On this week's Inven Weekly TOP Game Rankings, 'Onimusha: Way of the Sword' held onto 1st place. 'The War of Genesis Side Story: Rhapsody of Zephyr Remaster' also maintained 2nd place, while 'Dynasty Warriors 2: Complete Edition Remaster' climbed one spot to 3rd. Meanwhile, 'Zeus: God of Arrogance' dropped one place to 4th, and 'Trails in the Sky The 2nd' held onto 5th, leaving the upper ranks largely unchanged.
In the mid-ranks, 'EA SPORTS FC 27' showed notable momentum. Climbing two spots from the previous week to sit at 6th, it posted the largest rise within the TOP 10. As a result, 'Princess Maker: Children of Prophecy' fell one spot to 7th, while 'Silent Hill: Townfall' also dropped one spot to 8th.
Shifts occurred in the lower ranks. 'Hearthstone - Reign of the Black Empire' entered the chart anew in 9th place, while 'Minecraft Dungeons 2' fell one spot to 10th to hold onto the TOP 10. Overall, with limited movement in the top five, the lower ranks from 6th down saw noticeable reshuffling as 'EA SPORTS FC 27' jumped two places and a new title debuted in 9th.
Issues, New Releases, Events, and News from Last Week
Last week, as the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games got fully under way, news of medals won by South Korea's national esports team followed. First, player Kim Young-chan, competing in 'Gran Turismo 7', won a bronze medal to secure South Korea's first esports medal of the tournament. Next, in fighting games played across Street Fighter 6, KOF XV, and Tekken 8, players Yeon Je-gil, Lee Kwang-no, and Bae Jae-min—with an average age of 41.7—defeated Japan 5–2 in the final to take home the gold medal. The 'Pokémon UNITE' national team also reached the podium, claiming a bronze medal after losing to Japan in the semifinals.
Details on new projects also emerged one after another. KRAFTON trademarked 'Windless: The First King' for its open-world action RPG in development based on author Lee Yeong-do's novel 'The Bird That Drinks Tears.' With a subtitle appearing for the first time since it was known as 'Project Windless,' interest grew in the possibility that the game relates to the original novel's 'Hero King.' Red Zinko Games opened a Steam page for 'Project: Azalea,' an RTS positioned as a spiritual successor to 'Imjinrok.' Centered on three factions—Joseon, Ming, and Japan—the title supports battles for up to 8 players and a total of 30 single-player stages.
A new title from Director Takafumi Noma, who led 'Unicorn Overlord,' was also revealed. Action RPG 'Dawngazer,' under development at newly established Ignisphere Studio, unveiled part of its visuals and world setting for the first time via a teaser video. 'Dawngazer' is being prepared as the debut game for 'IGNISPHERE,' a brand IP planned to expand into figures, light novels, and other media in the future.
In live-service games, 'Monster Taming: Star Dive' celebrated its half-anniversary by adding the new area 'Gaba Islands' and sharing the direction for Update 1.4, which will overhaul combat, progression, and overall quality-of-life features. 'Chaos Zero Nightmare' announced live service plans focused on expanding character and deck utilization as PD Seung-hyun Choi took the helm as the new director.
'ARC Raiders' announced a beta test for a PvE mode that removes PvP, separate from its existing PvPvE mode. The test will run from October 13 to 20, with official implementation yet to be determined. Meanwhile, regarding the operational controversy surrounding 'PUBG Asia Stars 2026,' KRAFTON issued an official apology for its management and communication process and permanently banned players who utilized external information, bringing closure to the issue.
What Are This Week's Notable New Releases, Events, and Updates?
Major new releases follow starting on the 29th this week. First, on September 29, 'Minecraft Dungeons 2' and 'The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Remastered' release side by side. As a sequel continuing its predecessor's momentum and a classic remastered for modern platforms respectively, high-profile titles fill the schedule early in the week.
On September 30, 'Princess Maker: Children of Prophecy,' the first new main series game in roughly 18 years, releases. On the same day, 'Nivalis Nights,' which lets players experience life and management in a cyberpunk city, will also debut. Following that on October 1, 'Dynasty Warriors 2: Complete Edition Remaster' and sci-fi survival horror action game 'End of Abyss' are set to launch.
