Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft
Release: July 9, 2026
Rating: Mature

Of the many Assassin's Creed games released over the past 18 years, few are as revered as Black Flag, a pirate-centric entry that put players in the boots of Edward Kenway. In addition to being a great Assassin's Creed story, it's a fantastic pirate game, and over a decade later, there aren't many (some might say there are none) that live up to the example Black Flag set. It's a fitting choice for the series's first true remake, and after seeing footage of the game in action, we're eager to helm the Jackdaw once more.

Resynced is a from-the-ground-up remake, meaning Ubisoft recreated all of the game's elements in its latest engine, Anvil, to make it look and feel as good as possible. Character models have been refreshed, environments have more detail, and modern lighting and environment systems (like newly realistic, dynamic weather) tie the whole thing together. That said, I'm very familiar with the original game, and I'm pleased to report that the world's fundamental structure and design seem unchanged. As far as visuals go, the game is refreshed but faithful, which is exactly what I hoped for.

The story is largely the same, though there are some additions. Edward's story and the overall plot will remain, with lines being re-recorded by returning cast members. It was the first Assassin's Creed game to de-emphasize the Assassin/Templar conflict in a major way, which benefited the story overall by focusing on Assassin-aligned pirates and outlaws to put the larger struggle in context. Resynced doubles down on this, adding three new contacts with side quests that Edward can experience, as well as adding more content around Blackbeard and Stede Bonnet. (After watching Our Flag Means Death, I'm excited to revisit both of those characters, though I expect Ubisoft's take to be less romantic.)

These side quests will tie into the improved naval combat and sailing mechanics. Each ship weapon type will now have a secondary firing option, allowing for more flexibility in open-sea battles, and some of these are unlocked by doing quests with these new contacts. One example of a reward was a double-shot option for broadside cannons, meaning the Jackdaw (Edward's ship) could fire twice in rapid succession, skipping the reload time. When you're out of combat, sea shanties sung by your crew will not only return, but Ubisoft is adding new tunes to discover. Outside these new options, however, the naval sections seem largely unchanged, which is good, as they were among the original's biggest highlights.

Melee combat in Resynced will be much different. While the animations of many of Edward's moves have been preserved, the mechanics of each fight have been overhauled from Black Flag's simpler approach. Now, there are more advanced combos, tools like the rope dart are quicker (making them easier to use in combat), and instead of simple counters, Edward can now parry with his dual swords. The developers at Ubisoft were clear, however, that this remake would not be an RPG, like more recent games. It remains a single-player, action-focused experience without skill trees or XP.

 

To that end, stealth has also been improved in one major way as well; Edward can crouch now. Earlier Assassin's Creed titles would only allow the player to crouch in designated stealth areas, like bushes or tall grass. While it might not seem like much, the ability to just crouch behind waist-high obstacles is absolutely a welcome one. Black Flag, notoriously, also had a lot of annoying eavesdropping/tailing missions. Players would have to stealthily remain within range of a conversation between two enemy characters, and being detected would force you to start over. Resynced is reducing the number of those missions present and making them more flexible. Being detected now triggers a fight, rather than an instant desynchronization.

Thanks to repeated leaks, we've known that Black Flag: Resynced has been in the works for years, but thankfully, we don't have to wait too long after its official reveal to actually play it. Ubisoft announced that the game will drop on July 9, just a few months away – a great time of year for a sunny, seafaring adventure.

In the meantime, check out the contents of the Deluxe Edition and the Collector's Edition in the images below: 

 

Annapurna Interactive is bringing five well-received games from its catalog to Switch 2. Best of all, two are available to purchase right now.

Today, you can pick up developer Simogo’s high-speed rhythm game Sayonara Wild Hearts and its acclaimed puzzle adventure Lorelei and the Laser Eyes on Switch 2 (digital only). Both games now support 120Hz and 4K resolution. Sayonara Wild Hearts also includes its Remix Arcade Mode (originally excluded from the Switch 1 version) and is being sold for $12.99; Lorelei runs for $24.99. However, if you already own the Switch versions of these games, the Switch 2 upgrade is free. 

