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Marvel Cosmic Invasion Looks Cool And Now Has A Free Demo

by admin October 1, 2025

Marvel Cosmic Invasion may not have a release date yet, but it does have a demo. The coolest-looking Marvel game in years, and a game many of us at Kotaku are excited to play later this year, now has a small demo up on Steam letting you play the superhero brawler alone or with a few pals.

On October 1, Tribute Games and publisher Dotemu announced and released a free, playable demo for the upcoming Marvel Cosmic Invasion. The demo contains two full levels with boss fights, supports both local and online co-op, and features nine playable characters: Rocket Raccoon, Nova, Phyla-Vell, She-Hulk, Venom, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Storm, and Captain America. Here’s a new trailer for the demo:

Announced earlier this year during a Nintendo Direct, Marvel Cosmic Invasion is a side-scrolling 2D retro-inspired beat ’em up being developed by the same studio behind the extremely tubular and awesome TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge, which was also a 2D co-op brawler. Cosmic Invasion, like Tribute’s past games, is a snappy and action-packed retro throwback. I played the new demo on Steam for a few minutes and immediately had a blast smashing baddies as She-Hulk and Spider-Man. Swapping between the two, which is this game’s big gimmick, was great as it let me switch between Spider-Man’s fast and agile action during some segments and She-Hulk’s heavy hits during fights with tougher foes. I did encounter some performance dips, which wasn’t ideal, but hopefully those issues get ironed out when the game launches…eventually.

While there are nine characters in the demo, that’s not the game’s full line-up. Marvel Cosmic Invasion is set to include a large roster of 15 characters. We know 12 of the 15 characters that will be playable at launch. Three more have yet to be revealed.

Now the bad news for console players: The new Cosmic Invasion demo isn’t available on Xbox, PlayStation, or Switch. This has understandably disappointed many players online, with some jumping into the comments of the trailer above to share their frustration.

Regardless, we shouldn’t have to wait long, as Marvel Cosmic Invasion is set to arrive in 2025. Exactly when hasn’t been announced yet, but there’s not much time left in the year so if it’s not getting delayed, the game is likely weeks away from launching on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch 2, Switch, and PC.

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October 1, 2025 0 comments

Game Reviews

Cool Terminator Game Delayed Again Due To Trump’s Tariffs

by admin September 30, 2025

Terminator 2D: No Fate is an upcoming video game adaptation of the original ’90s action movie sequel that is designed to look, sound, and play like classic 2D games from that era. No Fate looks really awesome. But sadly, due to ongoing tariffs enacted by President Donald Trump, this cool-looking Terminator game has been delayed (again) from October to November.

On September 28, Terminator 2D: No Fate publisher Reef Entertainment and developer Bitmap Bureau announced that the upcoming side-scrolling action game was being delayed a second time until November 26. In a statement posted to the publisher’s official website, the company blamed the delay on “ongoing global trade and tariff changes” that caused shipping issues with components needed to produce the Day One and Collector’s Editions versions of the game. And because the studio and publisher want to ship the game to all platforms and users at the same time, No Fate’s release date was pushed back. This delay affects digital and physical copies worldwide.

“We truly appreciate your patience and understanding, and we’re sorry for this further delay,” said Reef Entertainment. “The team is working hard to make sure your wait is worth it, and we can’t wait to share Terminator 2D: No Fate with you all this November.”

This isn’t the first delay for Terminator 2D: No Fate. In July, the 2D action platformer based on James Cameron’s iconic action flick starring Arnold Schwarzenegger was delayed from its initial release date of September 5 to October 31, just in time for Halloween. But that’s not happening anymore, and you can directly blame Trump, who continues to screw around with tariffs haphazardly, causing global chaos for those trying to buy, ship, or import products or resources to the United States.

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September 30, 2025 0 comments

A photo of a book shows several iterations of the original PlayStation controller.

