Retro shooter fans, breathe it in. Byte Barrel, the brilliant minds behind the critically acclaimed, comic-book-inspired Forgive Me Father series, have just pulled back the curtain on their next project—and it looks wonderfully toxic.
Revealed during the MIX Summer Showcase, the studio’s brand-new first-person shooter is officially titled DIOXIDE.
If you’ve played Forgive Me Father, you already know Byte Barrel has a knack for tight gunplay, striking art styles, and an atmosphere you could cut with a knife. While they are trading the Lovecraftian madness and holy water for what promises to be a gritty, high-octane sci-fi thrill ride, their signature adrenaline-fueled DNA is front and centre.
What We Know So Far
Details are still emerging from the wasteland, but here is what has the community buzzing:
A New Playground: Moving away from gothic horror, DIOXIDE plunges players into a dystopian, atmospheric world where survival means shooting first and asking questions never.
The Byte Barrel Pedigree: Expect the same fluid movement, devastating weaponry, and satisfying combat loops that made their previous titles indie hits.
Built for PC: The game is being built from the ground up to take full advantage of PC hardware, ensuring fast reflexes are met with buttery-smooth performance.
“The team at Byte Barrel is thrilled to finally share what we’ve been cooking up. DIOXIDE is a bold new step for us, and we can’t wait for players to see more.”
Wishlist It Now on Steam!
While DIOXIDE is currently deep in development, you don’t have to wait to show your support. The game’s official page is live right now.
Head over to Steam today to add DIOXIDE to your wishlist, stay up to date on development logs, and be the first to know when the playtests drop. Trust us, this is one countdown you won’t want to miss.
The bodycam horror phenomenon shows no signs of slowing down, and tactical FPS fans have a terrifying new destination to explore. Publisher IZilla Games (an Infernozilla company) and Serbian indie developer Raspberry Studio have officially launched their highly anticipated tactical psychological-horror shooter, A.A.U. Black Site is coming to Steam Early Access.
If you’ve been craving a blend of tactical military tension, F.E.A.R.-inspired psychological dread, and ultra-realistic found-footage aesthetics, this is a classified assignment you won’t want to skip. Better yet, the game is available right now for £12.99 / $14.99 / €14.99, alongside a limited-time 10% Early Access launch discount.
Check out the pitch-black premise and cutting-edge features waiting for you below.
A Routine Mission Turned Supernatural Nightmare
In A.A.U. Black Site, you step into the combat boots of an elite operative working for the covert A.A.U. Special Forces. Sent on a high-stakes mission deep within Serbia, things go sideways almost instantly. Intercepted, framed, and entirely cut off from headquarters, you find yourself stranded in the eerie, abandoned region of Uzovnica.
With communications dead and no allies coming to rescue you, your only silent witness is the bodycam strapped to your chest. As you navigate claustrophobic corridors and decaying ruins, the boundaries of reality begin to shatter, revealing that the hostile human forces hunting you are the least of your worries.
[The Setup]: Framed -> Intercepted -> Stranded in Uzovnica.
Your only objective? Survive the entities lurking in the dark.
Key Early Access Features
Raspberry Studio, a passionate team that began development with just a small circle of friends, has packed the Early Access launch with impressive technical depth:
Two Fully Playable Chapters: Dive straight into the terror with the first two main story missions available on day one: Chapter 1: God’s Chosen (a Demon) and Chapter 2: Guilt Trip.
An Arsenal of 20+ Weapons: From crisp pistols and rapid-fire SMGs to heavy-duty assault rifles, players have total tactical freedom. Choose to move like a ghost using stealth, or go loud when corners get too tight.
Intelligent Adaptive Horror AI: The supernatural “Anomalies” hunting you aren’t just mindless drones. Built with over 16,000 lines of behavioural code, these entities actively learn your habits, predict your positioning, and counter repetitive strategies.
Dynamic Horror Difficulty: The game features a unique adaptive difficulty system that shifts based on your performance. If you are struggling, the entities’ aggression subtly adjusts; if you’re a tactical savant, the AI scales up to keep the psychological tension at an all-time high.
