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Daba: Land of Water Scar Gets Spring 2027 PS5 Window

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A Shanghai-based studio called Dark Star just got the full backing of Sony Interactive Entertainment — and their debut title Daba: Land of Water Scar now has a Spring 2027 launch window for PS5 and PC via Steam. The announcement came at PlayStation’s September State of Play, where the game returned with the clearest look yet at its combat, its mythology-drenched world, and the haunting figure at the centre of it all.

What Is Daba: Land of Water Scar?

Daba: Land of Water Scar — character art showing Adan and a companion
Image courtesy of Dark Star / PlayStation

Daba is an action RPG built around a dying world where the Sky-Pillars have collapsed and a creeping Purple Plague is consuming what little remains. You play as Adan, described as “a Clayman who should not have awakened” — a puppet of clay that has inexplicably become human, traversing ruined snowfields and desolate deserts to unravel the truth of who, or what, they are.

The mythology draws heavily on ancient Chinese imagery: towering ruins that read like collapsed ceremonial architecture, divine fragments scattered across the land, and enemies that look lifted straight from classical ink-painting nightmares. The aesthetic sets Daba apart sharply from the European-medieval default of most Souls-adjacent games.

Sony describes the core loop as demanding third-person melee combat with a Soulslike DNA — expect punishing encounters, deliberate pacing, and a world that does not hold your hand. The official tagline spells out the moral weight: “God, savior, or destroyer. Choose, and pay the price.”

Watch the State of Play Trailer

Daba: Land of Water Scar – Official Trailer | PS5 Games — via PlayStation on YouTube

Combat, Bosses, and a World That Wants You Dead

Daba: Land of Water Scar boss encounter with a chained divine creature
Image courtesy of Dark Star / PlayStation

The State of Play trailer showed off combat against a range of enemies, including several large boss-type encounters where corrupted divine beings tower over Adan. The visual design of these fights — golden chains, spinning ritual pillars, glowing eldritch shapes — leans hard into the Chinese mythological canon in a way that feels genuinely fresh rather than surface-level dressing.

Weapons confirmed so far include dual curved swords and a two-handed cudgel, suggesting multiple build paths. The game frames combat not just as survival but as a moral reckoning: each battle brings Adan closer to answers about the world’s collapse and their own unnatural existence.

The PlayStation China Hero Project and What It Means

Daba is part of Sony’s PlayStation China Hero Project, a mentoring and publishing initiative launched in 2016 to help China-based studios bring their games to a global audience. With Sony now confirmed as publisher, Daba will receive a full worldwide launch — meaning Singapore PS5 players can expect the same release day as the West.

For Singapore gamers, the China Hero Project has delivered several notable titles over the years. Daba looks to be one of its most ambitious entries yet, with production values that sit comfortably alongside major Japanese and Western Souls-like releases. The game also comes to PC via Steam, so it is not locked to PlayStation hardware.

No SGD pricing has been confirmed yet. Spring 2027 puts it ahead of the traditionally busy holiday window — the same broad release band as several other high-profile 2027 titles. Follow our game news coverage for updates as more details emerge closer to launch.

Game News

SAO Echoes of Aincrad Gets Genesis Maidens DLC This Winter

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Bandai Namco Entertainment has announced Genesis Maidens, the first DLC for Sword Art Online: Echoes of Aincrad, during Sony’s State of Play Japan showcase on 3 September. The expansion lands this winter 2026 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam — and it finally brings a fan-favourite character into the action.

Mito Steps Out of the Films and Into Your Party

Sword Art Online Echoes of Aincrad gameplay combat screenshot
Image courtesy of Bandai Namco Entertainment

The centrepiece of Genesis Maidens is Misumi Tozawa, better known as Mito — Asuna’s real-world best friend who ended up trapped in Aincrad alongside her, as depicted in the Sword Art Online Progressive films. She joins as a recruitable party ally, complete with her own combination and support skills.

Mito also introduces a brand-new weapon type to the game: the curved sword. It comes with its own moveset and combination skills distinct from the existing weapon roster, giving players a fresh combat style to master. According to Bandai Namco, Mito “still struggles to overcome the guilt she bears from her past actions” — so her arc in the DLC sounds like it has some emotional weight behind it.

