Gaming
Zenless Zone Zero: 2nd closed beta test announced
Finetune your equalizers
HoYoverse has announced the second closed beta test for its highly anticipated urban fantasy APRG Zenless Zone Zero. Sign-ups are now available for PC, iOS, and Android on the official website here.
The “Equalizing Test” will feature a series of changes and content updates, including the following:
- new stories
- more explorable areas
- more playable characters
- redesigned combat mechanics
- overhauled city
- new, immersive urban gameplay
Among the game’s features are a standalone IP and a mixed narrative story-telling. The latest beta will let players explore a new chapter that centers on Belobog Heavy Industries, one of the major factions in the game’s story.
The upcoming beta likewise showcases a revamped city of New Eridu compared to the previous beta. The game’s track list has also been updated with more modern, vibrant, and groovy songs.
Furthermore, players may test a newly-developed challenged mode called Hollow Zero, which not only serves as a significant setting in the story but is expected to meet the standards of veteran action game players when it comes to combat experience.
Modern civilization’s last beacon
Zenless Zone Zero’s story centers on how the game’s contemporary civilization has been destroyed by a supernatural disaster called the Hollows.
Afterwards, the city of New Eridu has risen by harnessing the technology and resources necessary to combat the Hollow disaster. The place now serves as the final beacon of modern civilization.
Players will take the role of a Proxy, which are professionals specialized in guiding people in their exploration of Hollows. Together with a group of unique companions, players must conquer unknown enemies and unravel the mysteries behind New Eridu.
Gaming
Nintendo might be working on an Ocarina of Time remake
It will reportedly launch in the second half of 2026.
What is the greatest game of all time? There’s a substantial chance that The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time will be on the board. Even beside the Switch’s critically acclaimed Breath of the Wild duology, the Nintendo 64 title is one of the most quintessential games you can ever play. That said, it’s pretty dated. But maybe, not for long.
According to Nintendo insider NatetheHate, the company is working on a rerelease of Ocarina of Time. The title is scheduled for launch within the second half of 2026.
The wording is important here. “Rerelease” can mean anything. To be fair, NatetheHate, through his latest podcast, says that it’s likely we’ll get either a like-for-like remake or a full reimagining of the essential game. However, he does not discount the possibility that it’s just an HD remaster for the new consoles. Either way, Ocarina of Time is coming back this year.
If you can’t wait, the title isn’t exactly missing from the shelves. You can play the original from the list of available games through Nintendo Switch Online. The game also got a remaster for the 3DS.
There is no shortage of Zelda-related news lately. The franchise is getting a live-action adaptation next year, which now becomes a worthy follow-up to The Super Mario Galaxy Movie coming early next month.
SEE ALSO: The Legend of Zelda film gets its first official photos
Gaming
Life is Strange: Reunion now available on consoles and PC
Max and Chloe return for an emotional finale
Bandai Namco Entertainment Asia and Square Enix have officially launched Life is Strange: Reunion, the latest entry in the narrative adventure series. Developed by Deck Nine Games, the title is now available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store. A physical PlayStation 5 edition is also available across Southeast Asia.
The launch comes with an official trailer, marking the return of one of the franchise’s most beloved storylines.
A long-awaited reunion
Set 11 years after the original events, Life is Strange: Reunion brings back Max Caulfield and Chloe Price as they reunite to solve a new timeline-spanning mystery. This time, the stakes center on a devastating inferno threatening Caledon University–Max’s workplace as a photography teacher.
Returning from a trip, Max discovers the campus engulfed in flames, with lives lost across the university. She survives only by using her Rewind ability, a power that allows her to reverse time.
The situation takes an unexpected turn with Chloe’s sudden arrival–an outcome tied to the timeline-merging events of Life is Strange: Double Exposure. Now dealing with fractured memories and an unstable sense of reality, Chloe once again finds herself relying on Max.
Dual perspectives, new gameplay dynamics
For the first time in the series, players can take control of both Max and Chloe, switching perspectives as the story unfolds.
Max’s Rewind power lets players revisit decisions, reshape conversations, and manipulate environments to solve complex, time-based puzzles. Meanwhile, Chloe brings her signature Backtalk ability, allowing her to push conversations in her favor and access situations Max cannot.
This dual-character approach expands both narrative depth and gameplay variety, offering different ways to uncover clues and influence outcomes.
A character-driven finale
Life is Strange: Reunion continues the series’ focus on grounded, emotional storytelling, with choices that carry meaningful consequences. The game builds toward a dramatic climax that aims to close out Max and Chloe’s journey.
As the final chapter in their story, Reunion positions itself as both a continuation and a conclusion–tying together years of narrative threads while delivering a new mystery shaped by time, loss, and choice.
Gaming
Nintendo will make it cheaper to buy digital games than physical
Physical releases will have the same price.
The days of lining up for a newly released game are well and truly over. Though some games still experience shortages in brick-and-mortar stores, such as the widely successful Pokémon Pokopia, gamers can get their titles digitally. Now, Nintendo is making digital releases more enticing by offering a tempting discount on the eShop.
Starting in May, Nintendo will start charging different prices for the physical and digital releases of first-party games. While physical releases will still have the same prices going forward, digital releases via the eShop will enjoy a discount.
The discount, of course, will likely depend on the title itself. Nintendo has already given the upcoming Yoshi and the Mysterious Book as the first example. The new platformer will cost US$ 70 from retailers. However, it will cost only US$ 60 on the digital eShop.
The company says that the new pricing scheme “simply reflects the different costs associated with producing and distributing each format.” With the prices of chips skyrocketing, it’s no surprise that the physical release is more expensive than the digital one.
To be more technical about it, Nintendo has started skipping a physical game card for a while now. The physical release of Pokémon Pokopia, for example, has only a game-key card or a code to download the game. In this format, physical releases are just pretty cases you can display on your shelf.
Also, digital releases do carry the added risk of getting delisted on the whims of the developers, the publishers, or Nintendo itself. It is, however, still a cheaper option, especially in a world where getting any discount is a welcome thought.
SEE ALSO: Nintendo sues the United States
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