Reactive Dynamic Soundtrack: Designed fully in-house, the audio leverages six evolving sound layers. The audio seamlessly shifts from quiet, hair-raising ambient tension during exploration to a punishing wall of percussion, bass, and distorted guitars when combat breaks out.
The Road Ahead
This Early Access launch is just the beginning of the nightmare. Raspberry Studio has made it clear that player feedback will heavily dictate how A.A.U. Black Site evolves over its planned one-year Early Access period.
The developer’s current post-launch roadmap includes Chapter 3: Beneath the Rotten Sky, level expansions for existing maps, full controller support, customizable key bindings, and additional localisation settings.
Lock and Load
If you are ready to test your nerve against adaptive anomalies through the lens of a gritty, hyper-immersive bodycam perspective, head over to Steam and secure your deployment.
Grab A.A.U. Black Site is on Steam Early Access, and join the official Discord community to leave your feedback directly with the development team. Remember: keep your eyes on the corners, and don’t turn off the camera.
The wait is over, soldiers. Battlefield Studios and EA have officially dropped the Season 3 Intro Cinematic, and if you were looking for a sign that Battlefield 6 is doubling down on its “all-out warfare” roots, this is it.
Titled “Warlords: Supremacy,” the new season officially launched yesterday, May 12, 2026, and the cinematic sets a grim, high-stakes tone for what’s to come. Here is everything we caught in the new footage and what it means for your next deployment.
The Narrative: PAX Warlords vs. NATO
The cinematic confirms the escalating global conflict that has been simmering since Season 2. The PAX Warlords have officially declared war on NATO, launching a coordinated global assault.
The trailer highlights a world on the brink, showing elite squads being pushed to their absolute limits across multiple fronts. We also see the return of the legendary Dagger 13, signalling that the story is moving away from minor skirmishes into a full-scale regional collapse.
The Maps: A Blast from the Past
The cinematic wasn’t just about the lore; it gave us our first stylised look at the new (and reimagined) battlezones:
Railway to Golmud: The “largest map in Battlefield 6 to date.” This is a massive reimagining of Battlefield 4’s Golmud Railway. The cinematic teases expanded airspace for dogfighting and the return of the fully operational moving train—now a central tactical objective that can be pushed toward enemy bases.
Cairo Bazaar: Arriving in Phase 2 (June 9), this is a remake of Battlefield 3’s Grand Bazaar. The footage shows tight, claustrophobic alleyways in Cairo, perfect for the “Tactical Obliteration” mode also coming this season.
New Tools of the Trade
Blink and you’ll miss them, but the cinematic prominently featured the new hardware coming to the BF6 arsenal:
M16A4: The classic burst-fire king returns.
L115: A high-calibre sniper rifle for those massive Golmud sightlines.
RPK-74M: Providing heavy suppressive fire for the Warlord squads.
Ranked Play & REDSEC Integration
One of the biggest reveals in the cinematic’s closing moments was the debut of Ranked Play. For the first time, Battlefield 6 is introducing a tiered competitive framework (Rookie to Master).
This will launch within REDSEC (the game’s Battle Royale component) for Quads. The trailer showcased the “Top 250” Master emblems, suggesting a significant push toward a more sweat-inducing competitive scene.
Season 3 Roadmap at a Glance
Phase
Title
Key Content
Phase 1
Warlords: Supremacy
Railway to Golmud, Ranked Play (REDSEC)
Phase 2
Blast Point
Cairo Bazaar, Obliteration Mode (32v32)
Phase 3
High-Value Target
Tactical Obliteration (8v8), Seasonal Finale
“The war is here. Earn your place among the Warlords.”
The Battlefield 6 Season 3 update is live now across PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Grab your kit, watch your six, and we’ll see you on the tracks of Golmud.
Are you sticking to the 64-player chaos, or are you heading straight into the new Ranked Battle Royale? Let us know in the comments!