Watch the Genesis Maidens Reveal Trailer

Echoes of Aincrad DLC1 – Genesis Maidens feat. Mito | Reveal Trailer | Sword Art Online — via Gamerturk on YouTube

New Story, New Systems

Sword Art Online Echoes of Aincrad exploration and field gameplay
Image courtesy of Bandai Namco Entertainment

Genesis Maidens adds a new side-story campaign set across expanded areas of Floors 1 and 2 of Aincrad. As with the base game, players must clear the main story before the DLC content unlocks — so if you’ve been sitting on Echoes of Aincrad since its July launch, now’s a good time to push through.

Alongside Mito, the expansion introduces an armour enhancement system that lets you upgrade gear with passive effects — adding a layer of build depth that the base game’s customisation didn’t have. No word yet on whether new floors beyond Floor 2 will be part of a future DLC.

How to Get the DLC

Sword Art Online Echoes of Aincrad character abilities and skills
Image courtesy of Bandai Namco Entertainment

If you picked up the Deluxe Edition (USD 89.99), Ultimate Edition (USD 109.99), or the physical Bandai Namco Store Aincrad Edition at launch, Genesis Maidens is already included in your season pass — no extra purchase needed. A standalone price for the DLC has not been announced yet.

Singapore players can pick up Echoes of Aincrad digitally on the PlayStation Store or Steam, where SGD pricing applies. Check the respective storefronts for current prices and any season-pass bundles before Genesis Maidens drops this winter.

For more game news from the region, keep an eye on GameTrader.SG — we’ll cover the Genesis Maidens release date once Bandai Namco confirms it.

Game News

Marvel’s Wolverine Launch Trailer — Omega Red and The Reavers Confirmed

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Insomniac Games and Sony Interactive Entertainment have released the official launch trailer for Marvel’s Wolverine, confirming several key story details just eleven days before the PS5 exclusive arrives on 15 September 2026. The trailer dropped during Sony’s State of Play on 3 September, giving us our clearest look yet at the villains Logan will face — and the unlikely allies he’ll fight alongside. As we covered when the game went gold, September 15 has been locked in for a while; now we finally know what the full story looks like.

Marvel's Wolverine official launch trailer
Image courtesy of Sony Interactive Entertainment
Marvel’s Wolverine – Launch Trailer | PS5 Games — via PlayStation on YouTube

Omega Red, Lady Deathstrike, and a Twist with Mystique

The launch trailer puts Insomniac’s villain roster firmly on the table. Omega Red makes a particularly brutal impression, shown trapping and hurling Logan around in what looks like close-quarters carbonadium-tentacle combat — exactly the kind of opponent Wolverine’s regeneration meets its match against. Lady Deathstrike and Sabretooth both feature as antagonists, while the PlayStation Blog has confirmed The Hand — the classic Marvel ninja organisation — as a major enemy faction throughout the game.

The more interesting wrinkle is Mystique, who is shown fighting alongside Logan rather than against him. In a story where mutants are being hunted, the shapeshifter apparently has reasons of her own to work with Wolverine — at least for a while. Jean Grey is also in Logan’s corner as a powerful telekinetic trying to organise the hunted mutants into something resembling resistance.

Wolverine fighting The Hand ninja enemies
Image courtesy of Sony Interactive Entertainment

The Real Villain: Bolivar Trask and the Reavers

Behind the scenes sits Bolivar Trask, the game’s primary antagonist — a billionaire industrialist whose belief in human superiority is driving the abduction of mutants across the globe. His enforcement arm is The Reavers, a cybernetically enhanced mercenary group that Logan investigates when the disappearances start piling up. It’s a classic X-Men premise — the politics of fear weaponised by someone with money and ideology — and Insomniac has built a world where the X-Men organisation doesn’t exist, leaving Logan and a handful of allies to face it largely alone.

Liam McIntyre voices James “Logan” Howlett throughout, with composer David Fleming (whose soundtrack released on 28 August) providing the score.

