Regista, Suzume Takanashi, and YMCAT have announced exploration-driven adventure game Alice in Wonder Underland AIWU is coming to Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam on April 23. Players can Alice in Wonder Underland AIWU on Steam ahead of launch, and the Nintendo eShop page will open soon. What’s more, Alice in Wonder Underland AIWU will be playable at Tokyo Game Dungeon 12, which takes place on May 3 at the Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Trade Center (Hamamatsucho Hall, 3rd Floor, Booth 3L-8)
SYOJO KISHIDAN and JAST have announced that Machine Child is available now on PC via Steam. The game, which costs $19.99, is described as a “nurturing simulation.”
Until April 21, you can purchase the game for $17.99. The game is available in Japanese, English, and Simplified Chinese. Check out the trailer for Machine Child below:
The Steam page describes Machine Child as follows:
In Machine Child, a girl-raising sim crafted by renowned illustrator Ooyari Ashito, you are entrusted with raising a young girl in a quaint town of Maldia. Will you succeed in guiding her to happiness?
A DAUGHTER. A TOWN. A FUTURE IN YOUR HANDS.
Your daughter’s life unfolds through 700+ story events such as little adventures, parties among nobles, and even crossing paths with otherworldly beings. Her journey can unfold into 22 unique endings.
Who Will You Choose?
Florine
A gentle and straightforward girl, embodying all that is feminine.
Cordelia
A slightly cheeky and overconfident girl, but kind at heart
Chloe
A young lady full of maternal warmth and with a gentle personality
DRESS HER UP & EARN HER AFFECTION
Choose from a wide range of outfits unlocked through boutiques and story events, and dress your daughter to reflect the path she is taking. As your bond grows, her responses will change to reflect her affection for you.
MARK THE SEASONS WITH MEMORIES
Seasonal trips unlock unique illustrations that commemorate the moments you share. Each daughter has five scenes for Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, and a Special CGs that captures the memories you create together.
FATE REVEALS ITSELF
Collect Inspiration to draw Tarot cards, each shaping your daughter’s path in different ways. Experience 22 Arcana-inspired endings, her future may unfold into something tender and fulfilling or take an unexpected turn.
YOUR DECISIONS DEFINE HER EXPERIENCE
Whether she’s learning new skills, chasing town rumors, browsing the shop, or balancing study with leisure, your choices shape who she becomes. Her destiny is chosen by you, what will it be?
Artdink Corporation has announced that ARTDINK GAME LOG: Aquanaut’s Holiday will release in Japan on April 23. It will be available for Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam.
The game will cost 2,420 yen. Further, ARTDINK GAME LOG: Aquanaut’s Holiday will only support Japanese as a language option. It is unknown whether or not it will be available in other regions around the world. Check out the trailer for ARTDINK GAME LOG: Aquanaut’s Holiday below, courtesy of Gematsu:
The Steam page describes ARTDINK GAME LOG: Aquanaut’s Holiday as follows:
ARTDINK GAME LOG Series
ARTDINK GAME LOG is a project to port and re-release game titles previously developed by ARTDINK onto modern gaming hardware.
It serves as a record (log) of ARTDINK‘s game development journey. By reviving past masterpieces using current technology and platforms, it delivers nostalgia and rediscovery to longtime fans, while offering an unprecedented experience to new players.
Curiosity takes a stroll by the sea
“Aquanaut’s Holiday” is a simple 3D adventure game in which you explore a mysterious underwater world aboard a submarine. Released for the PlayStation in 1995, the game has no specific objectives to achieve. It can be considered a pioneer of free-roaming games designed simply to let players enjoy the environment.
What you’ve been looking for is right here
You are an employee of the International Oceanographic Research Institute. Having taken a vacation to rest your weary mind and body, you set off on an underwater adventure aboard the state-of-the-art submarine “Holiday,” entrusted to you by your superior. What you discover in the vast ocean is entirely up to you. You can swim around without a care in the world, interact with the fish, or discover ancient ruins and let your imagination wander to civilizations of the past.
