Kotaku Tuesday, February 17, 2026 1:06 AM  Great, just great |
PCGamesN Tuesday, February 17, 2026 7:30 AM New character Bhashiva leads the Tiger Warriors into battle as Total War Warhammer 3 further diverges from its tabletop inspirator. |
PCGamesN Tuesday, February 17, 2026 6:53 AM Mewgenics by Edmund McMillen and Tyler Glaiel has just blasted past Hades to become the best roguelike ever, according to Steam statistics. |
PCGamesN Tuesday, February 17, 2026 6:46 AM Valve's Steam Deck store pages now have an official notice stating that Steam Deck OLEDs "may be out-of-stock intermittently." |
PCGamesN Tuesday, February 17, 2026 6:22 AM With another Dreamlight Valley update always on the way, new Disney and Pixar faces join the valley every few weeks, and here's who's next. |
PCGamesN Tuesday, February 17, 2026 5:00 AM Six years on from Apex Legends' biggest ever twist, narrative lead Ashley Reed explains why Respawn tricked the players in Season 4. |
PCGamesN Tuesday, February 17, 2026 3:00 AM From the eerie simplicity of Iron Lung to the fantastic Have a Nice Death, this Humble Bundle of indie horrors is a great late Valentine's Day gift. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, February 17, 2026 7:13 AM  While a lot of the Witchery chatter so far this year has been about an extra Witcher 3 DLC rumoured to be in the works, one of the projects we know for sure CD Projekt have on the go is a remake of the first Witcher game. Ahead of the remake's arrival, a key dev on the 2007 RPG has just finished a developer commentary run through it, which makes for a great way to pass some time between Witchery things. |
Rock Paper Shotgun Latest Articles Feed Tuesday, February 17, 2026 5:05 AM  As feared, the recent uptick in Steam Decks being noted as out of stock is down to the ongoing memory crisis. RAM prices have been driven through the roof by AI companies gobbling up memory sticks en-masse, with the other downside of that being the tech's very scarce at the moment. Cue companies like Valve stuggling to keep on securing as much as they need to make and sell hardware without interruption. |
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Siliconera Tuesday, February 17, 2026 6:01 AM
Though I only offered the highest of praise for the first Paranormasight, I began to look at it with more critically since then. I still like it a lot and recommend it to anyone looking for a nice J-horror-inspired visual novel. But there's certainly room for improvement. And boy, did Square Enix deliver. Paranormasight: The Mermaid's Curse takes everything that made the first game unique and amps it up to eleven, fixes issues I didn't even know it had, and delivers a truly touching story that had me crying in bed at 5 AM. It is, without exaggeration, a game everyone should experience.
The story is told through the perspectives of four characters. Yuza Minakuchi is an apprentice AMA diver who faces ostracization from the villagers of Kameshima (based on real-life Kamishima). Sato Shiranami is an amnesiac girl who loves to watch TV and is a houseguest of the influential Wakamura family. Yumeko Shiki is a housewife who also works for the police's Paranormal Affairs Bureau. Arnav "Avi" Barnum is a fantasy writer in his 40s and a self-described "free-spirited lad." These characters find themselves entangled in a complicated web of curses and murders, all of which stem from past grudges stewing in the Ise-Shima area. Sometimes it can get tricky keeping track of all the incidents the game brings up in rapid succession, even with the in-game encyclopedia, so keeping notes is handy and recommended.
As we saw in the February 2026 Nintendo Direct, there are underwater exploration segments when playing as Yuza. The controls are a lot better than I expected from a mini-game in a visual novel, and you can level him up the more items you collect. Yuza's not the only character with this kind of involved segment, too. These mini-games all help to break up the usual routine of investigating and chatting, keeping interest fresh. Though the game only ever really brings out these breaks from the norm once or twice per character route, I don't think that's a bad idea. It takes a minimum of ten hours to reach the normal ending, so too many would've distracted from the main plot.
