Gamescom 2026 has wrapped, and the Game Informer editorial team has spent the past week navigating a packed schedule of appointments and hands-on demos. This roundup details some of the most compelling titles showcased, ranging from major expansions to intriguing indie projects.
A Mix of Familiar and Fresh Experiences
Among the standout titles was Control Resonant, the latest from Remedy Entertainment. While this preview was hands-off, the glimpses of its new melee-focused combat and RPG elements, set in a mold-infested Manhattan, showed a significant departure for the studio. The gameplay demonstrated featured Dylan Faden navigating a park area, fighting mold-based enemies, and utilizing abilities like gravity shifting and a transforming weapon that deals significant Falter damage, a stagger meter that can lead to executions. Remedy confirmed that while the first and final bosses are fixed, other 'Resonants' can be tackled in any order. The game is set to launch digitally on September 24 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, with a physical release in October and a Mac version to follow.
CD Projekt Red is returning to Geralt's story with The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Songs of the Past. This new DLC sends the White Wolf to Dandelion's hometown to investigate a disappearance following a family death. The preview highlighted the series' signature strengths: rewarding investigation, Geralt's stoic nature, and a sprawling fantasy world. The DLC will also benefit from quality-of-life improvements from the upcoming Remastered Edition, including updated combat and a new chain weapon.
Mega Man: Dual Override, seemingly the next installment in the classic series, showed promise with gameplay that felt like a natural evolution from Mega Man 11. A key new mechanic is Dual Override mode, which activates at low health, providing a temporary boost in firepower after a skippable cutscene. While not a radical shift, it offers a thematic 'last chance' in challenging encounters.
Cosmo Tales, from Bohemia Interactive, offers a children-friendly roguelite shooter experience inspired by 1980s retrofuturism. Players pilot Skoda-car-inspired ships through colorful arenas, battling robots with a variety of weapons. The game is designed to be accessible for younger players but offers deeper progression through earned XP and ship upgrades. It launches in Early Access on PC on September 3, with console versions planned for a later 1.0 release.
Horror and Intrigue on Display
Agni: Village of Calamity presents a survival horror experience rooted in Indonesian folklore and films. Developed by Indonesian studio Separuh Interactive, the game follows Agni searching for a missing friend in a remote village, encountering strange creatures and a persistent stalker. The unique setting offers a fresh perspective on the genre.
Hellraiser: Revival surprised with its first-person shooter take on the iconic horror franchise. Set in a decrepit apartment filled with cult activity, the game blends survival horror elements with gunplay. A notable mechanic involves using LeMarchand's Box to throw environmental objects like knives and fire at enemies. The demo also featured a P.T.-inspired puzzle sequence. The game is slated for an October 8 release and is expected to offer a 10-to-12-hour horror adventure.
When Sirens Fall Silent, from Martha Is Dead developer LKA, is a psychological thriller set in 1990s Italy. Players control a rookie cop investigating disturbing murders on the outskirts of Rome. The demo impressed with its authentic depiction of Italy and its retro survival-horror puzzle-solving style, appealing to fans of horror, the 1990s, and folklore.
Kumarn: The Wandering Spirit draws inspiration from Thai horror for its Little Nightmares-style adventure platformer. Players guide a young child spirit through a terrifying, ancient land, accompanied by a distinctive zebra companion. The game's unique setting and creature design are its key draws.
Action and Strategy Showcase
Crimson Moon is an indie Soulslike from ProbablyMonsters, focusing on a more compact, replayable experience with co-op in mind, priced at $19.99. Its combat mechanics are familiar to the genre, but its "heavy metal" fantasy art style offers a departure from typical gothic aesthetics. Loot is not shared in co-op, and the game is structured around linear missions.
Nekome: Nazi Hunter offers a Grindhouse-inspired action experience focused on brutally dispatching Nazis. The gameplay emphasizes visceral combat and a revenge narrative centered on the protagonist, Vano Nastasu. While currently in a pre-beta stage and showing some jankiness, the game's unashamedly violent approach to its subject matter is its core appeal, with a planned release early next year.
Showa American Story is an action RPG set in an alternate 1980s America colonized by Japan. Combat is described as reminiscent of the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series, with a high degree of comedic intensity. The game heavily draws inspiration from Quentin Tarantino's films, featuring a range of brutal and hilarious combat options, including impaling enemies with an American flag.
Stranger Than Heaven, from RGG Studio, is an ambitious century-spanning action-brawler. Its core mechanic involves controlling the character's limbs independently for punches, kicks, and blocks, adding a rhythmic, fighting-game-like layer to street brawling. The game demands precise blocking based on opponent attack directions and is set to launch in January.
Total War: Warhammer 40,000 brings Creative Assembly's signature grand strategy scale to the grimdark future. The demo showcased large-scale battles with Space Marines facing overwhelming Ork hordes. The inclusion of advanced weaponry like bolters and tanks, alongside strategic deployment from orbital vessels, highlights the tactical depth expected in this galactic-level entry.
Unique Mechanics and World-Building
About Fishing by The Water Museum offers a relaxing fishing simulation with lo-fi PS2-era graphics and refined controls. The game emphasizes the tension of the angler's struggle with their catch and encourages creative use of the environment, like snagging lines on rocks. Narrative teases suggest a compelling story alongside its gameplay.
Locator: The Search for Abigail Lidari blends the deductive reasoning of Return of the Obra Dinn with the exploration of GeoGuessr. Players track a lost space explorer by examining photos and journal entries, using pins to plot locations on a topographical map and unraveling a sci-fi mystery.
Murals is a new action game from Dlala Studios, inspired by classic fairy tales. This preview focused on a Little Mermaid-themed segment, showcasing charming British humor, a painterly art style, and a grand orchestral score. Combat appears experimental, with elements akin to Hades, but incorporates environmental hazards and intentional blocking to differentiate encounters.
No Law, the cyberpunk FPS from Neon Giant, offers a flexible experience that can be played as a straightforward shooter or a detailed immersive sim. Set in the Mediterranean-inspired city of Port Desire, the game features dynamic weather, NPC routines, and a day-night cycle that impact gameplay. Its immersive sim elements allow for deep player agency, such as permanently closing shops by killing their owners or using environmental objects to overcome obstacles.
Persona 4 Revival brings the beloved RPG to modern platforms with upgraded visuals that align with Persona 3 Reload and Persona 5 Royal. The remake maintains the original game's charm and engaging turn-based combat while showcasing the distinct rural setting of Inaba. It provides a perfect opportunity for newcomers or returning fans to experience the story ahead of Persona 4 IV's upcoming release.