The underwater world is full of freedom and adventure. Take on the challenge of mapping your assigned waters, and you’ll encounter familiar, adorable fish and strange creatures wherever you go. Don’t forget to stack blocks to build artificial reefs. As your artificial reefs grow, more marine life will visit the area. Here, you’re sure to find a sense of peace you won’t find on the ground. Relax and enjoy your holiday, letting your curiosity lead the way.
Scenes from the past come vividly to life
ARTDINK GAME LOG has added a “Remaster Mode.” The textures of the aquatic creatures have been upgraded to high resolution, allowing you to admire their patterns and expressions in detail.
Of course, it also features a “Classic Mode” that lets you enjoy the game just as it was back then. What’s more, by using screen filters like ‘Scanline’ and “CRT,” you can immerse yourself in the atmosphere of “those days” when you used to play.
The package also includes the original manual from that era, which explains the background story and how to enjoy the game. Why not return once more to the beautiful underwater world that captivated you back then?
Edia has announced Aretha Collection 1993-1995, which releases in Japan on July 30. It will be available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch.
The collection includes the Super Famicom versions of the following:
Aretha the Super Famicom (1993)
Aretha II: Ariel no Fushigi-na Tabi (1994)
Rejoice: Aretha Oukoku no Kanata (1995)
There will be both physical and digital versions for the PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch releases. The PlayStation 4 will only be available in digital. The regular versions will cost 8,580 yen. The special physical edition will include an illustrations collection, a 300-piece jigsaw puzzle, an acrylic stand, and a soundtrack CD. It costs 16,280 yen. Currently, it is unknown whether or not the game will release in other regions.
Edia has previously worked on games like the Valisfranchise, the Telenet Shooting Collection, the Cho Aniki Collection, and more. The Telenet Shooting Collection Launcher in particular is available now on Steam. It features four classic shooters from Nihon Telenet/Wolf Team—Grenada, Avenger, Gaiares, and Psychic Storm. Telenet Shooting Collection Launcher players can buy the following four games for $4.99 each as individual DLCs:
Granada: A fast-paced, all-direction scrolling tank shooter. Players pilot the armored vehicle Granada, strategically fixing fire direction to overcome waves of enemies and massive bosses.
Avenger: A futuristic strategic helicopter shooter with mission-based branching scenarios and punishing difficulty. Pilot the cutting-edge combat chopper Avenger and reclaim the superweapon VOLOS.
Gaiares: An inventive shooter where players absorb enemy weapons and turn them into their own devastating arsenal. As the pilot, defend Earth against the invaders in a desperate fight for survival.
Psychic Storm: A two-player cooperative shooter packed with massive bosses, unique fighter transformations, and the ultimate “Psychic Storm” attack.
The Steam versions include a number of different enhancements and features, including customizable key configurations and rewind function, video filter and display settings, full Steam Input support, and Steam achievements for each game.
IO Interactive has announced that it has delayed the Nintendo Switch 2 version of 007 First Light to later in the summer. Additionally, it has revealed that a limited edition DualSense controller for the game will release alongside the game’s launch on May 27.
In a statement, IOI stated the following about the delay: “007 First Light comes to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on May 27th, 2026, and Nintendo Switch 2 later this summer. We’re excited to see players discovering James Bond’s reimagined origin story, and we are looking forward to bringing you the best game experience possible across all platforms.”
Pre-orders for the 007 First Light DualSense controller, which costs $84.99, will go live on April 17 on the PlayStation Direct website. Check out the trailer for the upcoming controller below:
007 First Light releases on May 27 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam on May 27. It will release on Switch 2 in the summer. Lastly, the Steam page describes 007 First Light as follows:
Earn the Number. 007 First Light is a thrilling espionage action-adventure game from IO Interactive. Follow James Bond as a young, resourceful and sometimes reckless recruit in MI6’s training programme, and discover an origin story of the world’s most famous spy.
Follow James Bond as a young, resourceful and sometimes reckless recruit in MI6’s training program, and discover an origin story of the world’s most famous spy.
After a heroic act, young Naval air crewman James Bond is offered to join the newly revived Double 0 program. But when a mission to stop a rogue agent ends in tragedy, he must join forces with his reluctant mentor Greenway to expose a deep conspiracy and stop a looming coup at the heart of the State.