Madripoor, Canada, and Tokyo

The game spans three distinct environments: the lawless island nation of Madripoor, the frosted wilderness of Canada, and the dense streets of Tokyo. That last setting feeds directly into the Hand’s presence — and ties neatly into Logan’s past, which the story keeps returning to. Combat across all three is built around Insomniac’s signature aggressive momentum design: claws, kicks, and critical strikes flow into each other, with rechargeable Techniques (Tornado Spin, Knee Breaker, Spiral Strike) and a three-tier Rage system giving players ways to customise their approach to a fight.

What’s Coming on 15 September

Marvel's Wolverine Tōkon crossover suit in Canadian wilderness
Image courtesy of Sony Interactive Entertainment

Marvel’s Wolverine launches exclusively on PlayStation 5 on 15 September 2026. Reviews go live on 10 September — five days out — giving Singapore PS5 owners a clear window to check critical reception before day one. Pre-orders are open now at major game retailers and electronics chains here; check local stores for SGD pricing on the Standard and Digital Deluxe editions.

If you own Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls, note that the Wolverine game’s exclusive Battle Reborn suit has already been available in Tōkon since 1 September as a free unlock, and Tōkon players get a Wolverine-inspired skin for the fighting game in return. It’s the kind of crossover that keeps both communities talking.

For more PlayStation and games news from Singapore’s angle, we’ll have coverage when the review embargo drops on 10 September.

Game News

Konami Unveils Rev. NOiR and Rhapsody in Scarlet for 2027

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Konami came to PlayStation’s State of Play on 3 September 2026 with not one but two original RPGs — both targeting a 2027 launch for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Rev. NOiR got a moody new story trailer expanding on its JRPG bones, while Rhapsody in Scarlet burst onto the scene as a completely fresh reveal, trading swords and sorcery for jazz clubs and jazz-age monsters. Two very different games, one clear message: the studio best known for Silent Hill, Castlevania, and Metal Gear is back as a creator of new worlds.

Rev. NOiR: A JRPG About Fate, Amnesia, and the End of the World

Rev. NOiR key visual — a spiky-haired hero silhouetted in gold and fire against a dark sky
Image courtesy of Konami Digital Entertainment

Rev. NOiR was first teased at an earlier State of Play in February 2026. The September showcase gave it a proper story trailer, confirming platforms and fleshing out a premise that had kept fans guessing for months. The game follows a young boy named Asch — amnesiac and alone — who is rescued by a girl named Finé. Together they set out across a world gripped by the lightfall, a catastrophic natural phenomenon that kills everything it touches. The tagline, drawn directly from Konami’s own announcement, says it plainly: “Unravel the mandate of heaven, and weave together the threads of hope.”

What makes this feel genuinely promising for JRPG fans is who is building it. Producer Nobuki Kadoi spent years at Square Enix, where he worked on Lord of Vermillion and Gunslinger Stratos before moving to Konami. In interviews noted by RPG Site, Kadoi has said the team is focused on placing the core elements that define a JRPG — comrades, growth, and heartfelt moments — at the very centre of the design. The combat blends real-time action with JRPG menu mechanics; early glimpses show grotesque creature designs alongside nimble human boss fights.

Rev. NOiR – Teaser Trailer — via PlayStation on YouTube
Rev. NOiR — two small figures standing before enormous ancient ruins overgrown with lush vegetation under a bright sky
Image courtesy of Konami Digital Entertainment

Rev. NOiR launches in 2027 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. No specific date has been given; Konami has indicated further reveals are coming. You can wishlist it now on the PlayStation Store and Steam.

Rhapsody in Scarlet: Jazz and Dark Magic in 1920s New York

Rhapsody in Scarlet — protagonist Ellie Myers reaching out beside a vintage microphone, wearing an orange beret
Image courtesy of Konami Digital Entertainment

If Rev. NOiR is a slow burn, Rhapsody in Scarlet is a full-on spectacle from frame one. The brand-new reveal plunges players into the neon-lit, jazz-soaked streets of 1920s New York — Prohibition-era speakeasies, art-deco facades, and a city crawling with something far darker than bootleggers. The protagonist is Ellie Myers (voiced in English by Cherami Leigh), a young magus who moonlights as a jazz singer and fights alongside a stable of summoned beasts — among them Sköll, Balhut, and Thunderbird — unleashing screen-spanning combo attacks in flashy real-time battles. She is joined by Ilya Jones (voiced by Hannah Grace), head of an underground organisation called the Seekers, as confirmed by Final Weapon.

