Tag Archives: Steam

Game News

Mistfall Hunter Launches July 29 on PS5, PC and Game Pass

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Mistfall Hunter — the dark fantasy extraction ARPG from Bellring Games and Skystone Games — is launching in under two days. The game unlocks globally on 29 July 2026, which translates to 9 AM SGT on 30 July for Singapore players. It lands simultaneously on Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, with Day 1 availability on Xbox Game Pass.

Mistfall Hunter character classes lineup
Image courtesy of Skystone Games

Into the Gyldenmist — What is Mistfall Hunter?

The premise sets the scene fast: a war between gods ended with every deity falling, their blood corrupting the earth into a creeping fog called the Gyldenmist. You are a Gyldhunter — part scavenger, part warrior — venturing into mist-shrouded zones to strip them of valuable resources and get out alive.

That last part is the catch. Die before you reach an extraction point and you lose everything you collected that run. The pressure is real and intentional. Mistfall Hunter wraps this extraction tension in a full third-person action RPG shell, adding talent trees, skill builds, and gem-affix gear customisation that give each run considerably more depth than a straight extraction shooter. Matches support solo play or three-player squads, with cross-platform play across PC, PS5 and Xbox.

Mistfall Hunter combat gameplay
Image courtesy of Skystone Games

Six Classes at Launch — and More Coming

Bellring Games ships with six distinct classes, each carrying two weapon stances and a deep talent tree:

  • Withered Knight — heavily armoured frontline brawler
  • Mercenary — flexible dual-weapon fighter
  • Sorcerer — long-range elemental caster
  • Blackarrow — precision ranged hunter
  • Shadowstrix — mobility-focused rogue
  • Seer — support and crowd-control specialist

The studio has confirmed a seasonal content roadmap with new classes, zones and story content rolling out post-launch — so the roster will grow. Nearly 430,000 players jumped in during the Steam Next Fest open beta, giving Bellring substantial community feedback to shape those updates.

Watch the Official Launch Gameplay Trailer

Mistfall Hunter – Official Launch Gameplay Trailer — via XBOX on YouTube
Mistfall Hunter dark fantasy world environment
Image courtesy of Skystone Games

Pricing, Platforms and Singapore Availability

Mistfall Hunter launches at USD 24.99 (Standard Edition) and USD 39.99 (Deluxe Edition), with the Deluxe bundle including cosmetics and 2,500 Fate Coins. A 10% launch discount applies across storefronts through 12 August 2026, bringing the Standard entry price down to roughly USD 22.49.

Mistfall Hunter extraction point gameplay
Image courtesy of Skystone Games

Singapore players can access the game through every available channel: the PlayStation Store for PS5, Steam for PC (the game supports Traditional Chinese and English), or via Xbox Game Pass on Xbox Series X|S or PC — no extra purchase needed if you’re already subscribed. SGD pricing will appear on each platform’s local storefront at launch. Bellring has confirmed zero pay-to-win mechanics and no paid stat boosts, which should put any cosmetic-store concerns to rest.

For more game launch news, keep an eye on GameTrader.SG’s coverage as Mistfall Hunter goes live tomorrow morning.

Game News, News

MGS1 Free on Steam Now — Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2 Out August 27

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If you have even a passing interest in stealth games, now is the time to fire up Steam: Metal Gear Solid — Master Collection Version is completely free to play until 28 July at 1 AM SGT, no purchase required. This is not a demo — the full package is unlocked, including the original 1998 campaign, the VR Missions expansion, and the Japan-exclusive Integral edition. The giveaway is Konami’s warm-up act for something bigger: Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2, which drops on 27 August 2026 and is already open for pre-order.

Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2 — What’s Inside

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots gameplay screenshot
Image courtesy of Konami

Volume 2 bundles three titles — two of them making their modern-platform debut:

  • Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots — the PS3-exclusive that launched in 2008 finally escapes PlayStation, arriving on PC, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2 for the first time.
  • Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (HD Collection version) — the PSP co-op stealth gem, polished up for modern screens.
  • Metal Gear: Ghost Babel — included as bonus digital content, with new screen filters and a rewind function making its handheld-era design friendlier to modern play.

The collection releases on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Steam, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2 simultaneously on 27 August.

METAL GEAR SOLID: MASTER COLLECTION Vol.2 – Announcement Trailer (4K) — via KONAMI公式 on YouTube

New Features and Technical Upgrades

Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2 gameplay
Image courtesy of Konami

Switch 2 owners are getting the definitive portable version of MGS4, which has never run on handheld hardware before. On Nintendo Switch 2 the game runs at up to 60 FPS, rendering at 1440p docked and 1080p in handheld mode — a marked jump over the original PS3 release. Peace Walker on Switch 2 reaches 1080p and also hits 60 FPS. Both titles offer selectable image modes (Adjusted and High Resolution) when docked on Switch 2, so players can tune for fidelity or framerate.

Across the board, Konami has added fully customisable button mapping — a welcome quality-of-life addition for a series that historically had some unusual control decisions. Ghost Babel gets a rewind function, making it much more approachable for newcomers who didn’t grow up with the Game Boy Color original.

Pre-Order Bonuses and Digital Extras

Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2 screenshot
Image courtesy of Konami

Pre-ordering unlocks two in-game costumes: the Cardboard Camouflage Uniform for MGS4 and the Love Cardboard Uniform for Peace Walker. (Apparently the cardboard box is eternal.) Players who have save data from Vol. 1 can also claim additional in-game bonus items.

Beyond the games themselves, the collection includes a full Screenplay Book (in-game text from MGS4 and Peace Walker), a Master Book covering story and characters, a Digital Soundtrack Vol. 2, and a Database cataloguing the series’ sprawling lore.

What About MGS1 — Is It Worth Playing Right Now?

Metal Gear Solid 1 Master Collection Version gameplay
Image courtesy of Konami

Short answer: yes. The 1998 original holds up far better than you might expect — the stealth mechanics, boss fights, and fourth-wall-breaking writing are all still remarkable. If you’ve never played it, the free weekend (until 28 July, 1 AM SGT) is the best possible entry point into the franchise before Vol. 2 lands. And if you enjoy it, the Master Collection Version stays at 50% off ($9.99 USD) through the promotion window.

Singapore PC gamers can grab the free weekend on Steam now. Pre-orders for Vol. 2 are live on Steam and through major game retailers and electronics chains. For more upcoming game launches, check out our Game News section.

Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2 screenshot
Image courtesy of Konami

Game News

Kazuma Kaneko’s Tsukuyomi Hits Steam Tomorrow — SMT Artist’s Deckbuilder Goes PC

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If the name Kazuma Kaneko means anything to you, ears up: the legendary visual artist behind Shin Megami Tensei, Persona, and Devil Summoner is bringing his own tactical deckbuilder KAZUMA KANEKO’S TSUKUYOMI to Steam on 24 July — and it supports English, making it fully accessible to Singapore players on PC from tomorrow.

KAZUMA KANEKO'S TSUKUYOMI key art featuring Kazuma Kaneko and the game cast
Image courtesy of COLOPL

A Demon-Infested Tower in Modern Tokyo

The setup is quintessentially Kaneko. In Tokyo, 20XX, a colossal megastructure called THE HASHIRA has been severed from the rest of the city by a plasma barrier. You play as Izayoi Tsukuyomi — an NCO agent of a national defence organisation — tasked with infiltrating the isolation zone, climbing a tower overrun by supernatural entities called Jinma, and uncovering the truth at the summit.

