunter on YouTube

The Skybound Eyrie: MH Wilds Takes Flight

The expansion’s new locale is the Skybound Eyrie, a region of floating islands laced with ancient ruins drifting above the clouds near Wyveria. Your Seikret — the rideable companion you use for fast travel in the base game — becomes your primary way into the area, taking flight to reach an ecosystem of monsters that live entirely airborne. It is a dramatic shift from the rocky, storm-ravaged biomes of the original game, and Capcom has described the expansion as advancing the Expedition Team’s story as the adventure soars to a new locale set amongst the clouds, as relayed by Video Games Chronicle.

Old Friends Return — and a New Flagship Arrives

Two iconic Elder Dragons are confirmed for Ascendance. Kushala Daora, the wind-wrapped steel dragon that surrounds itself in whirlwinds, and Lao-Shan Lung, the colossal walking fortress of an Elder Dragon that has not appeared in a mainline entry for some time, are both confirmed returns. Their presence signals that Ascendance is treating the sky region as serious endgame territory — both are late-game challenges in every title they have featured in.

Beyond the returning roster, the reveal trailer teased a new flagship: a green, winged creature that appears to summon airborne companions to assist it during hunts. Capcom has not officially named it yet, but it features prominently in the expansion’s key art alongside Kushala Daora.

Monster Hunter Wilds Ascendance — Skybound Eyrie reveal trailer still
Image courtesy of Capcom

Master Rank Is Here — and It Matters

The headline feature for veteran hunters is the arrival of Master Rank quests — the G-Rank equivalent that has been the defining endgame tier of Monster Hunter since Monster Hunter Freedom Unite. Master Rank layers a higher difficulty tier on top of High Rank, with harder monster versions, new move sets, and a separate gear progression track with new weapons and armour. For context, Monster Hunter: World’s Master Rank came in the Iceborne expansion and added hundreds of hours of endgame content. Ascendance appears to follow the same model.

Alongside Master Rank, Capcom showed new Hunter moves and abilities tied to a new piece of gear called the Booster Bracer, a device that temporarily amplifies attack power and unlocks enhanced combos. The story thread picks up with Alma and Olivia from the main game continuing into the new region.

What Singapore Hunters Need to Know Right Now

Monster Hunter Wilds launched in February 2025 as one of Capcom’s fastest-selling games ever, and its player base in Singapore and across Southeast Asia is sizable — the series has a dedicated community here, and many players have been pushing High Rank hunts and waiting for exactly this kind of endgame content drop.

A few things to note for local players: no price has been announced yet (Iceborne was priced at S$49.90 on PS4 at launch — Ascendance could land in similar territory, to be confirmed). To access the expansion you will need to have completed the 7-Star assignment Awaking From a Dream in the base game. A 2027 window is wide — Capcom typically narrows the release quarter at Tokyo Game Show or a subsequent showcase, so keep an eye on the latest game news for a firmer date.

Last Words

Ascendance looks like everything that made Iceborne a worthy successor, rebuilt on the stronger systems of Wilds — with airborne traversal, classic monsters, and a difficulty ceiling for those who have already cleared High Rank and want something genuinely harder. 2027 feels far, but Capcom has historically drip-fed Ascendance content between now and launch. Watch the official Monster Hunter YouTube channel for updates as TGS 2026 approaches.