Game Reviews

Sony Celebrates 30 Years Of PlayStation With Cool Book

by admin September 29, 2025

PlayStation is turning 30 this year. That’s, uh, a lot of years. Well, what better way to sit around reminiscing about the past than to flip through a lovely coffee-table book chronicling the last three decades of PlayStation hardware? You’ll have to wait until spring of next year to do so, and it’ll cost you a pretty penny, but if you love the history of product and hardware development and appreciate a good photography book, Sony and publisher Read-Only Memory have something in store for you.

In a blog post celebrating the 30-year mark, Sony showed off some images of its gorgeous-looking photography book PlayStation: The First 30 Years. It comes in two hardcover editions at 400 pages each, and documents various prototype concepts of gamepads, consoles, logo design sketches, and more. The standard edition goes for $125, while a limited run of 1994 (the year the first PlayStation shipped in Japan) deluxe-edition copies encased in a foil-stamped box and featuring other goodies will also be produced.

Even if you think you’ve seen every conceivable prototype or concept for the PlayStation brand, there might still be some surprises in these pages for you yet. I mean, take a look at this thing!

Now no one can tell me that the boomerang controller concept from the PS3 was the most uncomfortable-looking idea from Sony. And speaking of that thing, I sure hope there are more photos of it in these pages.

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September 29, 2025 0 comments

Product Reviews

Save $36 on a Cool, Compact Hall Effect Keyboard

by admin September 22, 2025

Looking for a compact keyboard with a unique twist? The Keychron Q1 HE (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is currently marked down over $35 on Amazon, and comes with Hall Effect switches, a rare offering that adds a ton of functionality to your keyboard.

Photograph: Henri Robbins

Think of a keyboard switch like light switches. They have a fixed point where they activate, and all they can report is whether they’re in one of two states. Hall effect switches are more like light dimmer knobs. They know exactly where they currently are and can report that information back to the computer, which has a number of advantages over traditional keyboard switches.

For starters, you don’t have to settle for a fixed actuation point like you do on most keyboards. You can use the software to set the keys to be super sensitive, or require them to be almost all the way down, or even set keys to send different button presses depending on how hard they’re pressed. If you like to play video games, you can set keys to act like an analog joystick or trigger, letting you easily steer in racing games or walk in RPGs without picking up a controller.

The software has a lot of options, but is well thought out and easy to use, although you do need to plug it in to make changes. It’s QMK-based, but Keychron provides their own web-based launcher to make things even easier, particularly if you’re not well versed in that customization software.

It’s a premium mechanical keyboard throughout. The switches themselves are made by Gateron, and our reviewer noted that they’re exceptionally smooth, thanks to the pre-lubed rails and magnetic sensor. The gasket mount design and full aluminum body work together to provide a soft, deep, typing experience. Unless you’re already using linear switches, you might miss some of the crispness and feedback you get from a tactile or clicky mechanical switch.

While the larger Keychron Q6 HE currently sits at the top of our list of favorite mechanical keyboards, if you don’t need the num pad, you might appreciate the extra desk space you can reclaim with the Q1 HE. They’re otherwise extremely similar boards, and you’ll save $50 in the process.

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September 22, 2025 0 comments

A composite image shows a colorful dinosaur-like creature, the protagonist of Dying Light: the Beast with his back to the camera, and the protagonist of Little Witch in the Woods standing outside of a cabin.

Game Reviews

The Beast And 3 Other Cool Games We’re Into

by admin September 20, 2025

We are days away from autumn, with the fall equinox arriving on Monday, September 22.That means this is officially the last week you can get your summer gaming done! And with the friggin’ 80-degree weather we’ve got hitting us on the east coast right now, summer sure as hell is fighting to stay. Sadly, among other miseries, unseasonable weather is likely to remain part of our reality.

Anyway, if you’re looking to escape from said reality, we’re here with suggestions for some lovely games you should check out. Let’s get to it!