Combat chains melee, ranged, and area-effect magic together into escalating combos, with the beast companions acting as both support and spectacle. The visual direction leans heavily into the period — authentically recreated skyscrapers, vintage marquee lights, and Prohibition-era speakeasies double as narrative hubs. Built in Unreal Engine, the game already looks a cut above a typical genre reveal.

Rhapsody in Scarlet – Story Trailer — via PlayStation on YouTube
Rhapsody in Scarlet — close-up portrait of Ellie Myers, a young woman in an orange beret with green earrings, looking ahead with a composed expression
Image courtesy of Konami Digital Entertainment

Rhapsody in Scarlet is coming to PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC in 2027. Konami has confirmed that a Japan-segment State of Play will deliver deeper details on the game, and Tokyo Game Show 2026 (17–21 September, Makuhari Messe) is the next major venue to watch for both titles. Visit the official Rhapsody in Scarlet website for updates.

Two Bets Konami Is Willing to Stand Behind

For Singapore PS5 players, both titles are worth keeping on the radar. The platform split — PS5, Xbox Series, and PC — means no console exclusivity headaches, and a 2027 window gives Konami room to show more at TGS and beyond before a purchase decision is needed. The rest of the GameTrader game news feed will catch every reveal as it drops.

Between Rev. NOiR’s JRPG pedigree — a Square Enix veteran leading the charge, a story built around fate and heartfelt bonds — and Rhapsody in Scarlet’s genuinely unusual premise, Konami is making the kind of swings that fans have wanted from the studio for years. Neither game has a firm release date yet, but between two State of Play slots and TGS lined up, answers are coming soon.

Game News

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty Complete Edition Lands on Switch 2

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Team NINJA’s dark Three Kingdoms action RPG is finally available on Nintendo’s hybrid console — Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty Complete Edition launched today, 3 September 2026, bringing the full game plus every piece of DLC to Nintendo Switch 2 for the first time.

Everything in the Switch 2 Complete Edition

The package bundles the base game with all three major story DLC scenarios: Battle of Zhongyuan, Conqueror of Jiangdong, and Upheaval in Jingxiang, along with the Thousand-Mile Journey endgame challenge content. Post-launch weapons — cestuses, long swords, and whips — are in, as is all collaborative DLC gear from Nioh 2, NARAKA: BLADEPOINT, and Lies of P. The franchise has crossed five million players across all platforms, so you’re getting a well-supported, content-complete experience.

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty Complete Edition key art for Nintendo Switch 2
Image courtesy of KOEI TECMO

Switch 2 owners get one exclusive perk: the Xuanwu Armor set as a commemorative bonus, claimable from now until 30 September 2026. If you plan to buy physical, be aware the box contains a Game-Key Card rather than a traditional cartridge — the download comes in at 39.1 GB, so an SD Express card is worth having ready before launch day.

Watch the Launch Trailer

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty Complete Edition – Nintendo Switch™ 2 Announcement Trailer — via KOEI TECMO AMERICA on YouTube
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty combat gameplay on Nintendo Switch 2
Image courtesy of KOEI TECMO

Wo Long 2: Wings of Ember Is Already on the Way

If you’re jumping into the series for the first time, there’s extra incentive to catch up quickly: KOEI TECMO and Team NINJA have already announced Wo Long 2: Wings of Ember for early 2027, launching on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. It will be available from day one on Xbox Game Pass. The sequel expands on the original’s Morale combat system, adding defensive martial arts and a reworked deflect mechanic.

Wo Long 2: Wings of Ember – Reveal Trailer | Xbox Games Showcase 2026 — via XBOX on YouTube
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty environment and combat screenshot
Image courtesy of KOEI TECMO

Pricing and What Singapore Switch 2 Owners Should Know

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty originally launched in early 2023 on PC and PlayStation — Switch 2 players are getting the definitive, fully patched version of a game that’s had over two years of post-launch support. The US Nintendo eShop price is USD $59.99; SGD pricing on the Singapore eShop has not been confirmed at time of writing. Based on typical Switch 2 conversion rates for that tier, expect a figure in the S$79–S$89 range, but check the local eShop before purchasing.

