On this week's Inven Weekly TOP Game Rankings, 'Onimusha: Way of the Sword' held onto the No. 1 spot for two consecutive weeks. 'The War of Genesis: The Rhapsody of Zephyr Remastered', 'Zeus: God of Pride', and 'Dynasty Warriors 2: Complete Edition Remastered' each climbed one position to take 2nd through 4th place, respectively. Meanwhile, 'Trails in the Sky the 2nd' made a strong debut, entering the upper tier at 5th place.
In the middle ranks, 'Princess Maker: Children of the Prophecy' maintained 6th place, while 'Silent Hill: Townfall' rose one spot to 7th. Conversely, 'EA SPORTS FC 27' dropped one rank to 8th. In the lower tier, 'Minecraft Dungeons 2' entered the rankings at 9th, while 'Nioh 3 - Geian Hell Incident' debuted at 10th. With three new titles entering this week's TOP 10, movement was visible across both the upper and lower halves of the list.
Last Week's Issues, New Releases, Events, and News
Last week, new titles from Korean game developers generated significant buzz as they made a strong impression at TGS. Nexon Games showcased 'Pareidolia', while NC presented 'Astrae Oratio'. Netmarble revealed 'Shangri-La Frontier: Seven Colossi' and 'Solo Leveling: Karma', along with 'Pearl in Blue' and 'Bloomwalker'—the latter set in the Ni no Kuni universe—during the Xbox Showcase. Furthermore, Smilegate exhibited 'Miraesi' and 'Dead Account: Two Blue Flames', and LoadComplete Redbrick House's 'Void Diver' was also on display to positive reception, capping off a successful TGS showing for Korean studios.
As one of the world's top three gaming expos, TGS brought a wealth of news for upcoming titles. Information poured out for games scheduled to launch between late this year and early next year, including expansion packs for Monster Hunter Wilds and Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen, Square Enix's Romancing SaGa, the new Atelier series entry Atelier Karia, Sega's Persona 4 Revival and Stranger Than Heaven, Koei Tecmo's Wo Long 2 and Attack on Titan 3, as well as a new Fate title and Melty Blood shown at the Aniplex booth.
On the domestic front, Neowiz filed a new trademark for 'Wonder of O'. Given that 'Lies of P'—a reimagining of Pinocchio—featured numerous references to Dorothy and 'The Wizard of Oz', speculation is widespread that their next project will be set in the Wizard of Oz universe. Meanwhile, XLGames announced plans to self-publish 'ArcheAge Chronicles', and Smilegate's newly launched title 'Eclipse: The Awakening' swept the top spot on both major app stores. Separately over the weekend, Krafton's PUBG tournament 'PUBG Asia Stars' stirred major controversy across online communities due to operational mishaps; Krafton acknowledged the mismanagement, issued an apology, and canceled Day 3 of the event.
What Notable New Releases, Events, and Updates Are Coming This Week?
This week features a lineup of key new releases and major content updates starting on September 24. First, 'Warframe' presents its new update, 'Narin's Ice Blade'. On the same day, 'Total War: Warhammer III' launches 'Lords of the End Times', offering plenty to catch the eye of both action and strategy game fans.
As for new releases, 'Silent Hill: Townfall' and 'Control: Resonant' will both drop on September 24. 'Silent Hill: Townfall' is a first-person horror game set on a remote Scottish island, where players trace the past using a portable CRT TV as clues. 'Control: Resonant' features Dylan, brother of previous protagonist Jesse Faden, as its main character in an action RPG that combines melee weaponry and supernatural powers across a distorted Manhattan.
On September 25, EA's flagship soccer game with a solid fanbase, 'FC 27', officially launches. Early access for Ultimate Edition buyers has been underway since September 18, with the full standard release beginning on the 25th. Additionally, starting September 24, Valorant Esports will host 'VCT Champions Shanghai', the final tournament of the 2026 season to crown the year's ultimate world champion.
