I want to wish everybody a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2026!

For me 2025 was the year of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 which kind of came out of nowhere after a colleague noticed me about this game. Earlier this month the game has won the Game of the Year award and 8 other awards at The Game Awards. If you haven´t played the game, please give it a try.

This year was the year that 4 old Square / Enix games got a new release; SaGa Frontier 2, Dragon Quest I & II and Final Fantasy Tactics. Also a new game in the Octopath Traveler series was released: Octopath Traveler 0 (actually a console adaptation of Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent).

What will 2026 bring us? On 5 February 2026 Dragon Quest VII Reimagined, the second remake of Dragon Quest VII will be released. Also somewhere next year The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales will be released.

Hopefully Square Enix will also announce some news about the third game in the Final Fantasy VII Remake project.

What about Hell and Heaven Net in 2026? I still have limited time to update the website. If you want to support me, please let me know.

Octopath Traveler 0, which was announced earlier this year during Nintendo Direct, is now available.

In Octopath Traveler 0, players will experience a story of restoration and retribution over the divine rings in an epic saga that unfolds across the realm of Orsterra. The game features returning core elements from the series, and–for the first time in series history–players will be able to customize their own protagonist and rebuild their hometown after it has been destroyed with the new town build feature. The story builds upon that of the mobile game Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent, adding new story content where players rebuild their town, and reinterpreted story beats unfold throughout. Fans familiar with the series can enjoy the return of its iconic HD-2D art style, the ability to interact with other characters in various ways through Path Actions, and the Break and Boost battle system which can turn the tide of battle.

If you want to try the game, a demo is available with three hours of content. Progress can be transferred to the full game.

Octopath Traveler 0 is now available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC via Steam and Microsoft Store.

During the latest Nintendo Direct last week Square Enix has announced Dragon Quest VII Reimagined, a remake of the 2000 game Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past and the second remake of the game after the Nintendo 3DS version that have been released in 2013.

Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past tells the story of the Hero and his friends as they discover the Shrine of Mysteries and are swept back in time. There, they uncover the shocking truth that entire lands have been sealed away by a malevolent force. The fate of the world now rests in your hands.

Key features of Dragon Quest VII Reimagined include:

• Hand-Crafted Aesthetic - The character designs, originally crafted by world-renowned manga artist Akira Toriyama, have been reimagined into a charming 3D art style using dolls actually created in the real world. Environments and dungeons are also brought to life with a unique hand-crafted, diorama-style aesthetic that vividly illustrates the beloved world of the Dragon Quest series.
• Enhanced Story - While remaining faithful to the original story, the narrative of Dragon Quest VII Reimagined has been enhanced to provide a more streamlined story experience. Alongside the main adventure, players can enjoy optional side quests, stories and minigames.
• Thrilling Battle System - The turn-based battle system has been overhauled with significant changes to offer more dynamic and thrilling battles, including an updated vocation system that features a “Moonlighting” mechanic, allowing players to use two vocations at one, a “Let Loose” ability that can be activated when a character gets worked up, and a new "Monster Master" vocation that introduces the “Positive Reinforcement” vocational perk that summons powerful monsters to assault any enemy.
• Memorable Characters - Journey alongside characters like Keifer, the prince of Estard, and Maribel, the daughter of a mayor, as well as many other allies and enemies.
• Sprawling Exploration - Unlock, expand and explore different worlds by collecting fragments and completing tablets. The varied worlds feature bustling towns to visit, challenging dungeons to conquer, quests to partake on and so much more.
• Quality-of-Life Improvements - A host of quality-of-life improvements have been implemented in the game for a smooth experience, including a redesigned UI that will allow for easier access to information.

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined will be released on 5 February 2026 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC.

During the Nintendo Direct, that was broadcasted earlier today, Square Enix has announced Octopath Traveler 0, an HD-2D turn-based RPG featuring a standalone story set before Octopath Traveler.

In Octopath Traveler 0, players will experience a story of restoration and retribution over the divine rings in an epic saga that unfolds across the realm of Orsterra. The game features returning core elements from the series, and–for the first time in series history–players will be able to customize their own protagonist and rebuild their hometown after it has been destroyed. The story builds upon that of the mobile game Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent, adding new story content where players rebuild their town, and reinterpreted story beats unfold throughout. Fans familiar with the series can enjoy the return of its iconic HD-2D art style, the ability to interact with other characters in various ways through Path Actions, and the Break and Boost battle system which can turn the tide of battle.

Octopath Traveler 0 will be released on 4 December 2025 on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC via Steam and Microsoft Store.