Izayoi Tsukuyomi arriving at THE HASHIRA in KAZUMA KANEKO'S TSUKUYOMI
Image courtesy of COLOPL

Combat is turn-based card battling with a strict three-card hand limit: each fight deals you a fresh hand from your deck, and you spend Ability Points to play cards drawn from a roster of mythological creatures and warriors. Winning grants new Jinma Cards to expand your deck; lose, and the roguelike structure sends you back to square one — though EXP and Level carry over between runs, giving each attempt permanent value.

Colopl first released the game on Nintendo Switch on 23 April 2026. The PC version arriving tomorrow brings English, Japanese, Korean, and Traditional/Simplified Chinese text — no regional lock-out for Singapore-based Steam accounts.

KAZUMA KANEKO’S TSUKUYOMI — Launch Trailer via KAZUMA KANEKO’S TSUKUYOMI on YouTube

Devil May Cry 5 Drops In — Dante, Nero, and Vergil as Cards

KAZUMA KANEKO'S TSUKUYOMI x Devil May Cry 5 official collaboration announcement
Image courtesy of COLOPL / © Capcom

The crossover that launched alongside the Switch version carries over to PC. Dante, Nero, and Vergil from Devil May Cry 5 appear mid-story as boss encounters; defeat each one and they join your roster as powerful Jinma Cards with abilities adapted straight from DMC5 mechanics:

  • Dante — activates a Stylish Rank system: the more hits landed in a single turn, the higher your rank climbs and the stronger your hand becomes.
  • Nero — his Exceed card gains attack power by sitting in your hand at turn end, rewarding a patient hold strategy.
  • Vergil — Concentration stacks attack power up to ten stages each time a combo card effect chains, punishing enemies that let him build tempo.

Each character can trigger their Devil Trigger or Sin Devil Trigger under specific battle conditions, and their signature weapons — Devil Sword Sparda, Red Queen, and Yamato — appear as exclusive Divine Gear items. The crossover is included in the base game on Steam; no separate purchase needed.

What the Steam Version Adds

Tomorrow’s PC launch also brings the second DLC pack, “The Divine Artist K’s True Manifestation Set – Part Two”, releasing alongside the base game and adding new cards for combat. It is bundled in the Special Digital Deluxe Edition; the standard edition is priced at approximately USD 25.

Boss dragon encounter in KAZUMA KANEKO'S TSUKUYOMI card combat
Image courtesy of COLOPL

One thing worth flagging honestly: the Steam page discloses that TSUKUYOMI utilises generative AI for its images, videos, and music. Kaneko serves as creative director and character concept lead, but the card art is AI-generated under his supervision rather than drawn in his signature hand. Singapore players who care about this should factor it in; those here for the SMT-adjacent tactics and the DMC5 collab will find the systems hard to resist either way.

Where to Find It

KAZUMA KANEKO’S TSUKUYOMI launches on Steam on 24 July 2026. The US storefront lists the title as region-restricted there, so Singapore-based accounts should see it correctly. The Nintendo Switch version is already live. For fans of JRPG and tactical game news, this is one to bookmark before tomorrow morning.

Game News

Gurei Launches on Steam Today — Slay the Kami in This Gorgeous Hand-Drawn Samurai Action Game

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Singapore samurai game fans, today’s the day. Gurei, a hand-drawn action game steeped in Japanese mythology, has launched on Steam from developer Lobo Sagaz Studio and publisher Astrolabe Games. The game is live right now globally — SG players can pick it up and start their spiritual duel with the Kami immediately.

Gurei — combat screenshot showing Rei facing a towering Kami boss
Image courtesy of Astrolabe Games

A Spirit on a Mission: What Is Gurei?

You play as Rei, a human spirit trapped between the world of the living and the spirit realm, tasked with hunting down and defeating a roster of Kami — powerful supernatural entities drawn from Japanese mythology. Rather than following a linear path, Gurei drops you into a surreal castle and lets you choose which Kami to face first. The twist: each opponent grows stronger the further you progress, so the order in which you fight matters as much as the build you create.