Homura: The Crimson Warriors is a historical fantasy otome visual novel developed by Idea Factory’s Otomate label. Originally released on PS Vita in Japan in June 2018, it was ported to Nintendo Switch in 2024 and finally reached Western audiences in March 2026.
Set in the turbulent years following the Battle of Sekigahara, the game casts players as Mutsumi Mochizuki, a young woman who joins Nobushige Sanada and the legendary Sanada Ten Braves in a final stand against the Tokugawa shogunate. It is a standalone title, no prior knowledge of any series required, and it arrives in the West with English text and a full Japanese voice cast.
I want to be upfront about something before anything else: I have no personal interest in otome games, and didn’t come into Homura: The Crimson Warriors as someone who loves the genre, follows Otomate’s releases, or has a favorite route from Hakuōki. This was played as an outsider, and that shapes everything that follows. I’ll try to be fair about what the game does well on its own terms, but if you’re looking for a review from someone who was primed to fall for it, this isn’t that.
What Is An Otome Game?
Otome games (乙女ゲーム, “maiden games”) are romance-driven visual novels made primarily for a female audience. The genre started in Japan in 1994 with Angelique, developed by Ruby Party and published by Tecmo Koei, the first game explicitly designed and marketed for female players. It proved there was a market, and the genre grew into its own distinct ecosystem: dedicated store sections, anime adaptations, stage plays, and merchandise lines built entirely around the format.
The structure is consistent across the genre. You play as a female protagonist surrounded by a cast of male love interests, each with their own route, backstory, and ending. Your choices shape which relationships develop and how the story closes out. The draw is emotional; the slow build, the tension, the payoff, not a mechanical challenge. Otomate, Idea Factory’s label dedicated to the genre, is one of its most prolific producers. Historical Japan is one of its most visited backdrops, and Homura: The Crimson Warriors fits squarely in that tradition.
About Homura Itself
The setting is Japan in 1614, roughly 14 years after the Battle of Sekigahara, in which Tokugawa Ieyasu’s victory consolidated his grip on the country and left the Toyotomi clan isolated in Osaka Castle. You play as Mutsumi Mochizuki, who joins Nobushige Sanada and his ten ninja retainers, the legendary Sanada Ten Braves, in a final stand against the shogunate.
It’s a good premise. The Sanada Ten Braves exist somewhere between history and folklore, which gives the writing room to work with original characters without the weight of strict accuracy. More importantly, the setting carries a quiet fatalism that suits the genre: these are people fighting a battle history has already decided, and Homura is at its most interesting when it leans into that. Nobushige Sanada, in particular, carries the weight of a man who knows how this ends and shows up anyway.
The problem, at least from where I was sitting, is that the story moves at a crawl. As someone with no prior investment in the genre or franchise, the slow pacing that fans likely find immersive just felt like waiting. I never felt the pull of any route, and the game never gave me a reason to care.
Crimson Warriors
The voice cast is the game’s strongest asset. Names like Junichi Suwabe and Tomokazu Sugita signal that Otomate spent real money here, and it shows. The performances add warmth and texture to characters that might otherwise feel like archetypes on the page. Shikisaki-gumi’s character art is excellent for the context; detailed, expressive, and period-appropriate without being stiff. CG event illustrations are generous in number and hold up well.
I didn’t connect with any of the characters personally, but I want to be clear: that’s a mismatch between me and the genre, not an indictment of the work. A dedicated otome fan will likely find exactly what they’re looking for here.
On Switch and Switch 2
Homura was originally built for the PS Vita in 2018, a small handheld with a 960×544 screen. Playing it on Switch 2, those origins are impossible to miss. The UI has not been redesigned for a larger display. Text boxes, menus, and layout all read as stretched. No meaningful rework went into the interface beyond resolution scaling, and the disconnect between the art, which looks genuinely good at higher resolution, and the UI, which looks like it doesn’t belong on this screen, is noticeable throughout.
