Top Audiences Last Week + Grab... Foretales free for a limited time!

Another week off to a pretty good start, but man (man man). Barbers, please... listen. Don't get so wrapped up in your conversations to where you endanger someone's hairline. (Momma no!) I'm so happy that I saw the guard come off by mistake while this guy was running his mouth about Lebron going to Philly. He was about to move my hairline to Philly! (OMG) I went and grabbed some ice cream to cool my nerves. Anyway, more content on content is headed your way, but first the top 10. Australia was not playing around this week, and Vietnam is on the rise!

 🏆This Week’s Top 6 Articles 

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced - Are You Ready to Set Sail Again?

Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains - The Force Has Entered... Game Night!

Top Audiences Last Week + Grab... Echo Generation: Midnight Edition free for a limited time!

007 First Light Proves IO Interactive Was Always the Right Studio for James Bond!

FTS: Conqueror's Blade: Three Kingdoms, an immersive action-strategy epic, set to launch July 24th

Eyeing the... Tech: Google Pixel 10a

 🌍 Top 10... Let's Go! 

Boruto: Naruto Next Generations

1. US USA

2. GB United Kingdom


3. JP Japan

4. DE Germany

5. CA Canada

6. CH China

7. SG Singapore

8. FR France

9. TH Thailand

10. HK Hong Kong

Australia, Philippines, and Ireland... came close!

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The heat is on... so get your Drink on!

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TankHead Owners Get TankRat Free — And That's Exactly How You Reward Early Supporters + Dev Update

One of our biggest questions surrounding the future of TankHead was answered by the Alpha Channel team after TankRat was presented. Was it a new installment or what? That was a real question. Turns out its an upgrade to the... main event!

If you already own TankHead on the Epic Games Store, you will receive the upcoming TankRat update completely free when it launches. Here's a dose of gameplay from the earlier days of TankHead:

According to the development team:

"TankHead is evolving into TankRat. As a thank you to early supporters, all existing owners of the current version of TankHead on the Epic Games Store will receive the full TankRat update as a free upgrade when it launches."

That's a win. Plain, simple and fair. This says to early adopters that you won't be left behind.

In an era where gamers are often asked to buy a "Definitive Edition," "Enhanced Edition," or "Remastered Edition" of a game they already own, it's refreshing to see a developer reward players who believed in the project from the beginning.

 So What Is TankRat? 

Rather than being treated as a separate purchase, TankRat represents the next evolution of TankHead.

The project appears to be taking everything the developers have learned from the original game and pushing the concept much further. While TankHead introduced players to its unique blend of vehicle-based action and exploration, TankRat looks poised to expand the experience with significant improvements and new content.

From what has been shown so far, the shift isn't simply a name change. The game is evolving into something larger and more ambitious. That's exciting and your wallet can remained closed! In other words, if you buy TankHead to get a feel for the game ahead of the TankRat's release, the only difference is you'll have experience in the field ahead of what's to come.

 Rewarding Supporters 

Developers often talk about supporting their players. This is one of those moments where actions speak louder than marketing. Instead of splitting the audience between two products, the team is bringing current owners along for the ride... it's a great way to increase the player base too.

So developer, keep these things in mind. They don't go unnoticed. Speaking of devs, here's the most recent dev update to... TankRat, enjoy!

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Yerba Buena Review – Portal Energy Meets a Mind-Bending 1970s Sci-Fi Adventure

I didn't know what to expect when it came to Yerba Buena. When I first stepped in, I got strong vibes of The Walking Dead. The presentation, character interactions, and overall atmosphere carried that familiar narrative-driven feel.

Then it hit a sharp corner.

What started as something that felt grounded and story-focused suddenly transformed into a surprisingly clever sci-fi puzzle platforming adventure that pulled me deep into its 1970s-inspired version of San Francisco. The game follows Barb, a woman living as an NPC inside an abandoned game world, where a mysterious glitch threatens the city and forces her into a role she was never meant to play.

Even the carjacking sequence caught me completely off guard.

Okay, okay — before we continue, let's dive into some gameplay.

 The Oscillator Changes Everything 

This San Francisco adventure takes movement and turns it into Barb's greatest weapon: the Oscillator.

And no, it's not a weapon in the traditional sense.

The Oscillator allows players to copy and paste the physical traits and movement properties of objects throughout the world. Want a concrete platform to bounce like a trampoline? Done. Need a building to move like a passing vehicle? You can do that too. The mechanic becomes the foundation for nearly everything you do throughout the game.

Literally allowing us to copy and paste our way through the story, the Oscillator becomes the key to navigating dangerous situations as well as solving puzzles.

You may be thinking, "Aren't those the same thing?"

I'd say no.

If anything, they overlap.

One is strategy. The other is puzzle-solving.

Trust me, I had to think about it myself.

But I digress.

(Even I'm doing it again...)

Let me break out of this loop and talk about the game's actual loop.

