STACK #262 August 2026

GAMING PREVIEWS

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WHAT’S OUT THIS MONTH? No matter what style of game is your vibe, there’s sure to be something to get excited about amongst these fresh new releases heading to JB this month. Words Amy Flower

EDITOR’S PICK

BEAST OF REINCARNATION RELEASE DATE: Aug 4 GENRE: Action RPG FORMAT: MULTIPLAYER: Yes

RESONANCE: A PLAGUE TALE LEGACY RELEASE DATE: Aug 27 GENRE: Action adventure FORMAT: MULTIPLAYER: No Set 15 years before the 2022 sequel

Developers Game Freak are spreading their Pokémon wings with this wholly new action RPG that sees Emma, an outcast, and Koo, her blighted canine companion, trek across a post-apocalyptic Japan. Their bond deepens as they face loneliness, shifting forests, and brutal foes, soon becoming humanity’s final hope as you customise their skills, gear, and spirit stones to shape your combat style.

Requiem , step into the shoes of Sophia, a fierce young plunderer who’s determined to uncover her past, all while surviving the deadly mysteries of Minotaur’s Island. You’ll navigate deadly trials and trails, and solve puzzles, all while evading a relentless army that’s stalking your every move as you search for truth. This physical edition adds the Heritage Pack DLC plus an in-game digital artbook.

MARVEL TŌKON: FIGHTING SOULS RELEASE DATE: Aug 7 GENRE: Fighting FORMAT: MULTIPLAYER: Yes If you love your 2D fighting games, then you’ll likely have played something in the Guilty Gear series, or perhaps even one of the Blazblue games. These all came from now legendary Japanese developers Arc System Works. Now they’ve turned their extensive skills to a collaboration with Marvel, bringing 20 of the esteemed comic company’s characters into this brand-new brawler. Its roster features a clever mix of Marvel characters that runs the gamut from household names like Spider Man and Hulk through to deeper cuts such as Magik and Peni Parker. The story tying the biffo together involves the Champion of the Universe choosing Earth as his next target. It’s up to our Marvel heroes to defeat him and stop Earth from being destroyed. No pressure! What’s new and exciting is that teams of four fight other teams of four, offering numerous combinations of combos and strategies. With exciting anime art and the promise of more characters joining the roster, whether you’re a fight fan or a Marvel aficionado, you’ll want to get right onto this one.

HELL LET LOOSE: VIETNAM RELEASE DATE: Aug 13 GENRE: Shooter FORMAT: MULTIPLAYER: Yes Get ready to be immersed in the Vietnam War’s fiercest battles through dense

STAR WARS ZERO COMPANY RELEASE DATE: Aug 27 GENRE: Turn-based tactics FORMAT: MULTIPLAYER: No Crafted by a team that includes former

jungles, winding rivers, and towering gorges in epic 50-vs-50 warfare. Fighting as the US Armed Forces or North Vietnamese Army, choose from any of 19 roles, mastering authentic weapons, and vehicles such as helicopters and patrol boats. Six large-scale maps and multiple game modes demand coordination and tactics to conquer.

XCOM developers, command Hawks and his elite Zero Company in a gritty single-player turn-based tactics experience set at the end of the Clone Wars. You’ll recruit a diverse squad and forge battlefield bonds, making life-or-death decisions that shape each mission as you build your base, deploy informants across the galaxy, and leverage intel to stay ahead of a rising threat.

MORTAL SHELL II RELEASE DATE: Aug 20 GENRE: Action RPG FORMAT: MULTIPLAYER: No

ELDEN RING: TARNISHED EDITION RELEASE DATE: Aug 28 GENRE: Action RPG FORMAT: MULTIPLAYER: Yes Elden Ring ventures onto Switch 2, taking

Arise as the Harbinger and cleanse a devastated world in this faster,

streamlined standalone evolution of the original. Possess fallen warriors, wield their strengths, and evolve your own combat style as you explore a challenging interconnected open world featuring 60-plus dungeons. You’ll hunt grotesque guardians, reclaiming the Undermether’s stolen eggs and overthrowing false gods to claim what’s rightfully yours.

us through the Lands Between, a fantasy world concocted by Dark Souls creator Hidetaka Miyazaki and George R.R. Martin, the best selling author responsible for TV’s Game of Thrones . This release delivers expansive landscapes and complex dungeons to explore, with a vast selection of weapons, magical abilities, and skills to be unearthed, and includes the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion.

METAL GEAR SOLID: MASTER COLLECTION VOL. 2 RELEASE DATE: Aug 27 GENRE: Action adventure FORMAT: MULTIPLAYER: Yes Strap yourself in for more legendary

MOONLIGHT PEAKS: NINTENDO SWITCH 2 EDITION RELEASE DATE: Aug 28 GENRE: Life simulation FORMAT: MULTIPLAYER: No You’re Dracula’s rebellious heir, aiming to

Coming in SEPTEMBER Metal Gear action with the arrival of Guns of the Patriots and Peace Walker on modern consoles. With updated controls, user experience improvements, and preserved co-op and versus modes, there’s plenty to love while revisiting two seriously solid classics. The Day One Edition adds 2000’s handheld debut Ghost Babel , plus a new digital soundtrack and exclusive in-game items.

escape your father’s legacy – and castle - to build a kinder afterlife in a supernatural town that’s bulging with witches, werewolves, mermaids, and other supernatural creatures. As you restore your haunted homestead, grow magical crops, wield ancient powers, and form relationships – including romance - you’ll uncover the secrets of seven mystical families. Yes, even vampires can choose compassion!

MARVEL’S WOLVERINE (Sep 15) THE BLOOD OF DAWNWALKER (Sep 3) FIRE EMBLEM: FORTUNE’S WEAVE (Sep 17)

Answers: 1. X-Men: Children of the Atom 2. Pokémon 3. World War II 4. 140.15 5. A Plague Tale: Innocence 6. Knights of the Old Republic 7. George R.R. Martin 8. Dracula

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30 AUGUST 2026

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