Defeating a Kami doesn’t just clear the encounter — it earns you that Kami’s unique skill. Chain enough wins together and you can craft a genuinely personalised combat style from a mix of enhanced dashes, healing powers, and execution-style finishing moves. Better still, every Kami you defeat sticks around as a ghostly companion, offering lore fragments, mechanical tips, and the occasional sarcastic aside as you work your way deeper into the castle.

Gurei | Steam PC | Announcement Trailer — via Astrolabe Games on YouTube

Japanese Mythology Meets Hand-Drawn Art

Gurei’s clearest selling point is its art direction. Every character, background, and animation is hand-drawn with a predominantly grey palette that gives the game a woodblock-print quality — think Samurai Jack filtered through classic chanbara cinema. The Kami designs lean into actual Japanese folklore, so players who grew up on anime and manga will recognise the inspirations even as the game puts its own spin on them.

Gurei — hand-drawn environment in the spirit castle
Image courtesy of Astrolabe Games

The core loop — sword attacks, precise dodges, head stomps, and situational skills — is deliberately unforgiving. Critics who’ve played early builds describe it as demanding but fair, with a dynamic difficulty curve that punishes recklessness while rewarding players who study each Kami’s patterns before committing. Early impressions from Checkpoint Gaming note that the steep skill curve suits veterans of games like Sekiro, though newcomers may need patience to find their footing.

Gurei — Rei executing a finishing move against a Kami
Image courtesy of Astrolabe Games

Non-Linear Boss Rush Done Right

What separates Gurei from the standard boss-rush formula is the way difficulty scales to your path rather than a fixed number. Face a weaker Kami late in your run and it will have grown alongside your power — keeping every encounter meaningful regardless of when you arrive. This design means no two playthroughs feel identical, and players chasing the perfect skill combination have genuine incentive to revisit.

Gurei — Kami companion following Rei through the spirit castle
Image courtesy of Astrolabe Games

The companion system adds unexpected warmth: the Kami you defeat narrate their own mythologies, squabble with each other, and comment on your playstyle. It’s an unusual way to deliver lore, but one that fits a game about a spirit literally collecting supernatural allies.

How to Grab Gurei in Singapore

Gurei is available now on Steam at USD 14.39 — check the Steam listing for the current SGD price. PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch versions have been announced but remain TBA; check the Astrolabe Games site for updates on those. In the meantime, the Steam version is fully playable with controller support, making it a comfortable couch experience for players in Singapore who prefer gamepad over keyboard-and-mouse.

Gurei — wide shot of a boss arena in the spirit realm
Image courtesy of Astrolabe Games

For more Japan-culture game releases and gaming news for Singapore fans, keep an eye on GameTrader.SG — we’ll cover the console release dates as soon as Astrolabe confirms them.

Game News

Shift at Midnight: Gas Station Co-Op Horror Is Out Now on Steam and Game Pass

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Working the night shift at a lonely gas station already sounds like a rough deal. But in Shift at Midnight, some of those customers aren’t quite human — and figuring out which ones before they figure out you is what makes this co-op horror game worth picking up today.

Shift at Midnight — blood-soaked convenience store interior after a creature breaks loose
Image courtesy of Kwalee

What Is Shift at Midnight?

Developed by solo developer Bun Muen and published by Kwalee, Shift at Midnight is an online co-op detective-horror game for up to three players. The premise: manage a rundown gas station convenience store during the dead of night, 1993. Stock the shelves, hit your revenue quota, and identify which customers are doppelgangers wearing a human face.

There’s no combat button. The whole experience runs on observation and communication. Talk to customers, inspect their head, clothes, limbs, and movements, then cross-reference everything against the in-game database with your teammates. Get it right and you log the sale. Get it wrong, and the doppelganger drops the act. Now you’re barricading doors, setting traps, and praying you survive until sunrise.

Each of the 13 Story Mode shifts is randomly generated, so no two nights play out the same. An Endless Mode — unlocked after finishing the story — is also available from launch, delivering endless chaos for squads who want more.