The soulslike genre is well-represented on Switch 2 this autumn, and Wo Long’s Morale system — which rewards aggression rather than punishing it — makes the combat feel distinctly different from FromSoftware’s catalogue. For Singapore players who missed it on PS5 or PC, the Complete Edition is a good starting point before Wings of Ember arrives. See our Game News section for more Switch 2 titles landing this September.

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty boss battle screenshot
Image courtesy of KOEI TECMO

Game News, News

Blood of Dawnwalker Reviews: Metacritic 83 — Critics Love the Vampire Hook

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The Blood of Dawnwalker review embargo lifted on 31 August, and the verdict is in: Rebel Wolves’ debut open-world dark fantasy RPG has earned an 83 on Metacritic and an 84 on OpenCritic — rated ‘Mighty’, recommended by 89% of critics across more than 50 outlets. The game launches this Thursday, 3 September, on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.

Singapore PS5 players can pick it up from the PlayStation Store at SGD 89.90 (Standard) or SGD 109.90 for the Eclipse Edition, which bundles the Digital World Compendium, Soundtrack and a Digital Comic Book. As we covered when the September 3 release date was announced, this is the first game from Rebel Wolves — a studio founded by ex-CD Projekt Red developers who shipped The Witcher 3. That pedigree made the reviews everyone’s first benchmark.

The Blood of Dawnwalker — Story Trailer [4K] — via Dawnwalker on YouTube

What Critics Love About Blood of Dawnwalker

The standout praise is for the writing. IGN’s Travis Northup called it “my new favorite vampire game and one of the best story-driven RPGs I’ve played in a long time.” GameSpot noted that the quests are “so well-written you’ll want to do everything” — a double-edged compliment that also hints at where the pacing can drag.

The central hook — protagonist Coen is human by day and vampire by night — earns near-universal praise. Daytime Coen explores the 14th-century European countryside on foot, solving puzzles and building relationships; nighttime Coen hunts across rooftops with full vampiric powers. Eurogamer praised how this split creates genuinely distinct gameplay loops rather than a cosmetic toggle, with each form unlocking different dialogue options and quest paths.

The Blood of Dawnwalker — nighttime vampire gameplay
Image courtesy of Rebel Wolves

The 30-day time budget system is another critical darling. Every in-game day you spend on a quest is a day you cannot spend elsewhere — meaning you will inevitably miss things, and the game does not let you reload to “get it all”. This forced prioritisation gives the choices real weight, and Destructoid awarded it a 9.5/10, citing how it transforms routine open-world busywork into meaningful decisions.

Where Critics Push Back

The reception is not without fault lines. Game Informer scored it 70/100, the lowest outlier in the set, pointing at “repetitive Simon Says sequences” in standard combat outside boss fights — essentially, too much parry-and-counter with enemies that telegraph attacks identically. GameRant echoed the concern, noting that the quest loop becomes “a slog” when you engage too many side missions back to back.

The Blood of Dawnwalker — daytime exploration
Image courtesy of Rebel Wolves

Technical issues are also flagged. VGC reported “choppy frame rate” and a “shrug-offable number of bugs” in the launch build — not game-breaking by most accounts, but worth noting for anyone who was already put off by the August console footage showing the absence of a 60fps mode on PS5 Pro. As we reported then, the game ships with two performance modes — one targeting 30fps with higher fidelity and one at an unlocked rate — and critics suggest neither fully resolves the stutter.

Score Spread at a Glance

  • Destructoid: 9.5/10
  • IGN: High-end 8s (recommended)
  • GameSpot: 8/10
  • PC Gamer: 83/100
  • Eurogamer: Recommended
  • Game Informer: 70/100
  • Metacritic aggregate: 83
  • OpenCritic aggregate: 84 — Mighty
The Blood of Dawnwalker — character combat
Image courtesy of Rebel Wolves

Is Blood of Dawnwalker Worth Picking Up for Singapore Players?