This is a barebones port. Faster load times, higher resolution, although visibly stretched, same game. If you’re hoping for a modernized or remastered experience, you will not find that here. For the target audience picking it up on a current platform, it functions fine. However, the Vita origins are never far from view.
The game delivers what dedicated otome fans want: beautiful character art, a quality voice cast, a moody historical setting, and branching routes steeped in Japanese legend. It doesn’t reinvent the genre or push any boundaries, nor does it try to captivate non-otome fans. The Switch port is functional but unambitious, and on Switch 2, the Vita DNA is plainly visible in the UI.
If you already love Otomate’s historical romances, this is a solid if brief entry and a comfortable recommendation. If you don’t, if you’re coming in cold as I did, Homura doesn’t do the work to earn you. This is a game made for people who are already fans.
Disclaimer: Idea Factory International provided a Nintendo Switch copy of Homura: The Crimson Warriors for review purposes.
One of my favorite aspects of the Nintendo Switch 2 has been the opportunity to play games I previously overlooked in a new format. The portable aspect has led me to find new enjoyment in experiences like Resident Evil Requiem that would typically only have been playable on a high-end console or PC. One game that I initially ignored is Kena: Bridge of Spirits.
While I was definitely enamored by its visual style, the gameplay mechanics that it featured weren’t too enticing compared to other action-adventure games that had more to them. So, when it was announced that Kena would be coming to Nintendo Switch 2, I wasn’t really sure if I wanted to pick it up for myself. However, after playing the game for the first time via the brand-new port, I can confidently say that this is a fantastic port of an underrated gem that you should absolutely play for yourself if you’re a fan of the genre.
The Story of a Spirit Guide
In Kena: Bridge of Spirits, you play as the titular Kena. She takes the role of a spirit guide who helps spirits pass from this realm to the afterlife. She’s uncovered a new spread of corruption in a mysterious land where tragedy has struck. As such, Kena must uncover the mysteries of what happened in the corrupted village and help its former inhabitants find the peace that they have been so desperately searching for, or else their inner darkness could have disastrous effects on the world around them.
The narrative premise of Kena: Bridge of Spirits isn’t exactly unique. There have been plenty of stories focusing on characters who serve as spirit mediums, guiding wayward souls to their final resting place by helping them come to terms with their trauma. Certainly, this game doesn’t really do anything unique or new with that premise, nor are the main characters particularly compelling. Kena herself doesn’t really have much of a personality beyond her duty. In spite of these issues, though, I was still compelled by Kena: Bridge of Spirits because of just how well done the visuals and gameplay were.
Without a doubt, Kena: Bridge of Spirits is one of the most gorgeous games I’ve ever played. The visuals are almost Disney-caliber, featuring characters that are beautifully animated with expressive movements and expressions. Kena, despite her lack of an arc, is fantastically well-realized visually, with each detail of her outfit and design popping out in the best possible ways.
Even the setting looks incredible. You primarily explore a village overcome by nature, inhabited by spirits both malevolent and benevolent alike. Along your journey, you’ll explore snowy mountains, dark caves, and wooden structures that subtly tell the story of those who once lived there. The impressive visual fidelity of Kena: Bridge of Spirits bleeds over into the gameplay mechanics as well.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits‘ gameplay mechanics mostly focus on platforming and combat. Throughout the game, you’ll be exploring the aforementioned areas, trying to collect relics to get through to a spirit that has lost itself. Sometimes, you’ll be solving minor puzzles to find the location of these relics, or you’ll be using your abilities like bombs to lay a path in front of you. The parts where you can quickly rid the land around you of corruption are really impressive, considering how quickly the scenery shifts. Beyond the puzzles and platforming, for the most part, the main obstacle in your path will be corrupted spirits.
The combat mechanics are closer to a franchise like The Legend of Zelda. When you enter an encounter, you will be locked from running away, and instead, you’ll need to stand and fight. Enemies will try to overwhelm you with projectiles and intense waves of damage, and to counter, you’ll need to take advantage of your dodge and parry prompts. As you progress, you’ll unlock a bow and arrow, the aforementioned bombs, and most of all, the ability to utilize tiny creatures known as the Rot.
