In this week's INVEN Weekly Top Rankings, 'Palworld' and 'Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Resynced' held onto the top two spots. 'Dragon Sword: Awakening' rebounded one spot to take 3rd, while 'Professional Baseball Spirits 2026' fell two spots to 5th. 'Blind Three Kingdoms' and 'Granblue Fantasy Relink - Endless Ragnarok' also each dropped one spot to 6th and 7th, respectively.
The most notable change this week is a new entry: the first major DLC for 'Nioh 3', 'Geian Hell Change', debuted directly at 4th place. Launching on the 19th, 'Geian Hell Change' is an expansion that unfolds a new story set in a futuristic Edo period, adding new characters like Yagyu Jubei, new enemies, the 'Hoko & Shield' weapon, and high-difficulty content. The rapid rise in rankings reflects the high anticipation from players who enjoyed the base game.
In the lower rankings, 'Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2' made a new entry at 8th place, while 'Star Wars: Zero Company,' set for release on the 27th, debuted at 9th. 'Star Wars: Zero Company' is a single-player turn-based strategy game set during the final days of the Clone Wars. Players take on the role of Hawks, a former Republic officer, to assemble 'Zero Company' with mercenaries from diverse backgrounds. With its XCOM-inspired turn-based combat, unit development, and strategic choices that shift based on the mission, interest in the title is expected to grow as the release date approaches.
The most anticipated release this week is undoubtedly the 7 update for 'Genshin Impact' on the 12nd. Titled 'The Snowy Land Not Loved by God', this update kicks off the long-awaited journey to Snezhnaya and adds a wealth of new characters and story content. With major changes planned for both the main story and game systems—including the Traveler's ability to resonate with the Cryo element—all eyes are on the potential for returning players and shifts in revenue rankings.
Notable New Releases, Events, and Updates
Last week's most anticipated title, Game Freak's new action RPG 'Beast of Reincarnation', has officially launched. As a brand-new IP from the developer famous for the 'Pokémon' series, it drew significant attention, but it received mixed reviews, scoring 73 on Metacritic based on 58 critic reviews. While the combat system—combining real-time action and command-based RPG elements—and the story centered on the relationship between Emma and Ku were praised, critics pointed to issues with pacing, repetitive combat, and performance.
Game Freak has announced plans for continuous updates based on player feedback. The first update will include camera adjustments, larger text, improved story pacing, and a default graphics setting change from Cinematic to Performance mode. The developer noted that story pacing will be adjusted iteratively, making it worth watching how much these launch-day issues are improved.
'Big Walk', the new game from House House (known for 'Untitled Goose Game'), has also seen a positive reception since its release on the 4th. It is a co-op adventure game where players explore a vast island and solve puzzles with friends. Instead of following maps or clear objectives, the core fun lies in the process of talking to each other and finding the way. It has received a 'Very Positive' rating on Steam and a strong start with nearly 50k concurrent players, with particular praise for its natural co-op and exploration facilitated by proximity voice chatting.
This Week's ISSUE: Finally Heading to Snezhnaya, 'Genshin Impact' 7 Update
The most noteworthy update this week is undoubtedly 'Genshin Impact' 7, 'The Snowy Land Not Loved by God'. Arriving on the 12nd, this update begins the journey to Snezhnaya in earnest, adding massive content including new Archon Missions and characters. With the Traveler finally able to resonate with the Cryo element, significant changes are expected in both story and combat. As a major update marking a new chapter, it is expected to draw significant interest from returning players.
On the 13rd, JOYCITY's new online basketball game 'Freestyle Reboot' will officially launch. Inheriting the legacy of the original 'Freestyle' (2004), it maintains the signature 3v3 real-time matches and street basketball vibe while using a new engine to modernize graphics and character movement. It features a revamped competitive structure that reduces reliance on item stats, ensuring player skill and experience more directly impact match results.
This weekend, a festival for indie game fans also kicks off. The 'BIC Festival 2026' offline event will be held at BEXCO in Busan for three days from the 14th to the 16th. Following the online festival that began on the 7th, the venue will host exhibitions where visitors can play domestic and international indie games, business programs, the Busan Indie Wave Conference, and various stage programs.
Last Week's Metacritic Scores?
Last week, Metacritic scores were released for 'Big Walk', 'Lies of P: Complete Edition', 'Sovereign Tower', and 'Beast of Reincarnation'.
First, House House's co-op adventure 'Big Walk' scored an impressive 92 based on 19 critic reviews. Despite its simple structure of exploring an island and solving puzzles with friends, it was highly praised for turning the process of talking and finding one's way into a game itself, rather than just following a set solution. Free exploration, creative puzzles, and natural communication via proximity voice chatting were key highlights. With 95% of reviews being positive, it is shaping up to be one of the representative co-op games of the year.
'Lies of P: Complete Edition', released for Nintendo Switch 2, scored 86 based on 25 critic reviews. As a complete edition bundling the base game and the 'Prelude' expansion, the original's precise combat, weapon combination system, and Krat's unique dark world were still highly regarded. The Switch 2 port was praised for decent performance in handheld mode, though some graphical degradation and frame drops were noted. Nevertheless, with 24 out of 25 reviews being positive, it is considered the most complete entry point for new players.
'Sovereign Tower', which combines medieval fantasy with management RPG elements, also had a strong start with a score of 86. While there are only 6 reviews so far, all are positive. The management elements—recruiting and sending unique knights on quests—and the time-loop system that allows players to rewind time and try different choices were particularly well-received. While solid dialogue, characters, and branching narratives are strengths, some noted that certain systems lack impact and that repetitive play leads to seeing the same dialogue again.
Game Freak's new title 'Beast of Reincarnation' scored 73 based on 58 critic reviews. While the combat system (combining real-time action and strategic command elements), the relationship between Emma and Ku, and exploration/growth elements were praised, critic reactions were more divided than for the other titles. Repetitive enemy and boss configurations, slow story pacing, and technical issues were cited as major drawbacks.
New Game Popularity Poll
This week's poll covers games released or scheduled for release between July 10 and September 10. Consequently, games like 'Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Resynced' have been removed from the poll, and new titles like 'Onimusha: Path of the Sword' and 'NBA 2K 27' have been added.
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