That pacing is something that the development team greatly improved on between the first and second games. I personally prefer how the cast felt smaller and more intertwined in Paranormasight: The Mermaid's Curse, though that makes sense since they're in a more rural area than the first game's Tokyo. The sequel also has a better plot, in my opinion, making for a less jarring mood shifts. I'm going to spoil a bit of the first game, so if you haven't played it (and you don't have to to play the second one, by the way), skip the next paragraph.
The first game starts at a breakneck pace, with decoy protagonist Shogo going all in on murdering fellow curse bearers to perform the Rite of Resurrection. At the end of his route, the game takes you to the story chart, where you're prompted to go back to the beginning. You see Shogo dead, and the rest of the game proceeds in this new timeline. Most of the game focuses on the characters solving the mystery of the curses and preventing non-allied curse bearers from going around killing people. The pacing slows down so badly in the middle that even though I still enjoyed the cast and story, it was odd to me why writer Takanari Ishiyama did that.
In The Mermaid's Curse, you start with an introduction of the four main characters, as well as the main setting. The game sets up the main mysteries in investigation segments, and then the "Surprise" equivalent moment happens about a third of the way into the game. I much prefer this more traditional story structure. Ishiyama still loves his non-linear storytelling, though, because The Mermaid's Curse introduces the Recollection system. Some conversations may trigger a Recollection and, if you've met the conditions for them, you can go back to them on the Story Chart to see what the characters were doing earlier in the narrative. This Recollection system works well in a mystery game. You can naturally include scenes about a reveal before the player's made aware of it, for example.
The one thing that I find frustrating is the number of hanging plot threads. I'm guessing the true ending will tidy them up. Unfortunately, like the first game, there isn't a visual hint for which chapter you need to enter for it. I've scoured the entire ocean as Yuza. I went into every single chapter to exhaust all the dialogue options, as well as clicked on anything and everything I could see. Nothing. Twice, the game gives hints to it. It's the same hint both times. As someone who got the true ending in the first game without help, I'm truly lost this time. Fair warning that a satisfying conclusion likely hinges on you getting that golden ending.
As a whole, the writing for Paranormasight: The Mermaid's Curse feels more polished and cohesive than the first game without compromising on the established world or signature quirks. It balances the darker moments out with fun quips and colorful eccentrics, and the deep dives into Japanese history and folklore that serve as the backbone of the plot are really interesting. For me, it's on par with media like Fullmetal Alchemist and Steins;Gate—it's a story I'd like to forget all about and experience again for the first time. It's a sequel that can proudly stand on its own, and a strong way to kick off what looks like a new franchise or series for Square Enix.
Paranormasight: The Mermaid's Curse will come out on February 19, 2026 for the PC, Switch, Switch 2, and mobile devices.
The post Review: I Want to Reexperience Paranormasight: The Mermaid's Curse appeared first on Siliconera. |
Destructoid Tuesday, February 17, 2026 4:00 AM
Having beaten Dishonored way back when without ever being detected, I learned I had a knack and love for stealth games. Fast forward many years and one ghost-like Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain playthrough, and I got the chance to play some Styx.
The third game in this conniving series, Styx: Blades of Greed continues the story of the eponymous goblin who slices and dices and sneaks his way to personal gain and glory. It has all the bells and whistles of a good stealth game, from open-ended missions and loads of ways to solve any problem to numerous items and abilities to enhance the experience.
The rather vertical levels are also a nice touch, adding a bit of parkour into the mix.
Styx: Blades of Greed, however, is also incredibly janky, with lackluster combat, movement that needed some more time in the oven, and an overall lack of polish that really starts to numb the mind after a while.
Skulking in the shadows
Styx: Blades of Greed puts you in control of Styx, a goblin thief on the hunt for a mysterious material called Quartz. His literal cutthroat path to gaining immense power is one of sneaking, skulking, and performing assassinations without anyone ever noticing. Or, if they do notice, you're to take care of them before they spread the word.