While exploring the world, you’ll occasionally find these little monsters in nooks and crannies. These can be used to help you in combat and with solving specific puzzles. For example, you’ll have a select amount of rot that you can use in battle to enhance your attacks, or you can instead use it to retrieve heals. They’re a really fun part of Kena: Bridge of Spirits‘ gameplay formula and help to make it feel even more satisfying. Overall, I did really enjoy the exploration and combat mechanics, though neither is without flaws.
My biggest issue with the gameplay of Kena actually comes down to the rot. Every time you find one, the same animation of them appearing plays over and over again. It completely kills the pacing, and there was no way to skip it at all. I wish there were a way to toggle it off so that I could go back to exploring the world. Still, the simple yet addictive nature of the combat and being able to navigate such a gorgeous-looking world were enough to keep me compelled in spite of the issues with the gameplay and narrative.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits is still a pretty great game, even five years after its launch. However, we also need to consider whether the new Nintendo Switch 2 version is a good port. How does it hold up, and is it worth it regardless of whether you’ve played it before or not? Personally, I thought this was a fantastic port, and I had very few major issues with the visual and gameplay quality.
A New Way to Play
Ever since the Switch 2 came out almost a year ago, I’ve played several ports of major third-party games on the platform. Some have turned out really well, while others have been less than stellar. Kena: Bridge of Spirits thankfully fits more into the former category, as even when played entirely on handheld, the game still looks absolutely gorgeous from beginning to end.
When you play the game for yourself, you’ll notice that the visual fidelity has largely been left completely intact. Compared to its original release on the PlayStation 5, characters still look gorgeous, with each detail in their design being captured really well despite the “lesser hardware.” Cutscenes in particular look great, and I was really impressed by how there were very few issues with blurry models.
The same can be said for the setting. A lot of other Switch 2 ports have lower rendered details in the floor and other areas in the distance. Since this is a smaller game compared to some of the larger open-world titles on the platform, there aren’t as many issues with draw distance and texture quality. There are some exceptions, especially in areas with a lot of particles, where the floors are rendered with less detail. That said, these instances are few and far between and not too noticeable.
This also applies to the gameplay. At first, I was really worried that, due to the number of enemies that can pop up on screen at a time, the frame rate and texture quality would plummet. Once again, though, there were very few visible stutters or cases where my gameplay experience was affected by poor visual fidelity. The controls on Switch 2 also feel extremely smooth, even entirely in handheld mode. The fact that you can adjust the button mapping is great as well, since I found myself switching from using the triggers to attack to instead using the X and Y buttons.
I don’t think I would call Kena: Bridge of Spirits for the Nintendo Switch 2 a perfect port, though. The lack of any frame rate stuttering comes at the cost of it being locked to 30 FPS, and there’s no way to adjust whether or not you want to prioritize performance or quality. Further, much like other Switch 2 ports, the hair textures for every character look a bit blurry, and it can get noticeable in cutscenes that zoom right into their faces. The loading screens can also get a bit lengthy at times.
I think my biggest disappointment was the lack of any additional content. While the port comes packaged with all the game’s DLC, there are no new control options or cosmetics exclusive to the Switch 2 edition. On the one hand, it’s good that there is no content locked behind the new version, but on the other, it does mean that those who have played Kena: Bridge of Spirits on other platforms likely won’t find any new enjoyment in this version.
Still, these problems aren’t enough to detract from just the overall quality of this port. If you haven’t played Kena: Bridge of Spirits before and you own a Nintendo Switch 2, then this is an undoubtedly great purchase.
Pure Magic
Over a decade ago, EmberLab created an animated short based on The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask. The short is iconic due to its impressive visuals and how it was able to adapt the unnerving nature of the original game. Years later, EmberLab would go on to make its first major game, Kena: Bridge of Spirits. Now, said game has finally made its way to Nintendo platforms in a great full-circle moment. I’m happy to say that this game feels right at home on Nintendo Switch 2, thanks to the quality of both the port and the game itself.