Watch the Launch Trailer

Shift at Midnight – Game Pass Trailer — via Kwalee Gaming on YouTube

Built for the Co-Op Horror Squad

Shift at Midnight sits somewhere between Lethal Company and Papers, Please — tense, deliberately lo-fi, and genuinely funny when your crewmate confidently accuses a perfectly innocent nurse of being a monster while the actual creature walks out unchallenged. The proximity voice chat means all that paranoia happens out loud, which makes both the tension and the chaos land harder.

Shift at Midnight — player verifying a customer's body parts in the detection menu
Image courtesy of Kwalee

The game’s free Steam demo drew over 4,500 user reviews at 99% positive before today’s full launch — a striking number for a debut release from an independent developer. That kind of word-of-mouth pull is hard to manufacture, and suggests the core loop delivers even in the limited demo build.

The 1993 Database You’ll Live In

Shift at Midnight — NET Database screen showing a customer profile set in 1993
Image courtesy of Kwalee

A good chunk of each shift is spent in the NET Database — a clunky, deliberately retro in-game computer that lets you look up a customer’s name, occupation, and physical description against what you actually observe in the store. The whole aesthetic leans into the 1993 setting: chunky pixel fonts, faded UI elements, the vibe of a dial-up-era system running something it probably shouldn’t. It keeps the atmosphere unsettling without needing a AAA budget to pull it off.

How Singapore Players Can Jump In Today

Shift at Midnight — two players confronting a glowing doppelganger outside the store at night
Image courtesy of Kwalee

Shift at Midnight is out now, 22 July 2026, across three platforms Singapore players can access:

  • Steam — USD$9.99, available on Singapore accounts right now
  • Xbox Game Pass Ultimate — included at no extra cost from day one
  • Xbox Series X|S — available via the Xbox digital store

One thing worth noting: crossplay at launch connects PC Game Pass and Steam users but does not yet extend to Xbox console players — full crossplay is still in development. Check for updates on the official Steam store page.

If your gaming crew hasn’t found its next co-op horror obsession, Shift at Midnight is worth a trial shift. Catch up on more game launch news for everything else arriving in your backlog this week.

Game News

ZeroSpace Hits Steam Early Access Today — Sci-Fi RTS Launches Now

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The wait is over: ZeroSpace, the Kickstarter-backed sci-fi strategy hybrid from Starlance Studios, has officially launched in Steam Early Access today, 20 July 2026. With over 250,000 wishlists and 40,000 players through the demo at Steam Next Fest last month, this one has been on a lot of radar screens — and now the real game is live.

ZeroSpace official Steam capsule art by Starlance Studios
Image courtesy of Starlance Studios

What Is ZeroSpace?

ZeroSpace is a cinematic sci-fi RTS with a story-rich, party-based RPG campaign — the developer’s own description, and an accurate one. You command The Protectorate in a galactic conflict set in the Orion sector, making crew decisions and mission-level choices that shape how the story unfolds. Less mindless base-clicking, more narrative weight baked into the strategy layer.

Developed by Starlance Studios together with Ironward and co-published with Gamersky Games, ZeroSpace is the studio’s debut title following a successful Kickstarter campaign. The team describes a one-year Early Access roadmap before a full release.

ZeroSpace galactic war persistent co-op mode map
Image courtesy of Starlance Studios

What’s in Early Access at Launch

ZeroSpace ships Day One with a solid content base:

  • 13 campaign story missions with interactive dialogue and crew relationship mechanics
  • 10 co-op missions with procedurally generated enemy compositions and objectives
  • Skirmish mode for custom quick battles
  • 4 main factions plus 6 mercenary factions
  • 90+ units and heroes across all factions
  • Galactic War — a persistent, MMO-style co-op mode where players fight for control across an ongoing star map

The roadmap through to full release adds more campaign missions, 4v4 PvP maps, and expanded Galactic War mechanics. The developer has confirmed that Early Access pricing may increase as content is added — so getting in now is likely the best value.