In addition, news arrived from the 'Last Epoch' development team. Releasing a director's message directed at Korean players on September 21, the developers committed to continuously improving Korean localization quality starting with Season 5. Furthermore, Season 5 'Wrath of the Frost God', launching on October 1, will feature the new boss Morditas along with new skills, item faction changes, and UI improvements.
Meanwhile, HoYoverse has been holding the final test for its new title 'Petit Planet' since September 20. 'Petit Planet' is HoYoverse's first planet life simulation game, where players become the 'Stargazer' of a planet, freely terraforming, partitioning areas for different uses, and crafting a unique home of their own. Release is slated for Winter 2026.
What Were Last Week's METACRITIC Scores?
Last week saw Metacritic scores revealed for Animo, Fire Emblem: Fortunes Weave, Trails in the Sky the 2nd, Another Eden Begins, Control: Resonant, and FC 27.
First, Pawprint Studio's open-world monster-capturing RPG 'Animo' recorded a score of 78 based on 8 reviews. Praise was directed at the distinct designs of over 200 Animo, the vibrant open world, and the 'Twining' system that allows players to unify with captured Animo and leverage their skills. Reviewers noted as a strength that creature skills are integrated naturally into exploration and puzzle-solving rather than serving merely as collectibles. On the other hand, combat was pointed out as somewhat simplistic and easy, while an overly complex UI, an excessive number of systems, sluggish pacing in certain quests, and overly hand-holdy guidance were cited as drawbacks.
'Fire Emblem: Fortunes Weave' earned a score of 89 based on 70 reviews, marking one of the highest ratings in the series. Key highlights included a vast narrative structure where multiple protagonists' storylines intersect and merge, deep tactical combat, and high customizability in developing individual characters and classes.
Many reviews praised the game for expanding the series' signature strategic depth by adding varied win conditions and new battle mechanics. Conversely, a massive playtime well exceeding 100 hours, along with an abundance of side content and management elements, led to repetitive stretches, and the narrative pacing in the late game was noted as a flaw.
'Trails in the Sky the 2nd' received the highest rating of the week with a score of 91 based on 17 reviews, earning a 'MUST PLAY' badge. The game received top praise for seamlessly concluding the narrative and character arcs of Estelle and Joshua from the previous title with high polish, while modernized graphics, cutscenes, and voice acting effectively preserved the spirit of the original.
In combat, building upon the established system blending action and command battles with new mechanics like Brave Rush expanded player tactical choices, drawing positive feedback. However, having to revisit many regions from the previous title, a somewhat slow opening act, and the barrier to entry for newcomers trying to jump straight into 'the 2nd' without playing the predecessor were noted as shortcomings.
'Another Eden Begins' scored 73 based on 15 reviews. The removal of gacha and online elements from the mobile original in favor of a complete single-player JRPG format, along with its time-travel narrative and party-swapping combat system, were favorably received. On the flip side, lingering mobile design traits led to repetitive exploration and combat, while an overly easy early game difficulty and standalone character DLC were cited as drawbacks.
'Control: Resonant' got off to a solid start with a score of 84 based on 63 reviews. The surreal setting expanded into Manhattan, distinct art design, and Remedy's signature lore and presentation were listed as major strengths, alongside aerial movement and dash-based exploration. Shifting from the gunplay focus of the original to a melee-centric action RPG format was well received, though high enemy health pools and repetitive combat setups were criticized for making encounters feel monotonous. Map and navigation confusion while exploring the larger areas was also noted as a downside.
'EA SPORTS FC 27' scored 75 based on 11 reviews. Heightened emphasis on manual defending, improved attacker movement, and enhanced tactical depth earned positive mentions, while Career Mode improvements and the new 'The Grounds' content were highlighted as key additions. However, persistent issues such as player AI movement remained, and the limited scale of changes in Ultimate Team was pointed out as a letdown.
New Release Popularity Poll
This week's poll features upcoming and newly released games scheduled between August 21 and October 22. Titles past this window have been removed from the voting list, while new titles have been added.