Find out more here – https://www.ea.com/en-gb/games/battlefield
The “bodycam” sub-genre is having a serious moment in gaming, and Raspberry Studio is about to crank up the tension. The indie developer has officially confirmed that A.A.U. Black Site, its hyper-realistic psychological horror FPS, will deploy into Steam Early Access on May 21, 2026.
If you’ve been following the project since its standout showing at Steam Next Fest, you’ll know this isn’t just another tactical shooter. It’s a claustrophobic descent into madness that blurs the line between a military operation and a supernatural nightmare.
What to Expect at Launch
When the game hits Early Access on the 21st, players will have immediate access to the first two major missions:
“God’s Chosen”: Face off against a terrifying demonic presence.
“Guilt Trip”: A mission that promises to challenge your tactical grit and your sanity.
Raspberry Studio, a small but dedicated team of three friends based in Serbia, has built the game using the Unity Engine with a heavy focus on photorealistic “found-footage” aesthetics. The goal? Peak immersion. You aren’t just playing a character; you are seeing the world through the lens of a tactical bodycam, complete with lens distortion and grimy, high-fidelity environments.
The Story: Betrayal in Uzovnica
You step into the boots of an operative in the covert A.A.U. Special Forces. What starts as a routine mission in the abandoned Serbian region of Uzovnica quickly goes south. Intercepted, framed, and cut off from any support, you are left to survive in a hostile territory where reality itself begins to fracture.
“The bodycam is still recording, capturing every moment of your assignment. From the mundane… to the supernatural.”
Key Features
Tactical Depth: Over 20 weapons will be available, including assault rifles, SMGs, and pistols. You can choose to go “tactical” or “loud,” though in a psychological horror setting, caution is usually your best friend.
Psychological Horror: Inspired by classics like F.E.A.R. and modern tactical sims like Ready or Not, the game balances intense gunplay with a dark, oppressive atmosphere.
Community-Driven Development: Raspberry Studio plans to remain in Early Access for roughly a year, using player feedback to shape future chapters, weapons, and enemy types.
Is Your PC Ready?
Despite the high-end visuals, the game remains surprisingly accessible. Here’s a quick look at the specs:
Component
Minimum (25-30 FPS)
Recommended
OS
Windows 10
Windows 10/11
Processor
Intel Xeon E3 1225
Ryzen 5 1600x / i7-7700k
Memory
8 GB RAM
16 GB RAM
Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce GT 1030
RTX 3060 / RX 6600 XT
Storage
15 GB
20 GB
A.A.U. Black Site is available to wishlist on Steam right now. If you can’t wait until May 21, there is a final demo currently available for download to give you a taste of the terror awaiting you in Uzovnica.
Are you ready to see what the bodycam caught? Let us know in the comments if you’ll be dropping in on day one!
Gear up, soldiers. The wait is nearly over. DICE and Battlefield Studios have officially pulled back the curtain on Season 3, and it’s set to be a game-changer for both the core Battlefield 6 experience and the free-to-play REDSEC battle royale.
Dropping on May 12, 2026, Season 3 is leaning heavily into fan service, technical ambition, and competitive grit. Whether you’re a vehicle veteran or a tactical squad leader, here is everything coming to the battlefield next week.
The Legend Returns: Railway to Golmud
The headline act for Season 3 is the arrival of the railway to Golmud. Long-time fans will recognise the DNA of Battlefield 4’s iconic Golmud Railway, but this isn’t a mere nostalgia trip.
Massive Scale: Rebuilt from the ground up for current-gen hardware, this is officially the largest map in the franchise’s history.
The Moving Objective: The central armoured train returns, acting as a dynamic, mobile capture point that forces the frontline to shift across the vast, open plains.
True Combined Arms: Designed to solve the “empty map” criticisms of the past, Golmud balances wide-open tank corridors with dense infantry cover along the tracks and villages.
Coming Mid-Season: Cairo Bazaar
For those who prefer urban chaos, keep an eye out for Cairo Bazaar later in the season. Based on BF3’s Grand Bazaar, it’s been tightened and updated for 128-player mayhem.