ZeroSpace hero units and faction selection screen
Image courtesy of Starlance Studios

System Requirements

ZeroSpace is a reasonably demanding PC title. Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Minimum: 4-core CPU @ 3 GHz, 16 GB RAM, GTX 1080 Ti or RX 5700, 50 GB storage, Windows 10 64-bit, DirectX 11
  • Recommended: 8-core CPU @ 3 GHz, 16 GB RAM, RTX 3060 Ti or RX 6800, 50 GB storage

PC via Steam is the only platform at launch — no console release has been announced. Steam is the dominant PC gaming platform across Southeast Asia, and no region lock has been confirmed, so Singapore players can pick it up directly.

Watch the Early Access Launch Trailer

ZeroSpace – Campaign EA Launch Date Trailer — via PlayZeroSpace on YouTube

Where to Get It

ZeroSpace is available now on Steam. Check the store page directly for current pricing — the developer has noted the price is subject to increase through the Early Access period. No region lock has been announced, so the game should be accessible from Singapore and the rest of Southeast Asia without a VPN.

ZeroSpace galactic war persistent co-op mode overview
Image courtesy of Starlance Studios

If you’ve been waiting for an RTS that actually gives you something to care about beyond the unit count, ZeroSpace looks like a genuine contender. The demo pulled 40,000 players in a week during Next Fest — now the real test starts. For more on what’s launching on PC and console, check out our latest game news.

Game News, News

EXSTETRA HD Remaster Launches on Steam July 30 — Japan’s Kiss-Powered JRPG Gets Its World Debut

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FURYU Corporation’s cult PS Vita and 3DS JRPG EXSTETRA is finally making its way to PC after more than a decade as a Japan-only release. The EXSTETRA HD Remaster launches on Steam on July 30, 2026, bringing the romance-driven RPG to a worldwide audience for the very first time — with full English language support included at launch.

Originally released in Japan in 2013, EXSTETRA takes place in Amazia — a world born when Tokyo fuses with a parallel dimension. Players take on the role of Ryoma, a high school student who discovers he is the chosen Prisma: a being with the power to awaken warrior guardians known as Prisma Knights. What makes EXSTETRA stand apart from most JRPGs of its era is its central mechanic — Ryoma awakens each Knight’s power through a kiss, a device that drives both the story’s progression and its character relationships in ways that were fairly audacious for the genre in 2013.

Selene character portrait in EXSTETRA HD Remaster
Selene is one of the Prisma Knights Ryoma awakens on his journey through Amazia.

Combat is turn-based, built around a four-character party system and the EXS energy mechanic, where managing your team’s EXS gauge is central to pulling off powerful abilities in battle. The system rewards tactical thinking about resource management alongside the usual JRPG decision-making around skill selection and target priority. Between fights, players navigate dungeons and the fused landscapes of Amazia, uncovering the story of how two worlds collided — and what it means for those caught between them.

Ryoma and Selene exploring the world of Amazia in EXSTETRA HD Remaster
Ryoma and Selene venture through Amazia’s fused landscapes on their journey.
Dungeon exploration in EXSTETRA HD Remaster
Dungeon crawling is a core part of EXSTETRA’s gameplay loop, with treasure and enemies around every corner.

The HD Remaster brings the experience to Steam with support for English, Japanese, Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese — this is the first time the game has been officially available outside Japan in any language. FURYU is best known in Singapore for titles like Caligula Effect and Mary Skelter, so fans of the publisher’s niche-but-devoted style of JRPG storytelling will know what kind of ride to expect. The developer has also confirmed that console versions for PS5, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2 are in development, though no release windows for those platforms have been given yet.

