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 places to take 2nd. 'Soul: 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 due to pre-launch anticipation, while 'Granblue Fantasy: Relink - Endless Ragnarok' entered the rankings at 7th following its new expansion pack release. 'Blind Three Kingdoms' and 'Rhythm Heaven Miracle Stars' also made their debut.
The hot new release of the week is 'Ascend to Zero,' developed by KRAFTON subsidiary Flyway Games. 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 stop 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 Kevin Feige, head of Marvel Studios, who shared his vision for the future. For updates on the 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. 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 directions for 'Black Desert Mobile.' The online showcase featured significant announcements, including balance adjustments, level cap expansions, and a massive cleanup of content. To celebrate, they provided global adventurers with in-game rewards, including 'W's Blessing,' 'Black Pearls,' 'Enhancement Restoration Tickets,' and '300x Fortune 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,' an action roguelike from KRAFTON's Flyway Games. Set in a 2225 Earth 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-stop and dash abilities to defeat enemies within a 30-second limit, progressing further into the past by combining acquired equipment and abilities.
On the 14th, Annapurna Interactive will release the puzzle adventure game 'Dytopia.' Players take on the role of a new coordinator in a futuristic residential complex where AI perfectly manages the lives and happiness of residents, solving various facility issues. Unlike its comfortable, pastel-toned atmosphere, the game's main focus is a philosophical narrative questioning human choice and the meaning of 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 3-player teams compete against 14 others to reach the top of a tower, using a battle royale structure where the number of surviving teams is halved each floor. Instead of selecting fixed heroes, players build their loadouts with weapons and artifacts found on the battlefield, and can transform into powerful 'Eternals' by collecting themed equipment. This test features 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 and ball trajectories implemented with a next-generation engine, providing a sense of realism reminiscent of actual stadiums.
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.'
'Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Rethinked,' a remake of the 2013 pirate adventure using modern technology, scored 84 based on 86 critic reviews. It was praised for retaining the original's signature Caribbean exploration and naval combat while modernizing graphics, controls, combat, and parkour systems. 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, debuted with a solid 83. Although the score may change as more reviews are aggregated, it is currently being praised for its unique time-based combat system, fast-paced progression, 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 considered an effective addition of time manipulation to the familiar conventions of existing survival roguelites.
'Granblue Fantasy: Relink - Endless Ragnarok' also scored 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 repeatable content utilizing random buffs. The fast, flashy combat and extensive growth elements were highly rated, but the rigid structure carried over from the base game and the complex, screen-filling combat visuals were still cited as drawbacks. The consensus is that while existing 'Relink' fans will be satisfied, the changes are not enough to win over those who were not interested in the base game.
Conversely, 'Echoes of Aincrad,' a new title set in the 'Sword Art Online' universe, stalled at 64 with 33 reviews. The premise of playing as an ordinary player rather than the original series' main characters, along with the free character customization, received positive feedback. 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 'Marvel Rivals: Fighting Souls' and 'Servant of the Lake' have been newly added.
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