 Failure Isn't Always Failure 

Another thing I wasn't expecting after that carjacking sequence is how the game handles certain story events.

If something happens to Bear, you'll find yourself getting zapped back before the incident, giving you another opportunity to approach the situation differently. Sometimes the world changes just enough to reveal a solution you may have missed the first time around.

It creates a fascinating blend of experimentation and discovery, encouraging players to rethink their approach rather than simply punishing mistakes.

That design philosophy works especially well because Yerba Buena is already built around manipulating reality and breaking the rules of its own world. The game constantly asks players to look at situations from a different angle, and its rewind-style moments reinforce that mindset.

 Portal Fans Should Pay Attention 

The fun factor is absolutely flowing through Yerba Buena.

And honestly?

Fans of Portal may find themselves feeling like this is almost a second coming of that formula.

Not because it's a clone.

Not because it's trying to imitate Valve's classic.

But because it captures that same feeling of learning a unique mechanic, mastering it, and then discovering increasingly creative ways to bend the game's rules to your advantage.

The Oscillator's copy-and-paste system gives the game an identity all its own, while the 1970s San Francisco setting, quirky characters, and underlying mystery provide a compelling backdrop for the adventure. Barb's journey from background NPC to central hero creates a premise that feels fresh in a genre where originality can sometimes be hard to find.

Yerba Buena surprised me.

What began as a game that felt like it was heading down one road quickly swerved into a clever, inventive sci-fi adventure packed with personality, creativity, and genuinely satisfying puzzle design.

Whether you're a casual player looking for something different or a hardcore puzzle fan chasing that Portal-style spark, there's a lot here to enjoy.

Don't sleep on this indie gem.

At $24.99, Yerba Buena delivers a compelling blend of mystery and science fiction that makes it an easy recommendation on Steam, PS5, and Xbox.

 + Blu 

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Akatori Didn’t Come Outta Nowhere… But It Sure Felt Like It!

 

I did kinda see Akatori coming… but at the same time, I didn't. It still hit me like it popped outta nowhere. Let me explain while you scratch your head in confusion.

So I was digging through our treasure trove of games this week (right), just scrolling, minding my business—and then boom—“Akatori: Chapter One.” I had to do a double take like, “Wait… how did I miss this?” And I’m not even gonna lie… once I clicked it to check it out, I liked what I saw and had to present it to... you.

That experience (which I haven't finished yet) had that “oh this might be something serious... in a good way” energy. And sure enough—next thing you know while seeing if there was more to the franchise (possibly a chapter two), I see... the full Akatori game is lined up for a 2026 release!

While you might not have access to Akatori: Chapter One, here’s some gameplay to give you a taste of the metroidvania action:

This gameplay is from April 2024’s Chapter One, so you should be able to expect the full release to be more polished, more expanded, and just overall leveled up.

But hey, if it ends up not being too far off from what we’re seeing here… I wouldn’t even be mad, because this is already a GOOD time. So they can add to it, but if it ain't broke don't fix it.

 What Kind of Game Is Akatori? 

Akatori is a metroidvania-style action-adventure, meaning:

• You’re exploring a large, interconnected world
• Unlocking abilities that open new paths
• Backtracking—but in a way that actually feels rewarding

This game is built on movement and flow.

You play as Mako, a staff-wielding monk, and that staff?
It’s not just for combat—it's a platform helping you reach new heights, and more.

We’re talking:

• Air dashes and glides
• Wall interactions and fast traversal
• Combat that blends directly into movement
  
  

 The Look & Feel 

That 2.5D mix of pixel characters and 3D environments is clean.

• Bright, colorful environments
• Smooth animations that match the speed of gameplay
• A world that feels alive without being cluttered

This is one of those games where you can move fast… but still catch yourself thinking:
“Hold up… this is fire.” I would've loved playing this on the Nintendo 3DS, but... this experience is still saluted on the PC. I'm sure it will also be a Deck compatible title as well.

 From Code Wakers to Contrast Games — Passing the Baton 

Akatori was originally developed by Code Wakers and published by HypeTrain Digital—but somewhere along the way, the baton got passed to the indie devs over at Contrast Games.

And honestly?

That kind of transition can go either way…

But from what I’ve seen so far... it looks like the vision is still intact—and possibly even stronger.

So now I’m locked in to see how this version of Akatori really plays out.

Here’s where I land on it so far (after digging in further):

This is one of those games that didn’t start loud…
but is slowly building into something you don’t want to ignore if you're a metroidvania adventure lover!

• Strong metroidvania foundation 
• Fast, fluid gameplay 
• Clean art direction 
• Years in development with clear evolution 

So while we wait on that official release (listed as 2026)... go ahead and grab the new demo. If this demo leaves you wanting more, add it to your wishlist, and stay ready.

We might be looking at one of those sleeper hits and I'd hate for you to sleep on it if you want to support the team and the franchise.

 + Sophi 

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