The game is set in a fantasy world with all your usual races making an appearance, but I've got to point out how cool and different this place felt. There is a lot of worldbuilding and lore that the previous games started and upon which Blades of Greed continues to build, and all the different cultures, locations, and environments help this series stand out as one of the more appealing modern fantasy worlds.
For example, Styx, being a goblin, is to be killed on sight by any human that spots him, because goblins caused a great calamity in history, and because there just exists a great stigma against all greenskins (orcs and goblins both included). This is a great way to justify the gameplay in the lore, since the whole shtick is to not get seen no matter the cost.
As for the actual gameplay, it is an open-zone design, with zones varying in breadth and height (literally) and each carrying more or less distinct locations. You can go basically anywhere in these zones and complete certain parts of the story at whatever pace you set, approaching each mission and assignment in your preferred way. On top of that, each zone has loads of side and bonus content as well as areas worthy of exploring, as the developers really wanted you to see what this breathtaking world has to offer.
Unfortunately, the traversal here is a bit lackluster, as the verticality of the game often creates situations where you have to backtrack through generic areas, easily losing track of where you actually are. The janky platforming and animations don't help, either, even though the overall parkour experience is solid.
I didn't bother much with exploring and completed my assignments only as asked, because using the objective marker was more or less the only thing that let me find my way through these maps. This is not a major grievance, however, as I don't like games holding my hand either.
The developers should've made each area more distinct, with clearer paths (which would, I suppose, hamper the open-ended design, so make of that what you will).
Speaking of open-endedness, Styx: Blades of Greed offers a near-infinite number of solutions to any situation. If you have enemies blocking your path somewhere, dropping a chandelier would probably be a good idea. Or perhaps poisoning their food and water. Or maybe killing them one by one using decoys and blowdarts. Or someone might be close by so silently killing them instead of slashing at full sound is necessary.
The possibilities are endless, and the game reminded me of Hitman and similar franchises in how it deals with enemy placement and missions.
Jank and frustrations
Styx: Blades of Greed could have been an amazing game if it was left a bit more in the oven or perhaps polished over a couple more times before being prepped for publishing.
While the stealth is tremendous (and given that's the core of the experience, I guess that's more important), the combat itself is rarely good, and that would be completely fine if the game didn't force combat encounters at you with some enemies. For example, most enemies can be stealthily assassinated, but others have to be fought or assassinated more than once to be fully killed.
The regular combat is basically dodging until you get a quick-time notification to deal massive damage or outright kill an enemy or just a series of dodge-attack-dodge-attack encounters. As I've said, this, too, would be fine if hitboxes, attacks, and dodges actually functioned the way they're intended to.
And on top of that, approaching fights in your own way doesn't often work out, as every single melee enemy (even those super tanks you have to fight for a long while) has ranged weapons that trace you and have pixel-perfect accuracy, making escape nigh-impossible once combat actually starts. They'll sometimes randomly pull out these ranged weapons even when close, lunging three daggers that almost instantly kill you.
Being forced to utilize stuff at my disposal shouldn't be the go-to in games like these, but you can avoid most of the combat by using abilities and items if you happen to alert the enemies.
Movement can sometimes be janky, and with the emphasis on verticality, I think the developers should have polished the animations and controls a bit more to make the whole experience much more satisfying. However, with the introduction of the grappling hook and other gadgets, the levels truly start to come into their own, and you begin to traverse terrain in what feels like the "default" mode.
However, in areas where no grappling hook can be used, or when traversing certain ledges, the jank can quickly catch up with you, resulting in deaths or unwarranted damage more often than not.
A good, crafty experience overall
Despite the headache-inducing jankiness of the game, Styx: Blades of Greed remains a thoroughly good experience. The game's missions and levels are breathtaking both in looks and in how they're designed. Every single stealth playstyle under the sun feels represented and viable, and while open combat might be a particularly bad way to fight, every stealthy and sneaky aspect of Styx is more than fantastic.