REDSEC Gets Serious: Ranked Play & Solos
The free-to-play REDSEC experience is receiving its most significant update since launch. If you’ve been looking for a reason to go “pro,” this is it.
Ranked Quads: A full competitive ladder is arriving, ranging from Rookie all the way to the prestigious Elite tier. Expect skill-based matchmaking and exclusive seasonal rewards for those who can climb the ranks.
Battle Royale Solos: Finally, the “lone wolf” players have a home. A standalone Solo queue is launching, removing the need for squad-fills and focusing on pure survival skills.
Map Integration: The massive architecture of Season 3’s new locales will be integrated into the REDSEC rotation, offering new tactical vantage points for high-stakes extractions.
New Tools of the Trade
A new season means a fresh Battle Pass and an expanded arsenal. While DICE is keeping some secrets, data miners and trailers have confirmed several heavy hitters:
New Weapons: The M16A3 (Assault), PP-19 Vityaz (SMG), and the RPK-74M (LMG) are expected to join the fray.
Tactical Gadgets: Look out for the Mobile Jammer, a new Recon tool designed to mask your squad from enemy scans.
Battle Pickups: High-power equipment like Artillery Strikes and Smoke Screens will now appear as contested pickups on the map.
Technical Triumphs
With the jump in map size, DICE has confirmed significant optimisations to the engine to handle the increased VRAM load. Players can expect more stable performance during large-scale destruction events—crucial when 128 players are all vying for the same objective.
Feature
Battlefield 6 (Multiplayer)
REDSEC (Battle Royale)
New Map
Railway to Golmud
Fort Lyndon Expansion
New Mode
Tactical Conquest
Ranked Quads & Solos
Level Cap
Increased Prestige Tiers
New Elite Rank Tier
Release Date
May 12, 2026
May 12, 2026
Are you ready to dominate the rails, or will you be grinding the ranks in REDSEC Solos? Let us know your Season 3 strategy in the comments below!
Are you more excited for the return of classic maps like Golmud, or is the addition of Ranked Play the update you’ve been waiting for?
The legend of the Special Support Section is getting a serious hardware upgrade. NIS America has officially dropped the announcement trailer for The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero for the Nintendo Switch 2, and it’s looking like the definitive way to experience Lloyd Bannings’ origin story.
If you thought the original Crossbell duology was a masterpiece, wait until you see it running on Nintendo’s latest powerhouse.
Enhanced for a New Generation
While Trails from Zero has seen various releases over the years, this isn’t just another simple port. The Switch 2 version is pulling out all the stops to take advantage of the upgraded silicon. Here is what you can expect when you return to the city-state:
Visual Fidelity: Support for up to 4K resolution and enhanced HD textures.
Silky Smooth Performance: The game is targeted to run at 120 FPS, making combat and exploration more fluid than ever.
Mouse Input Support: In a surprising move, the Switch 2 version will support mouse-style controls—a huge win for managing those intricate Quartz and Orbment menus.
High-Speed Mode: Perfect for veterans who want to blaze through battles or newcomers looking to focus purely on the legendary narrative.
Why Crossbell Matters
For the uninitiated, Trails from Zero follows Lloyd Bannings as he returns to his hometown to join the Crossbell Police Department. Instead of the prestigious divisions, he’s assigned to the Special Support Section (SSS)—a ragtag group of misfits tasked with odd jobs and community service.
However, beneath the neon lights and economic prosperity of Crossbell lies a web of political corruption and criminal underworlds that will change the fate of the continent forever.
Pro Tip: Save data from Trails from Zero will carry over into the sequel, Trails to Azure, which was also announced for the platform. Importing your save unlocks unique dialogue and alternate scenes!
Release Date and Physical Collection
NIS America has confirmed that The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero will launch in Fall 2026.
For the collectors out there, you won’t have to settle for just a digital download. Each game will be available individually on the eShop, but a physical collection featuring both Zero and Azure is also on the way.
