Oodles of video games are popping out in 2026, and lots of glance spectacular. There is the brand new Resident Evil, but every other reimagining of Tomb Raider 1, and a 007 sport that strikes a chord in my memory of the often-forgotten cool animated film sequence James Bond Jr. All it will likely be first rate, and a few may even dictate my information writing tasks.
That stated, when pondering of the video games I sought after to spotlight right here – the valuable few that I may make a concerted effort to mess around my workload – I made up our minds to slim it right down to a handful of most commonly lesser-known reports that can get away mainstream realize. Sorry, Bond, Lara, and Leon Kennedy – you lot have sufficient consideration already.
The Sinking Town 2
I really like Frogwares as a building studio. No longer best are they a Ukranian group operating exhausting to make video games whilst their nation’s being invaded, however their 2019 effort The Sinking Town stays essentially the most expansive Name of Cthulhu-inspired videogame ever. I’m going to all the time bear in mind meandering during the flooded streets of Oakmont by way of boat, musing on the discussion of Dagon-spawned fishman NPCs whilst investigating crime scenes.
The Sinking Town 2, initially due for a wintry weather 2025 unlock however driven into 2026, exchanges its predecessor’s open international scope for the area of straight-up survival horror. The early builds that I have noticed promise one thing no longer dissimilar to the new Resident Evils, albeit with all the darkish, mind-corrupting flavours of Lovecraftian terror that make the Cthulhu mythos what it’s. Whilst the sprawling map and the extra erudite investigations of the primary sport could be out, narrowing the scope of the sequel is also a excellent factor. Frogwares video games are admirable however janky, and a tighter center of attention may just paintings wonders at getting rid of unnecessary insects. Additionally, lets use extra 3rd individual Cthulhu survival horror reports that don’t seem to be titled On my own within the Darkish.
Phantom Blade 0
That is most probably the highest-profile sport right here, as Phantom Blade 0 has been within the conciousness of everybody who likes Personality Motion Video games since a trailer for it first got here out two years in the past and kicked ass with what the devs are calling a “kungfu punk” aesthetic. However since there are an excellent collection of Chinese language video games localised for global unlock at the present time, I do concern that some might forget about Phantom Blade 0 as but every other Soulslike using the coattails of Black Fantasy: Wukong.
Fortuitously, impressions by way of our very personal Edwin point out that this wuxia romp takes extra inspiration from Ninja Gaiden. You play as a warrior dressed in a groovy conical hat who has 66 days to reside and will have to use an unlimited array of gut-slicing strikes to fend off assholes who wish to kill him, having a look fashionable the entire whilst. Be expecting to wield cool guns like snake-themed twin blades, a chakram, and a whip sword as you slaughter your means thru enemies who seem like they stepped out of the 1993 Hong Kong flick The Heroic Trio. As any individual who learn my Introduction Calendar entries this yr will know, I dig Ninja Gaiden. I additionally dig HK cinema, so the inspirations listed below are greater than sufficient to upward thrust this martial arts epic above its lookalike friends in my eyes.
Mortal Shell II
In terms of Soulslikes, I will’t assist however really feel a keenness for Mortal Shell, a sport that slavishly imitated the texture of Darkish Souls however added authentic twists to the combo, maximum particularly 4 distinctive “shells” (AKA our bodies) that your expressionless foundling may just inhabit, each and every with their very own ability tree. Those shells changed the stat device in maximum different Souls video games and gave Mortal Shell a compact “select your fighter” really feel. This was once compounded by way of the sport’s relative brevity – a dozen or so hours stretched throughout a handful of spaces, with dungeon design derived extra from Zelda than the FromSoftware smartly.
I am a type of people who thinks Elden Ring’s a bit too immense, and would a lot relatively have a smaller, extra targeted Soulslike that I will if truth be told end. Mortal Shell II appears to be greater and longer than the primary sport, however builders Chilly Symmetry are nonetheless calling it a “compact” open international, which makes me hope it’s going to be extra within the vein of say, The Witcher II versus III. There additionally appear to be round 8 shells to choose between this time round versus 4, which is a leap however no longer one thing too overwhelming. Arms crossed that this can be a targeted Souls sport versus a bloated one, and can all over again display how a small group can emulate the greats whilst concurrently showcasing their very own skills.
The Darkish Rites of Arkham
Glance, it is every other Cthulhu sport! However this one’s a pixelated thriller encouraged by way of yesteryear versus survival horror, and it is usually being made by way of Postmodern Adventures, a one-man Spanish developer who has secretly put out probably the most highest journey video games in the previous few years. His earlier effort, An English Haunting, took us on a creepy commute thru Edwardian-era England and Scotland, and made my 2024 Variety Field.
The Darkish Rites of Arkham seems to be to be simply as excellent, hanging gamers within the function of your archetypal Cthulhu-era non-public detective as he wanders thru Arkham and reveals some shadowy connection to the Salem Witch Trials. Lots of Postmodern Adventures’ video games have contained slavish main points to real-world ancient occult occasions, and I am having a look ahead to seeing how 1600s witchcraft combines with eldritch horror. Maximum of all, it’s going to be fascinating to look how The Darkish Rites of Arkham holds up along The Sinking Town 2, which additionally takes position in Arkham. In spite of the most obvious graphical variations, it is completely conceivable that I may choose this indie effort over the massive price range one – if this yr’s most sensible 100 video games proved the rest, it is that I do love my level and click on classics.
Wolfhound
This sidescrolling Metroidvania crossup between Wolfenstein, Steel Tools Forged, and Steel Slug made our record of maximum expected video games for 2025, however by no means noticed a unlock remaining yr. A 2026 debut for Wolfhound does appear much more likely, and the sport continues to appear grand, if the newest PAX West trailer is the rest to move by way of.
What we’ve got here’s a pixelated surprise that is obviously channeling SNES and Mega Pressure feels, despite the fact that the chiptune tune and tilesets at paintings job my memory of one thing just like the Digital Boy, however in wonderful color as an alternative of a garish mashup of pink and black. Starring a jarhead named Chuck Rossetti who resembles the Wolfenstein man if you happen to squint, Wolfhound duties you with infiltrating an Axis base within the Bermuda Triangle, which is in fact stuffed to the brim with a horde of Hitler’s maximum twisted experiments. Run and gun motion in opposition to Nazis mutated into tentacled monstronsities awaits. Plus, there may be a minimum of one mech visual within the trailer! Here is hoping that I’m going to be capable to put this one on my Introduction Calendar or Variety Field for this yr as an alternative of getting it waft off into 2027.