Watch the official opening movie to see EXSTETRA’s story and visual style in action:

Party management screen in EXSTETRA HD Remaster
Manage your Prisma Knights’ stats and loadouts between battles.
Turn-based combat in EXSTETRA HD Remaster
EXSTETRA’s turn-based combat lets you command a party of four Prisma Knights against Amazia’s threats.

If you’re a fan of classic JRPGs and want to jump in before launch, EXSTETRA is available to wishlist on Steam now. It goes live on July 30, 2026.

Game News

Ao Oni 2 Hits Switch and Steam on 6 August — Cult Horror RPG Returns with New Seaside School Scenario

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The Blue Demon is back on modern platforms. Ao Oni 2 launches on Nintendo Switch and Steam on 6 August 2026, bundled with a brand-new companion scenario in a two-in-one package priced at ¥1,200 (approximately S$13–14). Developer Game Studio Inc. and publisher LiTMUS Co., Ltd. confirmed the August date earlier today — and for anyone who grew up watching Let’s Play videos of the original cult horror RPG, this is a genuine nostalgia moment.

Two Complete Horror Scenarios in One Package

Ao Oni 2 gameplay screenshot — exploring the school interior
Image courtesy of LiTMUS Co., Ltd. / Game Studio Inc.

The ¥1,200 bundle includes two fully separate scenarios:

Ao Oni 2 is the direct sequel to the original, picking up the same premise: protagonist Hiroshi and his friends are trapped in an abandoned building, puzzles must be solved, and the Blue Demon must be evaded. The sequel expands the room count, deepens the puzzle design, and adds new monster variants — all with higher production values than the original freeware release.

Ao Oni: Seaside School is the new addition. Hiroshi’s group takes a summer coastal school trip and wakes up imprisoned in the cells of an abandoned seaside building. Players must uncover the dark truth behind an incident that once shook the school while finding their separated friends and evading mutated Ao Oni species, some of which now take the form of twisted sea creatures. The scenario introduces a first-for-the-series stage-selection system — four stages playable in any order, with difficulty that scales based on which you tackle first, creating multiple distinct strategy routes per playthrough.

Both scenarios include a 17x speed mode, the fastest the series has shipped, up from 15x in the previous game.

Watch the Official Trailer

Ao Oni 2 Official PV — via ゲームスタジオ (Game Studio Inc.) on YouTube

Why Ao Oni Has a Cult Following in Singapore

Ao Oni 2 screenshot — tense encounter in a darkened corridor
Image courtesy of LiTMUS Co., Ltd. / Game Studio Inc.

If you’ve never met the Blue Demon: Ao Oni is a freeware horror puzzle game created by Japanese indie developer noprops in 2008, built in RPG Maker XP. The recipe is deceptively simple — a group of students, a haunted building, one monster, and a set of puzzles standing between you and escape. Its minimalist pixel-art presentation and deeply unsettling ambient score turned it into a viral sensation on Niconico Douga and early YouTube, logging over 50 million views by 2013. Global YouTubers — including PewDiePie and Markiplier — and a wave of Southeast Asian content creators brought it to audiences across the region. The franchise grew into anime, manga, light novels, three live-action films, and multiple game releases, with the series totalling 34 million downloads across platforms.

For Singapore players who caught the Let’s Play wave in the early 2010s, Ao Oni 2’s arrival on Switch and Steam is the series finally moving off free browser releases and onto mainstream storefronts. The accessible price point keeps it welcoming for newcomers too.

Physical Edition Lands in October

Ao Oni 2 promotional visual — Ao Oni: Seaside School new scenario
Image courtesy of LiTMUS Co., Ltd. / Game Studio Inc.

Beyond the August 6 digital launch, a physical Nintendo Switch edition releases 8 October 2026 with an early-purchase bonus: the Ao Oni Horror Pencil Set (青鬼ホラーえんぴつセット). Physical copies will be available first at Japanese retailers; regional import availability will depend on the usual import channels.

