We're only a few weeks into 2026, and already, there are so many new releases vying for your attention in the world of video games. Trust that no matter what your interests are, there’s something new for you to play and enjoy.
This week, we’re taking a look at the highly anticipated dark samurai game, Nioh 3, which has already ignited Game of the Year chatter. We’re also checking out the problematic release of hero-shooter Highguard, and celebrating a much-needed cosy blast from the past with Animal Crossing 3.0.
Nioh 3
Released in 2017, Nioh was a pioneer in the 'Soulslike' genre, a pantheon of games known for their high difficulty and challenging combat. But Nioh’s unique blend of historic Japan, supernatural elements, and darker-than-dark mythology allowed it to carve out its own identity within a now oversubscribed genre.
Fast-forward to this year, and Nioh 3 is arguably one of the first major releases of 2026. No pressure, right?
Thankfully, this game delivers the same gutsy, challenging experience fans know and love from the first two games, but with new polish, expanded combat, and even more challenges to sink your teeth into. Get ready for an unmissable challenge.
Polished combat takes precedence over storyline
Historical Japan has been the subject of so many games these past few years. Nioh 3 colours outside the lines, however, blending real-life characters with supernatural phenomena to keep you guessing.
Set in 1622, you play as Tokugawa Takechiyo, who is set to inherit the role of Shogun from his grandfather. However, this imminent rise in power attracts the attention (and jealousy) of younger brother Tokugawa, who falls into darkness and summons a horde of yokai to seize power.
Your brother’s actions shatter the era of peace Japan was enjoying, sending Tokugawa throughout time to quell supernatural threats, all so he can reclaim his rightful place as Shogun.
But no matter how much of the plot you enjoy (or understand), combat is the game’s true central nervous system and chief narrator. And if you are picking up this game, it’s more for the hack-and-slash than the stop-and-talk.
Nioh 3 offers an incredibly polished, elaborate, yet approachable combat system. There are two styles players can swap seamlessly between. Samurai is your standard Soulslike experience, where you’re encouraged to attack and block rhythmically to enemy attacks, building up a special charge meter, only to unleash devastating heavy attacks.
On the other hand, Ninja style flips the script, compelling you to manage your stamina, embrace long-range attacks, unleash Ninjustsu attacks, and more. Both are viable for taking on the entire game, and can be swapped with a simple button press, so you’re never penalised for sticking to your favourite.
What’s a combat game without the opportunity to fight? Well, in Nioh 3 there is no shortage of enemies to flex your skills against, as the game’s open-world regions prove quite quickly. Each one you can explore in a non-linear fashion, where all manner of threats lurk.
Some areas of the map will pose too much of a threat for you to bypass. If and when you do hit a wall, exploring the nearby locality is usually enough to receive upgrades, weapons, passives and more, that can bulk you up.
Tokugawa is a warrior of your own making, and you're free to customise your gear toward specific challenges, which may be enough to scrape a victory. That said, a major appeal of these kinds of games is stumbling into absurd challenges accidentally, totally ill-prepared, and somehow still defying the odds. The game is all about persistence, patience and composure.
A gritty Samurai action-adventure with seismic challenges
Nioh 3 continues the lineage of dark mythology in a new, sharper direction. Sleek menus, refined systems, vivid visuals and a move toward non-linear gameplay make this a testing adventure of your own making. The zany twist on Japanese history and the supernatural overtones are enough to make another visit to feudal Japan in gaming more than enjoyable.
It must be said, though, that this game is unapologetically difficult, testing your nerve and sanity on more than one occasion. Developers have somehow managed to capture the essence of the first two games, while also painting on new bells and whistles for a new era. What a great start to 2026.
Nioh 3 is available to play on PlayStation 5 and PC
Highguard
Highguard is a hero shooter game that has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons this past week. Receiving over 23,000 mostly negative reviews upon launch, it's earned the unfortunate title of 'Concord 2.0'. Oh dear.
The backlash started long before the game’s actual launch, when its trailer featured at the close of the Game Awards 2025. This spot, often reserved for industry-shattering announcements meant to excite the world, fell incredibly short of expectations. The radio silence that followed only fuelled contempt. Whoever said there’s no such thing as bad press should stand corrected now.
So, is the game as awful as the masses make it out to be? Or are the mob crowd being unfair to a fledgling game still finding its way?
It’s a bit of both, really.
Firstly, Highguard is a free-to-play hero shooter in which two teams face off across a large, destructible map. Combat is a blend of fast-paced first-person shooting, with raiding, siege, and fort-building mechanics, and a sprinkling of magical abilities.
You start off a match by building up your fort defences against future attacks. Then, you’re riding across the vivid, destructible world around you on your mount, on the hunt for precious loot. When you do spot an enemy, skirmishes demonstrate the full ferocity of character abilities, with a mix of gunslinging, spellslinging, and more. Rinse and repeat. And here lie the problems with the game.
Highguard has an identity crisis – it’s too busy
Individually, there are plenty of fun elements to experience. But together? And in quick succession? The game feels too busy to enjoy, blending several popular mechanics without executing any to a high enough standard.
It’s clear that the Game Awards put too strong a spotlight on this under-baked freebie, which, it seems, doesn't know what kind of game it wants to be. And while patches and updates have already addressed genuine feedback, is it already too late?
Given the fickle nature of live service games and the already downward trajectory of players, I fear that Highguard might not get the opportunity (or funds) to make whatever vision developers had into an actual reality.
Highguard is available to play for free on PC
Animal Crossing: New Horizons 3.0
With over 48 million copies sold, Animal Crossing is one of the best-selling games of all time. Released during the COVID-19 pandemic, it captivated millions during an incredibly difficult and isolating time.
Despite a dedicated fan base, the updates dwindled over the years, and millions of islands became a distant memory. When news of an update and Switch 2 version was announced, cosy gamers rejoiced. We all had an excuse to go back.
Booting up Animal Crossing, my avatar emerges from his house, fixing his dishevelled hair. I check the mailbox to find a pile of unread letters, too many to tackle in one day. I see a half-finished fence nearby, a bitter reminder of the sudden drop-off in interest I had for the game.
And then, my very first neighbour in the game, a pink bird named Freckle, rushes over to inform me that it's been exactly 3 years since I last visited her. Just as a wave of shame washes over me, she quickly reassures me that my rude absence is OK, because I’m back now.
And that is the unmistakable joy of Animal Crossing in a nutshell.
It’s a dip-in, dip-out experience whose only goal is to make sure you’re having fun. Play as you like, as often as you like, and come back to it when you feel the need. Your progress, virtual friends, and half-baked design projects will always be waiting for you - even 3 years later.
3.0 - What can veteran players expect with the new updates?
The new update brings plenty of quality-of-life improvements and features to keep you sticking around this time around. The most notable is the brand-new resort hotel, which, of course, falls on you to help manage.
Players can decorate guest rooms with a variety of themes in mind, helped, of course, by new collaboration items from Nintendo, LEGO and more. For those playing on the Switch 2, an upgrade (costing €5) is also an option. It brings the game into a new technological era, with new microphone and camera features, 12-player online sessions, and the ability to use your Joy-Con 2 as a mouse for more comfortable designing.
If I’m being honest, the best thing about the new update isn’t the hotel, items, Joy-cons or characters. It’s just a collective reminder of the magical role Animal Crossing played in keeping us sane those years ago. A role, as these updates prove, it can still play.
Animal Crossing is available to play on the Switch & Switch 2. The 3.0 update is free, while the Switch 2 upgrade is sold separately