Note for Physical Hunters: Early reports suggest the physical edition may be a Game-Key Card, meaning a partial download might be required to get the full experience on your Switch 2.
Are you ready to join the SSS on the go again, or is the 4K/120 FPS boost enough to make you play this on the big screen? Let us know in the comments!
The Overwatch universe has always been more than just a tactical shooter; it’s a sprawling tapestry of lore, culture, and high-stakes drama. Recently, Blizzard took us behind the curtain of one of its most compelling narratives with a special Story Time session featuring Khaya Fraites (Narrative Designer) and the incomparable Cherise Boothe (the voice of Sojourn).
At TechMash, we’re suckers for world-building, so we tuned in to see how the short story “A Rare Power” came to life. Here’s what we learned about the intersection of performance, identity, and cybernetics.
Bringing Sojourn to the Forefront
While Sojourn (Vivian Chase) has been a staple of the Overwatch 2 roster since launch, “A Rare Power” offers a more intimate look at the woman behind the railgun.
Khaya Fraites highlighted that the goal wasn’t just to show Sojourn in combat, but to explore her internal compass. Unlike some heroes who are driven by revenge or chaos, Sojourn is defined by her sense of duty—and the physical toll that duty takes on her body.
Key Takeaways from the Discussion:
The Weight of Cybernetics: The story explores the “human” side of being highly augmented. It’s not just about cool gadgets; it’s about what is lost and gained in the process.
A Canadian Icon: Fraites and Boothe discussed the importance of Sojourn’s heritage, ensuring her Canadian roots and her identity as a Black woman were woven into her leadership style.
Narrative Synergy: The collaboration between the writing team and the voice actors is tighter than most fans realise. Boothe’s performance often influences how lines are written in future updates.
The Power of Performance: Cherise Boothe
If you’ve played Sojourn, you know that her voice commands the battlefield. During the Story Time, Cherise Boothe shared her process for finding Vivian’s voice.
“Vivian isn’t just a soldier; she’s a tactician who cares deeply. Finding that balance between the ‘Commander’ and the ‘Friend’ is where the magic happens.”
Boothe’s reading of excerpts from the story reminded us why voice acting is the heartbeat of the Overwatch franchise. She brings a grounded, stoic warmth to a character that could easily have been a “cold soldier” archetype.
Why “A Rare Power” Matters
In a landscape where live-service games often prioritise skins over stories, Blizzard’s commitment to these deep-dive narratives is refreshing. “A Rare Power” serves as a bridge, connecting the frantic gameplay of the PVP maps to the rich, emotional stakes of the Overwatch world.
Where to Watch & Read
If you missed the live stream, you can catch the VOD on the official Overwatch YouTube channel. You can also read the full short story, “A Rare Power,” for free on the Blizzard media portal.
The Breakdown:
Feature
Impact
Writing
Explores the philosophical side of hero work.
Acting
Cherise Boothe delivers a masterclass in nuance.
Lore
Vital context for Sojourn’s motivations in the current season.
Whether you’re a Top 500 Sojourn main or just a fan of great sci-fi storytelling, this collaboration is a must-watch. It’s a reminder that even in a world of robots and lasers, it’s the human element that keeps us coming back.
Are you enjoying the deeper focus on individual hero lore, or do you prefer the overarching cinematic shorts?
Find out more here – https://overwatch.blizzard.com/en-gb/
The “boomer shooter” renaissance is in full swing, and Fatbot Games—the clever minds behind the steampunk dungeon crawler Vaporum—are about to drop their biggest update yet. After a successful stint in Early Access, the studio has officially confirmed that GRAVELORD will launch into its full 1.0 version on May 21, 2026.
If you’ve been looking for a reason to pick up a magic shovel and start cracking skulls, your time has come.
Who is Queedo?
In GRAVELORD, you step into the muddy boots of Queedo, a sharp-tongued gravedigger with a grudge and a “rotten charisma” reminiscent of classic 90s anti-heroes. Armed with a spectral shovel and an arsenal of heavy-duty firearms, Queedo’s mission is simple: kick the “mortally challenged” back into their graves and avenge his father.