The beautiful world, levels, and creative stealth allow Styx to provide fans of these kinds of games the opportunity to truly role-play as a thief and silent assassin, sticking to the darkness, barrels, and shadows and emerging only when need calls for it.
It's a shame that every aspect of the game isn't as polished as the stealth, and a better story, more engaging characters (not that Styx isn't fun and funny), and a generally smoother and more satisfying movement and combat system would've made this game a real diamond in the rough. As it stands, Styx: Blades of Greed is a good but flawed game that maintains its core most of the time.
The post Styx: Blades of Greed review – Creative stealth and tons of fun and headaches appeared first on Destructoid. |
Destructoid Tuesday, February 17, 2026 3:33 AM
The Division 2 Y7S3 Mutiny Week 12 Manhunt is now live, and there are three tasks to complete as part of the Scout 12 objectives.
With the season nearing an end, we are just one step away from the climax mission. If you have completed all the Scout objectives before this week, there are just three more tasks to complete.
Let's look at how you can complete the objective.
Table of contents
The Division 2 Y7S3 Mutiny Week 12 Scout solutions
The three tasks are hidden behind three hints that you need to decode.
Here are the tasks that you have to complete this week.
Eliminate 25 True Sons
The first task is quite simple, as you need to take care of 25 enemies that belong to the True Sons faction. The easiest way to do so is to begin a True Sons bounty. A run or two should be enough (depending on the difficulty) for you to complete the task.
You can also encounter enemies from the True Sons faction randomly across open-world activities. The task will be completed as soon as you've killed the 25th enemy.
Prevent a Public Execution
The second task is to complete a Public Execution event. The activity involves saving two civilians from the ones holding them hostage. The events have a 'question mark' symbol on top of them. Eliminate the first wave of enemies, and a second wave arrives. Clear the second wave, and speak with the civilians to save them.
Completing the task also gets you a bonus Bounty Commission that you can complete for extra rewards.
Complete the Lieutenant Colonel Kernel
Once you complete the first two tasks, you can begin the bounty to take down Lieutenant Colonel Kernel. Head to the Bounties tab, and you'll find the assignment. Reach the location marked on the map to begin the HVT hunt. Clear the first two waves of enemies for Colonel Kernel to arrive. The HVT can be found at the Museum of Native People.
While there's no ideal strategy to defeat him, target his weapon to break that down first. This makes the fight easier to manage. Finishing the task will complete Scout 12 objectives and find out more about the intentions of True Sons.
The post The Division 2 Y7S3 Mutiny Week 12 Manhunt HVT: Scout 12 solutions appeared first on Destructoid. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Tuesday, February 17, 2026 6:28 AM On the official site. The post Valve Gives Out Of Stock Alerts For Steam Deck Due To RAM Shortages appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
Gaming Instincts – Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism Tuesday, February 17, 2026 5:57 AM In two months. The post Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile Will Shut Down Its Servers Soon appeared first on Gaming Instincts - Next-Generation of Video Game Journalism. |
MonsterVine Tuesday, February 17, 2026 3:02 AM Contrast Games has released a free playable demo for Akatori, giving players their first hands-on look at the studio's staff-driven 2D search action game ahead of Steam Next Fest: February 2026 Edition. The demo is available now on Steam and will remain playable throughout the event, which runs from February 23 to March 2, 2026. […] |
MonsterVine Tuesday, February 17, 2026 2:07 AM Moon Beast Productions has officially launched the Kickstarter campaign for its next-generation action RPG, Darkhaven, alongside the release of an "unconventionally unfiltered" playable demo. Founded by Diablo veterans Philip Shenk, Peter Hu, and Erich Schaefer, the California-based studio is inviting players to experience a raw, ambitious slice of its evolving vision. Since its reveal, Darkhaven […] |