The most notable new release this week is 'Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve,' launching on October 2. The first mainline numbered entry in roughly seven years, it features a campaign that emphasizes large-scale dogfights, squad play, and companion stories. Players become a fighter pilot who lost their homeland, taking to the skies from the aircraft carrier 'Endurance' as a base to experience the series' signature aerial combat and military drama.
Updates and tests are also clustered on the same day. 'Last Epoch' kicks off Season 5, 'Wrath of the Frost God,' adding new bosses, skills, and system improvements. 'Astraea Oratio,' an urban fantasy RPG developed by Dynamis One and published by NC, will also conduct a CBT from October 2 to 6, showcasing core content such as combat and story ahead of its official launch.
Offline, HoYoverse's comprehensive gaming festival 'HoYoLand 2026' takes place from October 2 to 5 at KINTEX in Ilsan. Five games—'Honkai Impact 3rd,' 'Genshin Impact,' 'Tears of Themis,' 'Honkai: Star Rail,' and 'Zenless Zone Zero'—will participate in this year's event, featuring on-site themed content and fan creation exhibitions.
What Were Last Week's METACRITIC Scores?
Metacritic evaluations for several new titles were released again this week, showing mixed fortunes ranging from scores in the 90s down to the 50s.
First, 'Endless Legend 2' earned a positive reception with a Metacritic score of 81. Its asymmetrical faction design—where each faction's playstyle differs significantly—and the 'Tidefall' system, where dropping sea levels reveal new lands and resources, were particularly well-received. Pushing the fun of exploration, which often concentrates early on in the 4X genre, into the mid-to-late game was highlighted as a key strength. Its unique setting, art style, and tactical combat were also praised, though a somewhat complex UI and minor AI and balance issues were noted as drawbacks.
On the other hand, 'Rivage' and 'Qliphah in Providence's Shadow' received relatively lower scores. 'Rivage' recorded a score of 62 based on 5 reviews, earning praise for its space station-set time loop, puzzle mechanics centered on navigating new paths under limited resources, and an atmosphere that captures isolation. However, critics noted that repeated loops and progression-limiting mechanics induced fatigue. 'Qliphah in Providence's Shadow' scored 57 based on 4 reviews. While its unique combat system—interrupting attacks with skills and counters by reading enemy actions—received praise, repetitive battles, inadequate system explanations, and complex lore with heavy terminology were cited as flaws.
'Well Dweller' recorded the highest score on this week's list with 91 based on 7 reviews. Its dark fairy-tale world—where a tiny bird named 'Glimmer' fights using a matchstick as a weapon—along with the contrast between its adorable protagonist and grotesque enemies and bosses, received particularly high praise. Smooth movement and combat, naturally connected exploration, and solid world design were also listed as strengths, earning acclaim for elegantly refining Metroidvania fundamentals. However, critics noted that combat difficulty drops in the late game once fully upgraded, and certain convenience features like the map and shop left room for improvement.
'Silent Hill: Townfall' earned generally positive reviews, scoring 81 based on 72 reviews. Its main strengths included a somber atmosphere and environmental design set in a remote Scottish village, alongside a psychological horror story intertwining the pasts of multiple characters. Exploration and puzzles utilizing a handheld CRT device were praised as refreshing, with many agreeing that it captured 'Silent Hill's' signature dread while incorporating distinct exploration and stealth mechanics. Conversely, overly obscure puzzles and inconsistent stealth segments were noted as shortcomings.
Ahead of its launch, 'Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve' holds a high score of 87 based on 53 reviews. Refined controls for the series' fast, intuitive arcade flight combat, diverse mission structures, and an expanded campaign were highlighted as core strengths. Many reviews noted that combining cinematic presentation, companion characters, and music elevated narrative weight and immersion compared to previous titles. In particular, the sense of aerial speed, battle scale, and visual rendering of clouds were praised, though critics pointed out that lengthy cutscenes occasionally interrupt campaign flow and some missions vary in quality.
New Release Popularity Poll
This week's poll covers popularity votes for games newly released or scheduled for release between August 28 and October 29. Consequently, games past this period have been removed from the poll, and new titles have been added.