Expect plenty of Duke Nukem-style quips and dark fantasy humour as you tear through hordes of enemies.
What’s New in the 1.0 Release?
Fatbot Games isn’t just slapping a sticker on the box; the 1.0 update is massive. Having spent over a year refining the gameplay based on community feedback, the full launch introduces a wealth of content:
Expanded Campaign: Two brand-new episodes featuring 12 new levels.
Fresh Meat:11 new enemy types to test your reflexes.
More Firepower:3 new weapons added to your deadly collection.
Tarot Card System: Customise your build by collecting and equipping magical Tarot cards that offer powerful synergies and buffs.
Creative Freedom: The update includes the proprietary level editor, allowing the community to build and share their own maps and full episodes.
Retro Vibes, Modern Polish
Drawing heavy inspiration from icons like Doom and Quake, GRAVELORD prioritises “fun over realism.” You won’t find modern military cover mechanics here. Instead, expect:
Fast-paced movement: Dash and jump like a “complete badass.”
Abstract level design: Hand-crafted stages filled with deviously hidden secrets.
Gun Upgrades: Unlock brutal alternative fire modes to maximise the carnage.
“We’re bringing back the sassy remarks like Duke Nukem mixed with the rotten charisma of Frankenstein’s monster.” — Fatbot Games
Save the Date
Whether you’re a veteran of the 90s FPS era or a newcomer looking for high-octane action, GRAVELORD is shaping up to be a must-play this spring.
GRAVELORD 1.0 officially launches on Steam on May 21, 2026. If you can’t wait until then, the game is currently available in Early Access, and you can even check out the spin-off, Hordelord, for a quick dose of arena-style survival.
Are you ready to dig some graves? Let us know your favourite boomer shooter in the comments below!
The mid-season “Reloaded” update for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Warzone is officially here, and Activision has dropped a high-octane trailer to showcase the brand-new ways to play. From parkour challenges to high-speed chases, Season 03 Reloaded is leaning heavily into variety and nostalgia.
If you missed the trailer, here is everything you need to know about the new modes hitting your rotation.
1. Prop Hunt Royale (Warzone)
Classic Prop Hunt is getting a massive scale-up. Taking place on Rebirth Island, this 24v24 mode turns the battle royale map into the ultimate game of hide-and-seek. One team takes the form of everyday objects (vending machines, crates, or even rubber ducks), while the other team hunts them down. It’s chaotic, hilarious, and a perfect break from the sweatier Resurgence lobbies.
2. Hot Pursuit (Warzone)
A fan-favourite returns! Hot Pursuit is back, bringing high-speed vehicle combat to the forefront. Players can expect to find specialised vehicles equipped with scanners to track down enemies. The goal remains to stay alive while navigating Avalon at breakneck speeds—just watch out for those spike strips.
3. FreeRun (Black Ops 7 Multiplayer)
For those who remember the movement mastery of Black Ops 3, FreeRun is making its spiritual return. This is a time-trial obstacle course mode designed to test your dexterity. Featuring the new Ascent map, you’ll need to slide, jump, and shoot through 10 different zones. It’s all about shaving seconds off your personal best to climb the global leaderboards.
4. Heat Wave Havoc & Freeze Tag (Multiplayer)
Two new LTMs are hitting the 6v6 rotation:
Heat Wave Havoc: As you play the objective and support your team, your “Heat Level” rises. High heat grants powerful buffs like faster reloads, improved mobility, and even equipment refills on kills.
Freeze Tag: A tactical spin on TDM where you must freeze the enemy team while “thawing” out your fallen allies to keep them in the fight.
What Else is New?
The trailer also gave us glimpses of the broader Season 03 Reloaded content drop:
Totenreich (Zombies): A haunting new round-based map set in a Norwegian fishing village. Look out for the Jotunn Star melee Wonder Weapon and the terrifyingNecropincer boss.
New Maps: The iconic Summit and Hacienda return as remastered 6v6 maps, alongside the brand-new Onsen (set in a Japanese hot spring).