An 83 Metacritic for a new studio’s debut is genuinely strong. For context, it puts Blood of Dawnwalker above plenty of established franchise entries and suggests Rebel Wolves has delivered on the writing-first promise that drew attention since the game was first teased. The caveats — combat repetition and bugs — are real but not disqualifying, and a day-one patch may address some of the frame-rate complaints flagged in pre-release builds.

At SGD 89.90 on PS5, it is a full-price investment. If you prefer to wait for a patch and a post-launch sale, the game should land on PlayStation sales cycles within a few months — and the 30-day time budget mechanic means it rewards careful, unhurried play more than most open-world RPGs. For RPG fans willing to commit now, the consensus says it earns that ask.

The Blood of Dawnwalker — open world exploration
Image courtesy of Rebel Wolves

The Blood of Dawnwalker launches 3 September 2026 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC (Steam). Check out our latest game news for more coverage as the September release calendar heats up.

Game News

TARAE: The Unbound Gets Gameplay Preview at Gamescom 2026

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KRAFTON and developer Boundary dropped a five-minute gameplay preview of TARAE: The Unbound at Gamescom 2026 today, giving the clearest look yet at their Eastern dark fantasy action RPG — and it is shaping up to be one of the more distinct entries in a genre crowded with Western-mythology retreads.

A Dark World Built on Buddhist Cosmology

TARAE: The Unbound is set on Taegwido, a fictional island born from the collapse of the Six Realms of Reincarnation — the Buddhist framework dividing existence into realms from the heavens down to the hells. An entity called Agatha is unravelling the order of reincarnation itself, and six “Seekers” must cross the island’s warped territories to stop her. It is the kind of cosmological scaffolding that will feel immediately familiar to audiences steeped in East and Southeast Asian culture, even if the setting is wholly invented.

The studio behind it is Boundary, a Korean team led by CEO and Executive Producer Koo In-young and formed largely by developers who shipped the action RPG UNDECEMBER. KRAFTON — best known globally as the publisher of PUBG and PUBG Mobile, which has a massive following across Southeast Asia — is publishing the game on PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.

TARAE: The Unbound top-down combat against a giant spider enemy in a dark rocky environment
Image courtesy of KRAFTON / Boundary

Six Classes Rooted in East Asian Archetypes

The six Seekers each correspond to a distinct East Asian combat archetype: Samurai, Chakhogapsa (a Joseon-era royal guard), Tugwi, Kunoichi, Mansin (a Korean shaman figure), and Feng Shui Master. They are not just cosmetic — each brings a different skill tree, and Boundary says builds draw mechanically on Five Elements theory (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) and Yin-Yang balance, tuned through class skills, traits, support abilities, and equipment combinations.

The gameplay preview shows fast, fluid top-down combat: chained attacks, dodge cancels, and skill combos that look closer to an action game than the stat-heavy pace of older ARPGs. There is both a solo campaign and 4-player co-op for endgame content — a structure that should suit the SEA market, where social and party-based play in ARPGs has always landed well.

TARAE: The Unbound – Gameplay Preview | gamescom 2026 — via TARAE: The Unbound on YouTube

Over 80 Boss Types — Pattern Mastery, Not Stat Grinding

Boundary has been explicit that the game’s difficulty sits in reading and countering attack patterns rather than in outscaling enemies through levels. The preview shows multi-phase bosses with distinct telegraphed moves — players who have put time into games like Hades or Path of Exile will recognise the design philosophy. There are over 80 boss types planned across the full game, including encounter variants tied to the open-world zones of Taegwido and the endgame dimensional rifts.

TARAE: The Unbound boss encounter with fire and lightning elemental attacks
Image courtesy of KRAFTON / Boundary

The single-player campaign runs approximately 40 hours, structured so each of the six Seekers carries their own story thread — complete one and you unlock more context for the others, which should give the game meaningful replay value beyond the endgame loop.

Buy-to-Play, No Stat-Boosting Purchases

Boundary has confirmed a buy-to-play model with DLC characters and seasonal episodes down the line, but no stat-boosting microtransactions — a point worth flagging in a region where the action RPG market is heavily dominated by gacha titles. Singapore gamers looking for deep, skill-driven ARPG systems without a battle-pass treadmill are not spoiled for choice, and TARAE is positioning itself squarely in that gap.

