In this week's INVEN Weekly Top Rankings, 'Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Rethinked,' released on July 9, maintains its #1 spot, while the sensation 'Mecha Chameleon' jumped four spots to take 2nd place. 'Sol: Enchantment' sits at 3rd, and 'DAVE THE DIVER' fell one spot from last week to 4th.
'Professional Baseball Spirits 2026,' scheduled for release this week, climbed to 6th place on pre-launch anticipation, while 'Granblue Fantasy: Relink - Endless Ragnarok' entered the rankings at 7th following the release of its new expansion. 'Blind Three Kingdoms' and 'Rhythm Heaven Miracle Stars' also made their debut.
'Ascend to Zero,' developed by KRAFTON subsidiary Flyway Games, has been selected as this week's hot new release. It is a 'time-strategy' roguelite game where players must complete missions within a 30-second time limit, featuring exhilarating action from a protagonist with the ability to freeze time. Its pre-release Metacritic score of 83 is quite respectable.
Notable New Releases, Events, and Updates
Last week saw the launch of major titles like 'Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Rethinked' and 'Granblue Fantasy: Relink - Endless Ragnarok,' while China hosted 'Bilibili World 2026,' now established as the country's largest subculture festival.
Held at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai from July 10 to 12, 'Bilibili World' showcased various new Chinese games and featured an appearance by Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, who shared his vision for the future. For updates on the new open-world title 'Silver Palace' or NC's guild-based CCG 'Mistbound,' please check the INVEN 'Bilibili World 2026' special coverage page via the link below.
Over the weekend, several mobile game update roadmaps were announced. First, Nexon's 'Dungeon&Fighter Mobile' unveiled its update milestones under the new 'DNF Mobile 2' direction and is offering gifts to all users who log in by September 17 to commemorate the showcase.
Pearl Abyss also held the '2026 Heidel Ball,' its annual event for revealing major strategic directions for 'Black Desert Mobile.' The online showcase featured significant announcements, including balance adjustments, level cap expansions, and a major cleanup of content. To celebrate the event, they provided global adventurers with in-game rewards, including 'W's Blessing,' 'Black Pearls,' 'Enhancement Restoration Tickets,' and '300x Lucky Shop Tickets.'
This Week's ISSUE: Flyway Games' 'Ascend to Zero' Debuts with Metacritic 83!
This week marks the official release of 'Ascend to Zero,' a new action roguelike from KRAFTON's Flyway Games. Set on Earth in 2,225, devastated by an alien invasion, players must travel back in time to save their comrades and prevent the world's collapse. The core gameplay involves fast-paced combat where players use time-freezing and dashing to defeat enemies within a 30-second limit, gradually progressing further into the past while combining acquired equipment and abilities.
On the 14th, Annapurna Interactive will release the puzzle adventure game 'Dytopia.' Set in a futuristic residential complex where AI perfectly manages the lives and happiness of its residents, players take on the role of a new coordinator to manage facilities and solve various problems. Unlike its comfortable, pastel-toned atmosphere, the game's main point is its philosophical narrative, which questions the meaning of human choice and existence in a perfectly engineered society.
'Alcheron,' the first title from Bonfire Studios led by former Blizzard developer Rob Pardo, begins its global CBT on the 16th. It is a team-based PVP action game where teams of three compete against 14 other teams to reach the top of a tower, utilizing a battle royale structure where the number of surviving teams is halved each floor. Instead of selecting fixed heroes, players build their loadouts by combining weapons and artifacts found on the battlefield, and can transform into powerful 'Eternals' by collecting themed equipment. This test will feature the new 'Spires' mode and the core 'Ascension' content.
On the same day, Konami's latest baseball game, 'Professional Baseball Spirits 2026,' will be released on PS5 and PC. It is the first in the series to officially support Korean and includes the latest 2026 Japanese professional baseball rosters, as well as data for rookies, free agents, and traded players.
Notably, the World Baseball Classic mode, revived after 17 years, allows players to meet national representatives like Shohei Ohtani, Lee Jung-hoo, and Aaron Judge. Key features include player movements, ball trajectories, and a sense of realism reminiscent of actual stadiums, all implemented using a next-generation engine.
Last Week's METACRITIC Scores?
Last week, Metacritic scores were released for titles including 'Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Rethinked,' 'Ascend to Zero,' 'Granblue Fantasy: Relink - Endless Ragnarok,' and 'Echoes of Aincrad.'
First, 'Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Rethinked,' a remake of the 2013 pirate adventure using modern technology, recorded a score of 84 based on 86 critic reviews. It was praised for modernizing graphics, controls, combat, and parkour systems while retaining the original's signature Caribbean exploration and naval warfare. While the improved ocean and weather effects, along with smoother sailing and combat, were well-received, some critics pointed out that it failed to fully remove repetitive side activities and certain dated game design elements.
'Ascend to Zero,' the action roguelike developed by KRAFTON's Flyway Games, had a smooth start with a score of 83. Although the score may change as more reviews are aggregated (currently only four), it is currently being praised for its unique time-based combat system, fast pace, and growth structure that encourages replayability. The tense gameplay, which requires players to defeat enemies and complete equipment combinations within a short time, and the late-game set equipment system were also highlighted as major strengths. It is evaluated as effectively adding a time-manipulation twist to the familiar conventions of existing survival-style roguelites.
'Granblue Fantasy: Relink - Endless Ragnarok' also recorded a score of 83 based on 25 critic reviews. Rather than completely changing the base game's action, it significantly expands end-game content by adding new characters, high-difficulty quests, and repetitive content utilizing random buffs. While its fast, flashy combat, extensive growth elements, and replayability were highly rated, the somewhat rigid structure carried over from the base game and the complex combat visuals that clutter the screen were still cited as drawbacks. It is considered satisfying for those who enjoyed the original 'Relink,' but not transformative enough to win over those who were not interested in the base game.
On the other hand, 'Echoes of Aincrad,' a new title utilizing the 'Sword Art Online' universe, stalled at 64 points with 33 reviews. The setting, which features an ordinary player rather than the original series' main characters participating in the Aincrad clear, and the free character customization were positively received. However, critics noted that repetitive combat, quest structures, and a monotonous growth process failed to capitalize on the game's strengths.
New Game Popularity Poll
This week's poll covers games released or scheduled for release between May 8 and July 9. Consequently, games like 'Mecha Chameleon,' 'Layer Land,' and 'Witchspire' have been removed from the voting list, while titles such as 'Marvel Fighting Souls' and 'Servant of the Lake' have been newly added.
Sort by:
Comments :0