The RoboCop Crossover: Keep an eye out for the OCP-themed event, featuring the Siren special weapon and a RoboCop operator skin.
Final Thoughts
Season 03 Reloaded looks to be one of the most content-heavy mid-season updates in recent memory. Whether you’re a movement king in FreeRun or a tactical survivor in Totenreich, there’s a lot to sink your teeth into.
Pro Tip: Make sure to check out the new Spikes equipment in Warzone—it’s an experimental stimulant that lets you regenerate armor plates instantly after a kill.
Are you most excited to try out the new Zombies map or are you heading straight into Prop Hunt Royale? Let us know in the comments!
Find out more here – https://www.callofduty.com/uk/en
The frontier is getting a whole lot weirder today. After amassing a staggering 700,000+ wishlists and generating serious buzz during the Triple-i Initiative showcase, Far Far West officially launches into Steam Early Access today, April 29, 2026.
Developed by the talented team at Evil Raptor—the minds behind the cult-hit Pumpkin Jack and the recent action-platformer Akimbot—and published by Fireshine Games (Core Keeper, Denshattack!), this title is looking to be the next big obsession for co-op fans.
Robots, Revolvers, and Rituals
Forget everything you know about the historical Wild West. In Far Far West, you and up to three friends step into the metallic boots of bounty-hunting robots tasked with cleaning up a supernatural frontier.
The gameplay is a high-octane blend of first-person gunplay and elemental spell-casting. Imagine Helldivers 2 moving at twice the speed, swapped with a vibrant, Saturday-morning cartoon aesthetic. You aren’t just fanning a hammer; you’re dashing through the air, dropping acid puddles, and summoning lightning bolts to manage hordes of skeletal outlaws and monstrous creatures.
What to Expect in Early Access
The core loop is built for replayability and “just one more run” energy:
The Contract System: Pick up bounties from the local Sheriff and head into procedurally generated maps, including haunted mines and storm-ravaged deserts.
The Boss Gauntlet: Unlike traditional extraction shooters, every mission culminates in a unique boss fight that must be overcome before you can “get in, get paid, and get out.”
Deep Customisation: Beyond your firearms, you can level up spells and even customise your mechanical horse to better navigate the dangerous terrain.
Technical Polish: Despite being an Early Access launch from an eight-person team, early reports suggest the game is remarkably stable, boasting fast load times and steady frame rates.
“We wanted to take the DNA of the 3D platformers we love and inject it into a modern co-op shooter,” says the team at Evil Raptor. “It’s chaotic, it’s colorful, and it’s meant to be played with friends.”
The Verdict: Should You Saddle Up?
With a starting price that reflects its Early Access status, Far Far West offers a fresh, expressive take on the co-op shooter genre. While some early players have noted that the gold-based progression system can be a bit of a “grind” in these initial stages, the sheer fun of the combat and the charm of the world make it an easy recommendation for anyone looking for their next squad-based adventure.
Far Far West is available now on PC via Steam Early Access.
Are you planning on diving into the Far Far West today, or are you waiting to see how the roadmap develops over the coming months?
If you thought you’d finally conquered the wilds of Kairos, think again. Gearbox has officially confirmed that Raid Boss 2—the dual-threat encounter featuring Subjugator and Thol the Invincible—is set to arrive in Borderlands 4 on May 28.
Best of all? It’s part of the Version 1.7 update, which is completely free for all players. Here is everything you need to know about the upcoming mayhem.
Double the Trouble: Subjugator and Thol
While the first raid boss, Bloomreaper, was a solo test of endurance, Raid Boss 2 ups the ante by throwing two bosses at you simultaneously. These fearsome foes are described as the “Timekeeper’s lackeys,” and they’ll require more than just raw DPS to take down. Expect complex mechanics that will test your team’s coordination and your build’s survivability.