TARAE: The Unbound forest biome combat against a tree creature
Image courtesy of KRAFTON / Boundary

No specific release date has been set beyond a 2027 window for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. KRAFTON has not announced regional pricing for Singapore yet. You can wishlist the game now on Steam, and keep an eye on KRAFTON’s channels for news closer to launch. For more upcoming game previews, see our game news archive.

TARAE: The Unbound fire ring AOE ability clearing multiple enemies in open terrain
Image courtesy of KRAFTON / Boundary

Game News

Son of Thanjai — Chola Empire RPG Gets Spring 2027 Date on PS5, Xbox & Game Pass

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A 30-person studio from Chennai just delivered one of the most striking reveals at Gamescom 2026. Son of Thanjai, the cinematic open-world action-RPG set in the ancient Chola Empire, is coming to PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Xbox Game Pass in Spring 2027 — and based on what developer Ayelet Studio has shown, it looks extraordinary.

Son of Thanjai – Official Gamescom 2026 Trailer — via XBOX on YouTube

The Story: A Betrayed Chola Prince Finding His Way Home

Vinnendiran gazes at a Chola temple complex at dusk in Son of Thanjai
Image courtesy of Ayelet Studio / Xbox

Son of Thanjai drops you into an alternate-history 11th-century Thanjavur — the beating heart of the Chola Empire — as Vinnendiran, a young prince who loses everything. Betrayed and exiled from the palace, he must traverse a fractured kingdom gripped by invasion and famine, learning what it truly means to lead rather than simply inherit.

Ayelet Studio has meticulously reconstructed the Chola world through the lens of the ancient Tamil Tinai system — a classical framework that categorised landscapes by mood and ecology. The result is a living open world of rice plains, coastal ports, temple courtyards, arid vassal territories, and market streets, populated by NPCs who respond dynamically to how Vinnendiran presents himself. As the studio puts it: “Life in Thanjai moves with or without you.”

Combat Built on Kalaripayattu — One of the World’s Oldest Martial Arts

The Surulvaal whip-sword spinning in a ring of fire in Son of Thanjai
Image courtesy of Ayelet Studio / Xbox

The signature weapon is the Surulvaal — a flexible, ribbon-like whip-sword rooted in real South Indian martial traditions. Combat draws directly on Kalaripayattu, widely regarded as one of the oldest codified martial arts in the world, weaving acrobatic strikes, finishing chain attacks, and momentum-based combos into a fluid system. Alongside the Surulvaal, players wield the Aruvaal (a curved short blade) and the Valari (a traditional disc-like throwing weapon), each suited to different combat contexts.

Vinnendiran unleashes the Valari in a multi-enemy battle in Son of Thanjai
Image courtesy of Ayelet Studio / Xbox

There are no magical tracking instincts or glowing enemy outlines — stealth, intel gathering, and reading the environment are all part of the toolkit. Open-world traversal includes mounting horses, elephants, and bulls, and the Gamescom trailer shows how the world scales from intimate temple-street encounters to wide battlefield engagements.

Why Singapore Gamers Should Pay Attention

Vinnendiran walks through the bustling streets of Thanjavur in Son of Thanjai
Image courtesy of Ayelet Studio / Xbox

Singapore has one of Southeast Asia’s most vibrant Tamil communities, and the Chola Empire sits at the heart of that heritage. The Cholas were not just a regional South Indian dynasty — at their peak, they were a maritime superpower whose naval reach extended across the Bay of Bengal into the Malay Peninsula and beyond, leaving architectural and cultural echoes across the region we now call home. Seeing that history rendered in Unreal Engine at this fidelity, as the backdrop for a fully realised open-world RPG, is genuinely unprecedented.

For Singapore gamers who have spent years playing through Norse, Greek, Japanese, and Feudal Chinese settings, Son of Thanjai offers something closer to our own cultural orbit — and it arrives day-one on Xbox Game Pass, meaning local subscribers can jump in without an additional purchase. No SGD pricing has been confirmed for standalone copies; we’ll update when that changes.

Explore more game news on GameTrader, including the rest of our Gamescom 2026 coverage.