Bridge of Spirits is a fantastic action-adventure title that any fans of the genre are sure to enjoy. While the story takes a bit of a backseat, it makes up for it with a gorgeous presentation. Further, the gameplay is really addicting and had me constantly hooked thanks to the frequency of new abilities and encounters that strike the perfect balance of difficulty. Even though I wish the animations of acquiring the rot were turned down, these weren’t enough to distract from my enjoyment of the game.
Additionally, as someone who never played the game when it first released, I really loved the Nintendo Switch 2 port. The lack of new features or ways to adjust the frame rate is a bit of a disappointment, but the overall graphical fidelity, even in handheld mode, was enough to mitigate those problems. Plus, the fact that there are very few instances of stuttering and lower-quality textures is extremely impressive.
If you have a Switch 2 and have been looking for a great-looking action-adventure game to keep you occupied until the next mainline Legend ofZelda game, then Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a must-buy. After playing it for myself, I’m now even more excited for the upcoming sequel, Kena: Scars of Kosmora. In the meantime, I am looking forward to replaying Bridge of Spirits in New Game Plus.
CyberConnect2 has announced that turn-based RPG Fuga: Melodies of Steel is coming to Android and iOS in summer 2026. The mobile version of Fuga: Melodies of Steel will include bonuses from the Deluxe Edition and all three DLC at no additional cost.
──────────────────────── 📢Fuga: Melodies of Steel is coming to smartphones! ──────────────────────── Please look forward to the mobile port, which will include bonuses from the Deluxe Edition and all three DLC at no additional… pic.twitter.com/5GiTNJZ14F
— Fuga: Melodies of Steel – Official (@Fuga_CC2_en) April 8, 2026
Fuga: Melodies of Steel is available on most modern platforms, including Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam. Here’s an overview, via the official Steam page:
“We have to fight! If we don’t, everyone we love will be taken away!”
One fateful night, a peaceful village is thrown into the flames of war. Determined to save their families, a group of children boards a giant tank and begins an offensive charge!
Fuga: Melodies of Steel is an RPG where you place children, each with their own unique characteristics and skills, at different gun turrets in a tank to fight against the enemy.
Living inside the tank, the children show emotion and gain affinity amongst each other. Manage these both to change the outcome of their journey!
A mysterious ancient weapon: The Taranis
Taranis, the giant tank sheltering the children, conceals many mysteries and somehow seems to have its own will. In situations of crisis, it can release a forbidden weapon, the dreadful Soul Cannon.
Your adventure. Your choices.
Will you make sacrifices for victory? Or will you seek another path?
In this RPG, many choices have to be made in order to progress… but taking the safest road may not always be the best option.
Faced with a desperate situation, what course of action will you choose?
Crunchyroll and Bandai Namco Filmworks have announced the English dub cast of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime the Movie: Tears of the Azure Sea. A new trailer for the English dub of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime the Movie: Tears of the Azure Sea was also revealed ahead of next month’s premiere.
Hinatazaka46 members Nao Kosaka and Kaho Fujishima will voice shrine maidens and original characters Mio and Yori, respectively.
Six-member unit ARCANA PROJECT sings the insert song “Renainō (Talent for Romance).” STEREO DIVE FOUNDATION and ASH DA HERO member ASH perform the insert song “Harmonics.” TRUE performs the theme song “Utopia.” Saori Ōnishi performs the insert song “Sōkoku (Blue Moment)” as well.
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime the Movie: Tears of the Azure Sea premiered in Japanese theaters on February 27, and Sony Pictures Entertainment and Crunchyroll are bringing the movie to theaters worldwide, excluding most Asian territories. The film has an original plot that wasn’t featured in the manga and novel series. 8-Bit is the studio behind the movie’s animation.
Fuse initially serialized the That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime light novel from 2013 to 2016. Over the years, it has garnered several video games, anime, and more adaptations, alongside several collaborations. Lastly, the That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime anime series is streaming on Amazon Prime Video and Crunchyroll, and Season 4 will premiere on April 3.
Netflix has announced that the One Piece live-action series will continue in 2027 with One PieceSeason 3, titled One Piece: The Battle of Alabasta. In addition to One Piece Season 3, Netflix announced a new animated two-part LEGO special for the live-action series will release on September 29.