Ratatan

Play it on: Windows PCs (Steam Early Access, Steam Deck: “Unknown”)
Current goal: Help all my little buds flourish

Patapon was a simple but effective rhythm-based strategy RPG for the PlayStation Portable that you kind of had to be there for. Little glyph-shaped eyeballs who throw spears at monsters and recover resources from each fight get more powerful and continue their journey. What made it special was not only the neat art and clever genre mashup, but the cute, Yoshi’s World-like music you played to enact your survival tactics.

The original team behind the series was ultimately scattered to the winds and that era of handheld gaming is effectively dead. It seemed unlikely that we would ever gaze upon the likes of Patapon again. But against all odds, Hiroyuki Kotani and other veteran designers from that team returned with a Kickstarted spiritual successor called Ratatan that’s every bit as beautiful and charming. Out in Early Access on Steam this week, the roguelike rhythm brawler arrives with more ambition and deeper gameplay systems than its predecessor.

I’ve only gotten a couple hours with it so far but it feels like a fresh start rather than a warmed-over retread. The future for Ratatan feels bright. There’s already a roadmap promising three major updates throughout the rest of the year. I can’t wait for it to come to Switch. I also can’t wait to play more Ratatan this weekend. – Ethan Gach

The Last Friend

Play it on: Switch, Windows PCs (Steam Deck: “Playable”)
Current goal: Save the dogs

I know we usually try to talk about games we’re playing this weekend, but I’m playing Sonic Racing: Crossworlds, and that’s not out yet for most people. So instead of writing about what I’m playing right now, I opened up Steam, scrolled through my library, and picked a game from my past that I don’t think I’ve written about for a Kotaku Weekend Guide before. The Last Friend was a pretty special game to me when it launched in 2021. I covered it a fair bit at my last job, including doing an interview with the developers about their recreations of fans’ dogs in the game’s art style, and that article has sadly been lost to the impermanent state of the Internet. But what hasn’t been lost is Stonebot’s excellent tower defense game about a post-apocalyptic world in which the last surviving dogs help you defend your mobile home base as you save the rest of the world’s remaining doggos. If that doesn’t sound dope to you, then I don’t think we would be friends. – Kenneth Shepard

Little Witch in the Woods

Play it on: Xbox Series X/S, Windows PCs (Steam Deck: “Playable”)
Current goal: Explore!

I’ve been playing some intense games lately. Whether it’s getting my ass kicked in Silksong or facing down terrifying nightmares in a game I can’t quite talk about just yet, my nervous system is often strained.

Much as I love that kinda thing, I do enjoy taking a break from all the adrenaline. And so this weekend, I’m hoping to spend some time with a “cozy” pixel-art game adorably titled Little Witch in the Woods. It left early access a few days ago and while I’ve not had too much time with it yet, it’s definitely piqued my interest.

Like many of these “cozy games,” Little Witch in the Woods sees you wander about peaceful settings to make friends, gather resources, and craft. There are a lot of these games out there, and sometimes they can be kind of dry. But from the beginning, the playful spirit of the game’s protagonist, a young witch named Ellie, immediately got a few chuckles out of me and I just knew I had to spend some more time tagging along on her adventure. She’s a bit of a troublemaker, with a curious spirit that sees her quick to disobey orders if it means she’s treated to finding something spectacular. She’s a bit eccentric, if not obsessive, which I think pairs well with the game’s premise of gathering and documenting all sorts of wonders in this magical setting.

Also you get to play with cats! – Claire Jackson

Dying Light: The Beast

Play it on: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PCs (Steam Deck: “Verified”)
Current goal: Level up my Beast Mode!

I’ve been playing a lot of Dying Light: The Beast this week and enjoying basically every minute of it. I don’t think Techland gets enough credit as a developer, and the studio is perhaps one of the best at making big open-world games that are both fun to explore and also mechanically deep. And The Beast is no exception. In fact, this might be the studio’s best one yet.

Read More: Dying Light: The Beast Is One Of The Best Open-World Games Of 2025

Sure, going BEAST MODE is silly, but it also feels amazing to rip apart 20 zombies in a matter of seconds. I’m going to try and focus on improving my Beast Mode skills so I can become a truly unstoppable zombie-killing parkour machine.