On May 28, Stray, the 2022 adventure about a stray cat exploring a decaying world inhabited by robots, will come to Switch 2 digitally for $29.99. This version boasts upgraded visuals, an improved framerate, 4K, and supports Joy-Con 2 mouse controls.

In June, To a T and Wanderstop will make the jump. To a T, the latest game from Katamari creator Keita Takahashi about a child who lives life stuck in a T-pose, will come to Switch 2 digitally on June 11 for $19.99. Wanderstop, a narrative-focused cozy shop simulator by the creator of The Stanley Parable, is coming to Switch 2 and Switch on June 23 for $24.99.

To read more about upcoming Annapurna Interactive-published games arriving this year, subscribers can check out our in-depth preview of the narrative music adventure game Mixtape. You can also check out the debut trailer for Silent Hill: Townfall. 

Developer Rebel Wolves has announced a special livestream for its upcoming action RPG The Blood of Dawnwalker. Airing next week on April 28, the stream will reveal new details about the game, including its release date.

The “Road to Launch” livestream airs at 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET and will showcase new gameplay footage “with a particular focus on activities tied to the game’s open world,” explains game director Konrad Tomaszkiewicz in a press release. The presentation will also debut a new story trailer, feature developer insights into the game's storytelling, and share the system requirements, among other announcements. 

The Blood of Dawnwalker was first teased in 2022, and it is an open-world action RPG set in 14th-century Europe during the Black Death. Vampires terrorize the continent, and players control Coen, a warrior who becomes a vampire-esque creature called a Dawnwalker. To save his family from a powerful vampire lord, he must utilize his vampiric abilities to battle nightmarish creatures. The game also places a heavy emphasis on choice-driven gameplay, such as forming uneasy alliances with other characters. The developer, Rebel Wolves, was formed by ex-CD Projekt Red developers who previously worked on The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Cyberpunk 2077.

For more on The Blood of Dawnwalker, check out our Gamescom 2025 preview, where we learned the game is more than just “The Witcher with vampires.” 

Seven months after introducing new, more expensive tiers for Xbox Game Pass, Microsoft has announced it is cutting the price of Game Pass Ultimate for console and PC. Furthermore, new Call of Duty titles will no longer be included in the library at launch.

Xbox CEO Asha Sharma announced on X that “Game Pass Ultimate has become too expensive for too many players,” and that the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate has dropped from $29.99 a month to $22.99. PC Game Pass, previously $16.49 a month, will now cost $13.99. Sharma states the price change takes effect today, and after checking ourselves, this is indeed the case. 

“We’ll keep learning and evolving Game Pass to better match what matters to players,” Sharma says in her post.

The perks for Game Pass Ultimate will not change, as an Xbox Wire post states, “Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers will continue to have access to hundreds of games on Xbox console and PC, including current Call of Duty titles, in-game benefits, online console multiplayer, and major day one releases.”

The other side of this coin is that starting this year, Call of Duty games will no longer join Game Pass at launch. Instead, new Call of Duty games will be added to Game Pass roughly a year later, during the next holiday season. Existing Call of Duty titles will remain available on Game Pass, however.

Although the cheaper Game Pass tiers, Essential and Premium, will remain at their current prices ($9.99 and $14.99 a month, respectively), this is welcome news for Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers. Gaming has rapidly become more expensive over the past year, so it’s nice to hear something going down in price instead of the opposite for a change.

What do you think of these new Game Pass Ultimate and PC subscription prices? Let us know in the comments. 

Reviewed on: PlayStation 5
Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
Release: April 28, 2026
Rating: Mature

Lord of Hatred offers a grim, emotional, and satisfying conclusion to the Age of Hatred saga that began in Diablo IV’s original campaign. A gripping narrative paves a perfect playground to explore the newly introduced Skovos region as the expansion’s entertaining new classes: Warlock and Paladin. Tack on new endgame systems designed to simplify and further incentivize post-story activities, and Diablo IV has another strong argument to dive back into Hell.