Ao Oni 2 launches digitally on Nintendo Switch and Steam on 6 August 2026. Check the Steam page to wishlist it now. More game news at GameTrader.SG →

Game News, Game Preview

Captain Tsubasa 2: World Fighters Arrives 28 August — World Youth Arc on PS5, Switch & PC

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Captain Tsubasa 2: World Fighters is arriving worldwide on 28 August 2026 — and if you grew up watching Tsubasa Ozora bend physics on a football pitch, Bandai Namco and developer Tamsoft’s sequel is shaping up as the biggest Captain Tsubasa game yet. The follow-up hits PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam, bringing the beloved World Youth arc to life with over 110 playable characters and some of the most over-the-top super moves we have seen in a sports title in years.

Japan national team in Captain Tsubasa 2: World Fighters
Image courtesy of Bandai Namco

Two Story Modes: Build Your Own Footballer or Play the Legend

Captain Tsubasa 2: World Fighters offers two distinct single-player campaigns. New Stars Mode is the bigger deal for newcomers — you create a fully customisable footballer and join Japan’s national youth squad, experiencing the World Youth arc alongside Tsubasa from the perspective of your own character. You build bonds with the established cast to unlock their signature moves, and your choices shape how the journey unfolds.

Legendary / Advanced Mode takes the canon further with original storylines not found in Yoichi Takahashi’s manga, developed under the creator’s personal supervision. Think of it as an official what-if expansion to the source material — Takahashi is directly involved, so the power fantasy stays true to how he writes his characters.

Two players contest a tackle in Captain Tsubasa 2: World Fighters
Image courtesy of Bandai Namco

Watch the Story Trailer

CAPTAIN TSUBASA 2: WORLD FIGHTERS – Story Trailer — via Bandai Namco Entertainment America on YouTube

22 National Teams — Including Asia

One of the best things about the World Youth arc for an Asian audience is that the stage is genuinely global. Captain Tsubasa 2: World Fighters ships with 22 national teams, and the roster is not just a European-heavy selection — Asian sides are represented, meaning Singapore fans who grew up cheering for different Asian squads in the original anime will find familiar strips on the pitch. Screenshots show Japan facing Saudi Arabia, among other matchups.

Japan vs Saudi Arabia in Captain Tsubasa 2: World Fighters
Image courtesy of Bandai Namco
Asian team striker unleashing a super move in Captain Tsubasa 2: World Fighters
Image courtesy of Bandai Namco

Super Moves That Make Real Football Look Boring

This is not a FIFA-style simulation and it never pretended to be. Captain Tsubasa 2: World Fighters packs 150+ new super moves — volleys wrapped in lion spirits, hurricane shots, goalkeeper blocks that look like the final round of a fighting game. The new Chain System rewards sustained possession by ramping up your shot power and charge speed, making every well-built attack sequence feel increasingly dangerous. Goalkeeper duels now have their own tactical depth too: you wear down a keeper over the course of a match by testing their trajectory-reading and positioning, rather than simply hammering the shot button.

Character unleashing a lion-spirit super move in Captain Tsubasa 2: World Fighters
Image courtesy of Bandai Namco

Editions, Pricing and Where to Pre-Order

Three editions are available for pre-order now across all platforms:

  • Standard Edition — base game
  • Deluxe Edition — base game + season pass bonus + three DLC character packs
  • Ultimate Edition — everything in Deluxe plus the Ultimate Pack

The Steam base price is listed at USD 59.99 (approximately S$80+ at current rates). SGD pricing at local game retailers is to be confirmed closer to the 28 August launch. The game also carries 100+ music tracks composed by Tadayoshi Makino and a Collection Mode housing in-game movies, music and a character gallery for fans who want to spend hours with the lore outside of a match.

Pre-orders are live now on Steam, PlayStation Store, Xbox, and Nintendo eShop. For more upcoming gaming releases, check our Game News section or browse the full Game Previews archive.