And that wraps our picks! What are you playing this weekend?

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September 20, 2025 0 comments

NFT Gaming

Coinbase CEO Teases ‘Lots of Cool New Products’ in Next 3 Months

by admin September 15, 2025

Coinbase is entering the last quarter of 2025 with a message that avoids all the usual corporate jargon and instead delivers a straightforward reminder: time is running out, and the work needs to be finished.

CEO Brian Armstrong decided not to release a roadmap, avoid teasing new features or even hint at the direction in which the exchange might be leaning.

Crypto in fall

It is interesting to note the timing of this announcement. The crypto markets are heading into a time of the year when they often go through some major changes. Bitcoin (BTC) has already had a few wild months in 2025, from the heavy red months early in the year to a strong rebound in September, and the historical record shows that October through December often set the tone for entire cycles.

Metroid Prime 4 Gets A Cool Motorcycle Instead Of Another Delay

by admin September 12, 2025

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond finally has a release date. The sci-fi shooter arrives on December 4, more than eight years after it was first announced at E3 in the original Switch’s launch year. Also Samus has a motorcycle. What?!

The latest trailer opened with the bounty hunter tearing across the dunes of an alien planet on a Tron-like speeder. Will these be isolated parts of Metroid Prime 4 or is the sequel going more open world just like all of Nintendo’s other big franchises?

Samus is also getting new Metroid Prime 4 amiibo, including one with her on her motorcycle, on November 6, followed by a Sylux amiibo on release date.

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September 12, 2025 0 comments

Game Updates

Assassin’s Creed Shadows’ next update adds in a cool staff, Ezio’s threads, and some neat quality of life bits

by admin September 11, 2025

You want an Assassin’s Creed Shadows update? You’ve got an Assassin’s Creed Shadows update! Well, you will tomorrow, September 11th anyway, but Ubisoft did release the patch notes for the action game in any case. Here’s what you can expect for the Assassin’s Creed Shadows 1.1.1 title update! First up is the fact that the game will be ready for its first expansion, Claws of Awaji, which is due out next week, September 16th. The level cap is also being raised to 100 to account for the expansion!

For everyone who won’t be picking up the expansion, there is a new free story quest, Go With The Bo. Here you’ll join Junjiro as he sets out to meet a legendary Bo master and a new weapon that Naoe can use, the Bo staff. There’s also new hideout upgrades, including two more upgrade levels, 20 new enhancements, and three new Hideout levels. Upgrading the Nando to level two will now give you the ability to meditate and move the time forward to the next six o’clock, AM or PM.

If you upgrade the study to level four, scouts will now have the ability to reveal viewpoints and safehouses, and with upgrading the Kakurega to the same level, uncovering all viewpoints within a province reveals it completely.

There are two new gear quality tiers that you can upgrade your kit to if you’ve got your forge to level six, called mythic and artifact. “Once an item reaches a new quality, it can be further upgraded through eight additional levels to unlock its full potential,” the patch notes explain.

Ubisoft still can’t seem to let go of Ezio either, as in the Animus Hub there are some fresh rewards for a new project called Sanctuary. These include Ezio’s outfit, Ezio’s outfit but for a cat, an Ezio-themed kusarigama, and a Charm of Firenze trinket.

There are also new anomalies to be found in Awaji if you own the expansion, and cutscenes are no longer limited to 30 FPS. You’ll also find a number of other fixes and tweaks, but you can read the full patch notes to learn about those small details.

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September 11, 2025 0 comments

Midair neon jetpack combat between a robot and an android lady

Product Reviews

If you saw Ruiner and thought it would be cool in first-person, its developer is back with, you guessed it, an FPS

by admin September 10, 2025

There’s one round little chubster robot with an exposed core, so I yank it out of his chest and he drops immediately. I could throw it like a grenade, but instead I absorb it to earn a brief superpunch power-up that I use to launch myself at one of the heavier-armored robots, bashing the metal plates right off him. While I’m up close and he’s staggered I switch to shotgun to finish him off, then jetpack away. There’s a bunch more robot enemies in this arena, and I saw some ammo up on the wallrun I could reach while I wait for the core-yanking ability to come back online.