Picking up directly after Vessel of Hatred’s cliffhanger ending, Lord of Hatred wastes no time raising the stakes, often to heart-wrenching degrees. The race to prevent Mephisto, who takes the guise of a benevolent Jesus-like leader to corrupt the hearts of Skovos’ citizens, from plunging Sanctuary into an age of hatred is a dark and captivating adventure with some fun twists, namely the return of Lilith. Delving deeper into what makes the Daughter of Hatred tick is among my favorite parts of the narrative, and a strong supporting cast of familiar friends and new allies bolsters the adventure. If this is it for Diablo IV’s story, it sticks the landing well.

Whether you’re summoning hellspawn demons to sic at foes as a Warlock or shield-bashing them and unleashing divine fury as a Paladin, both classes are entertaining additions. Regardless of the class, though, the skill trees have been expanded with new unlockable perks that deepen an ability’s capabilities, such as reducing cooldown times, unleashing more projectiles, or inflicting a status effect. I like how these new options let me further tinker with unlocked abilities and provide even more room for experimentation.

Skovos offers a beautiful new region to explore, thanks to its scenic Mediterranean-inspired main city and seaside ports that feel distinct from the rest of Sanctuary. In addition to cutting down thousands of new demonic and human threats,  you can complete a fresh batch of fun sidequests, explore new dungeons, and engage in the light but enjoyable fishing minigame. Those looking for meaningful progression, though, can equip new Talismans that allow for further specialization. Up to six of these charms can be worn (though slots must be unlocked), and range from small perks, like x-percent more healing or attack power, to multifaceted improvements, especially when matching sets are equipped. Though I can’t say I always noticed significant improvements in how my already-powerful characters performed while wearing Talismans, I like having a new factor to consider when tailoring my loadouts.

After rolling credits on Lord of Hatred’s story, War Plans provide a quick and enjoyable avenue to engage with the existing endgame content. War Plans essentially allows players to create a playlist of randomly selected activities, be it Nightmare Dungeons, Helltides, the Pit, Infernal Hordes, and more, to play one after another with no barrier to entry for increased rewards (on top of what you normally earn from the activity itself). Best of all, War Plans warp you to the queued activity, saving you from searching the large map to see where the specified activity is taking place. As a more casual player who only revisits Diablo IV when a big expansion drops, War Plans takes the hassle out of figuring out what activity to play and how to access it by spoon-feeding me this content without overwhelming me.

Additionally, War Plans add progression trees to each piece of endgame content; complete an activity enough times, and you’ll unlock modifiers that alter how that activity unfolds going forward. For example, you can change the type of rewards earned, add specific objectives, or spawn certain enemy types. Completing endgame stuff just for loot doesn’t always hold my interest for long. Adding progression meters to the activities themselves, however, is a compelling argument to keep playing just to see how many wacky stipulations I can unlock and add to them.

 

Echoing Hatred is another fun, if simple diversion that tasks players with surviving increasingly difficult and dense enemy waves for as long as possible. There’s not much to this challenge, but I’ll always enjoy slaughtering a bunch of monsters. However, Echoing Hatred is, by design, an exceedingly rare and difficult-to-access activity; I only got to play it once and only because of a press-exclusive shortcut. This is ultimately a smaller addition compared to the other new offerings, but one that still provides some fun.

Lord of Hatred accomplishes what a good expansion should. A strong story puts the likable cast through the wringer, and I was hooked to see it to its eventual conclusion. The new classes are fun, and a raised level cap (70), expanded skill trees, and more Torment Tiers (up to 12 now) provide more room for growth and replayability. War Plans provide a streamlined avenue to engaging with the already dense endgame content in a way I greatly appreciate. Lord of Hatred is an exceptional cherry on top of Diablo IV, further cementing the entire package as among the best action RPGs of the generation. 

Score: 8.5

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