New Loot Tiers and Rewards
You aren’t just going into the meat grinder for the glory; the rewards for this encounter are top-tier. Gearbox has teased a suite of new gear arriving with the update:
1 New Pearlescent Weapon: The ultra-rare tier returns, offering power that eclipses even your favourite Legendaries.
4 New Legendary Items: Fresh tools for your arsenal to help shake up the meta.
5 New Class Mods: One bespoke mod for every Vault Hunter, including the recently released C4SH the Rogue.
1 New Firmware: A new endgame item type to further refine your character’s stats.
UVHM Level 7: The Ultimate Test
For those who find the current endgame a walk in the park, Version 1.7 is also introducing Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode (UVHM) Level 7. This increases the difficulty ceiling yet again, scaling enemy health and damage to punishing new heights. If you’re planning to farm Subjugator and Thol on this difficulty, you’d better have your “True Mode” settings dialled in.
How to Prepare
To access the Raid Boss 2 encounter, you must have completed the main story campaign. If you’re still working through the Whispering Glacier or catching up on the Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned DLC, now is the time to wrap those up.
Pro-Tip: Gearbox suggests hitting the current level cap and optimizing your gear before May 28, as this encounter scales to your party size but is designed to be one of the toughest challenges in the game to date.
What’s Next for Borderlands 4?
The momentum doesn’t stop in May. Following the Version 1.7 update, June is looking equally packed. We can expect:
Version 1.8 (Late June): A new free Takedown raid.
Bounty Pack 3: A new paid DLC dropping the same day as the Takedown.
Stay tuned to TechMash for the full patch notes when Version 1.7 drops on May 28. Until then, keep hunting those Vaults!
Are you ready to take on the Subjugator, or do you need a few more Legendary drops first? Let us know your favourite Vault Hunter build in the comments!
Find out more here – https://borderlands.2k.com/borderlands-4/news/raid-boss-2-coming-may-28/
If you thought the “bodycam” shooter craze had peaked, MicroProse and developer Monte Gallo are here to prove there is still plenty of room for gritty, hyper-realistic violence. The legendary publisher has officially announced that their brutal tactical FPS, Better Than Dead, is set to storm onto PC via Steam Early Access on May 12, 2026.
To mark the announcement, a visceral new trailer has been released, showcasing the game’s uncompromising aesthetic and “one-and-done” lethality.
Gritty Realism Meets Hong Kong Cinema
While titles like Bodycam and Unrecord paved the way for the perspective, Better Than Dead carves out its own identity by leaning heavily into the vibe of classic 80s and 90s Hong Kong action cinema. Think John Woo’s kinetic energy meets the raw, uncomfortable footage of a police chest-cam.
You play as a survivor on a relentless path of revenge. There’s no sprawling open world or convoluted RPG mechanics here; this is a game built on immediacy and tension.
Key Features to Expect:
Tactical Bodycam Perspective: A photorealistic, grounded visual style that makes every corner feel claustrophobic and every gunshot feel deafening.
Brutal, Decisive Combat: In Better Than Dead, encounters are short and unforgiving. Movement and reaction time are everything—hesitate for a second, and it’s game over.
Iconic Urban Settings: Fight through neon-drenched restaurants, cramped apartments, seedy nightclubs, and rain-slicked rooftops across a meticulously detailed Hong Kong.
Full Campaign at Launch: Unlike many Early Access titles that launch with a skeleton crew of content, the May 12 release features a full campaign spanning 14 handcrafted levels.
The Path to “Heaven”
MicroProse has confirmed that the game will remain in Early Access for roughly 6 to 12 months. During this time, Monte Gallo plans to refine the gunplay based on player feedback and eventually introduce a “hardcore” second mode titled To Heaven, which will include additional levels and the game’s “true” ending.
“Encounters are short, unforgiving, and decisive. Mistakes are costly. Success is earned.” — MicroProse
If you’re ready to record every second of your revenge, you can head over to the Better Than Dead Steam page right now to add it to your wishlist.
Mark your calendars for May 12—it’s time to show the world what they did to you.
What do you think of the bodycam genre? Is the Hong Kong setting enough to make this a day-one purchase for you? Let us know in the comments!