This is a fairly typical five seconds of Metal Eden, a superspeed neon FPS where you’re a parkour android with a big bag of tools for movement and for destruction. There’s a grappling hook and double-jump, a freezy grenade, and a morph ball mode right out of Super Metroid that lets you roll around flinging homing missiles and lightning.

(Image credit: Deep Silver)

Staggering enemies with a punch before finishing them off guarantees they’ll drop health, while throwing a core at them ensures they’ll drop ammo. If you were detecting a hint of the Bethesda Dooms about Metal Eden you’re spot on. There’s also a fair chunk of Ruiner, developer Reikon’s previous adrenaline-pumper. But where that had a birdseye view and cyberpunk flair, Metal Eden is a sci-fi movement shooter about rescuing digitized colonists who’ve been imprisoned for extremely nebulous reasons by a coalition of drones and robots who are even less human than the Bubblegum Crisis cosplayer who is Metal Eden’s android protagonist.

What it really reminds me of is Necromunda: Hired Gun, an under-rated movement-shooter that drowned you in abilities like wallrunning and grapple-hooking and slow-mo, which made for frenetic action when you remembered to use them all but could also be a bit overwhelming if you didn’t play for a few days and then tried to remember what the controls were.

The story is likewise overwhelming, with a bitter computer named Nexus as the main narrator and a lot of stylish but wilfully confusing flashbacks. It’s a little like Ruiner that way, only where Ruiner made sense in the end, when I hit the credits six or seven hours into Metal Eden I was even more confused than when I started.

(Image credit: Deep Silver)

Which wouldn’t be as much of a problem if there weren’t so much story, constantly being monologued at you mid-level when you’d rather be shooting dudes. Metal Eden paces out its mostly linear levels with zipline rides past futuristic tower blocks while Nexus drones on, and occasionally some actual drones appear to shoot at you in case you’re getting bored. While I was playing Metal Eden the first time I couldn’t help but think how dull those segments would be on the replay, and the same with the lingering introductions of each new gun and blank-faced robotic enemy.

And while they are annoying on my second time through these levels, I’m surprised to find an even bigger annoyance. There’s no New Game+ mode for finally cutting loose with all the unlockable abilities, weapons, and upgrades. Instead, when you select a level from the post-game menu you load in with whatever minimal loadout you had the first time, back to square one. In a genre I’d expect to be all about the replay—the speedrun, the showboat second playthrough where you get to demonstrate all the skills you developed the first time—Metal Eden instead feels like a game that wants you to put it down and move on the second you roll credits. Which makes the $40 price a bit harder to swallow.

If they patch in a New Game+ mode though, Metal Eden will be an easier recommendation for adrenaline junkies who get off on wallrunning around arenas shooting plasma at giant spiderbots.

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September 10, 2025 0 comments

Game Updates

The Switch Nintendo Classics app just got a cool, hidden Game Boy Advance Easter Egg

by admin September 7, 2025

Nintendo recently released an update for Switch Online, which among other little tweaks adds a nice, nostalgia infused Easter egg to the Game Boy Advance app.

This Easter egg can be found by twiddling with the analogue stick while booting up the Game Boy Advance app. If you do this, you will be met with the classic GBA bootup sequence.

You can see how the Easter egg looks via the video I took this morning.

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To compare, this is how the app booted up when I left the analogue stick alone.

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This is not the first time Nintendo has added a nostalgic start up on its Switch Online Classic apps. Back in June, it also added the iconic GameCube startup screen to the Switch.

For more on the service, you can check out our handy guide to all of the games currently available on Nintendo Switch Online here.

This is a news-in-brief story. This is part of our vision to bring you all the big news as part of a daily live report.

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September 7, 2025 0 comments