Game News

Onimusha: Way of the Sword Gets Oni Awakening Trailer and Expanded Demo — Out 4 September

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Capcom had one of the stronger Gamescom 2026 showings for a game this close to launch: a brand new trailer for Onimusha: Way of the Sword has revealed Musashi’s ultimate trump card, the Oni Awakening transformation, and the free demo just received a major content update — available now across all platforms, including Nintendo Switch 2 for the first time.

Onimusha: Way of the Sword — 6th Trailer: The Challenges That Await — via Capcom USA on YouTube

What the Gamescom Trailer Reveals

The sixth official trailer, titled “The Challenges That Await,” goes deeper into the supernatural side of Musashi’s journey through Malice-twisted Edo Kyoto. The headline reveal is Oni Awakening — Musashi releasing his inner Oni strength in a fully transformed state, amplifying his combat power against Genma that would otherwise overwhelm a mortal fighter. It’s a defining escalation: Onimusha has always been about the tension between human skill and demonic power, and this mechanic puts that choice directly in the player’s hands.

The trailer also gives us the first proper look at Ifuu and Burai, an electrifying boss duo that conjures wind and thunder in tandem, and a tense duel sequence with the enigmatic Dokyo. Director Satoru Nihei revealed one more detail that’s already making the rounds: players can rescue Lion Dogs trapped by Malice, complete with a dog-petting sequence. Yes, really — and knowing Capcom, those Lion Dogs will probably have some mechanical payoff attached too.

Miyamoto Musashi in close swordplay with a Genma enemy in Onimusha: Way of the Sword
Image courtesy of Capcom

Expanded Demo Out Now — New Boss Daidara + Switch 2 Access

The bigger news for most players right now: the Onimusha demo has been substantially updated across all platforms, adding an entirely new questline. The Oni Refuge area drops Musashi into a surreal stage where reality collapses around him, introducing the Oni Bow — a ranged weapon used for both combat and environmental puzzle-solving. It’s a clear expansion of the game’s mechanical vocabulary beyond pure swordplay.

Waiting at the end of the Oni Refuge is Daidara, a fearsome multi-phase boss that marks a significant step up in scale from the demo’s earlier encounters. Players who finish the updated demo and transfer save data to the full game unlock the “Kubi Akari” Charm plus stat bonuses when the game launches — a real incentive to run it before 4 September.

Daidara boss encounter in the Onimusha: Way of the Sword expanded demo
Image courtesy of Capcom
Onimusha: Way of the Sword — Expanded Demo Trailer — via Capcom USA on YouTube

Launches 4 September — a Franchise Returning After Two Decades

Onimusha: Way of the Sword arrives on 4 September 2026 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC (Steam and Epic Games Store). That release date — three weeks ahead of the original September 25 window — was confirmed back in July, so it’s set in stone. The game joins Capcom’s Gamescom 2026 booth alongside Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen and Mega Man: Dual Override as one of the publisher’s biggest bets of the year.

The franchise hasn’t had a mainline entry in over 20 years, and cumulative series sales stand at 9.1 million units since the first game launched on PlayStation 2 in 2001. For Singapore players on PS5, it’s worth noting the platform features go beyond box-ticking: adaptive triggers simulate the draw tension of the Oni Bow, haptic feedback is synchronised with blade impacts and dramatic cutscene moments, and 3D audio was recorded using impulse responses from actual Japanese temples. Capcom is clearly trying to use hardware as atmosphere.

Miyamoto Musashi overlooking an Edo-era Japanese castle in Onimusha: Way of the Sword
Image courtesy of Capcom

Why You Should Try the Demo This Weekend

The Oni Refuge is free, substantial, and now available on Nintendo Switch 2 — if you’ve been curious about whether Musashi’s blend of Edo swordcraft and supernatural horror is for you, this weekend is the time to find out. Download the updated demo from the PlayStation Store, Nintendo eShop, Xbox Marketplace, or Steam, fight Daidara, and bank that save data bonus. With the full game one week out, you won’t have long to wait either way.

Musashi fighting a large enemy at a shrine in Onimusha: Way of the Sword
Image courtesy of Capcom

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