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2026-03-07 06:17:09

As part of a Year in Review blog detailing changes Valve made to Steam in 2025, the company shared a minor update on its hardware plans that doesn't sound good for anyone hoping to buy a Steam Machine, Steam Controller or Steam Frame in 2026. Specifically, the company is now opening up the possibility its new hardware won't ship this year at all.

In February, when Valve acknowledged the ongoing memory and storage shortage had delayed the launch of its hardware and could lead to higher prices, the company was still committing to a (fairly wide) window of when its hardware would ship: 

"Our goal of shipping all three products in the first half of the year has not changed. But we have work to do to land on concrete pricing and launch dates that we can confidently announce, being mindful of how quickly the circumstances around both of those things can change." 

As of the company's latest post, however, things somehow sound even less certain. "We hope to ship in 2026, but as we shared recently, memory and storage shortages have created challenges for us," Valve wrote in its Year in Review post. "We’ll share updates publicly when we finalize our plans!" 

While Valve's air of secrecy can make it easy to read too much into the limited information the company does share, moving from "the first half of the year" to "[hoping] to ship in 2026" certainly gives it wiggle room to not release new hardware this year. And considering the difficulties other companies are facing sourcing memory and storage, it wouldn't be all that surprising.

HP said in February that RAM accounts for a third of its PC costs, and industry analysts expect the RAM shortage could radically alter the PC landscape as companies are forced to raise prices. Valve's already struggling to keep the Steam Deck in stock due to its issues securing RAM, it stands to reason sourcing components for even more devices wouldn't make that process any easier. Then again, the company hasn’t updated its launch timing FAQ, so there’s still reason to hope the Steam Machine ships in 2026.

2026-03-07 05:25:15

Netflix's library of streamable party games is expanding today with a custom version of Overcooked! All You Can Eat. Netflix launched its cloud gaming program with games like Lego Party and Tetris Time Warp, but Overcooked feels a bit unique because it features a roster of Netflix-affiliated characters from KPop Demon Hunters and Stranger Things.

For the uninitiated, Overcooked plays like a more manic version of Diner Dash, where teams attempt to prepare food together in increasingly elaborate kitchens filled with obstacles. The original version of Overcooked! All You Can Eat was released in 2020, and includes DLC and stages from previous versions of the game. Netflix's version bundles in the same content, and "10 Netflix celebrity chefs" including "Dustin, Eleven, Lucas, and the Demogorgon from Stranger Things," and "half-dozen faces from KPop Demon Hunters," like "Mira, Rumi, Zoey, Jinu, Derpy and Sussie." Like Netflix's other streaming games, playing Overcooked also requires you to use a connected smartphone as a controller.

Offering a growing library of streaming games is part of Netflix's new strategy under Alan Tascan, a former executive from Epic Games. Tascan took over as Netflix's President of Games in 2024, and appeared to start revamping the company's plans not long after, cancelling the release of several mobile games and reportedly shutting down its AAA game studio. Netflix is also continuing to adapt video games into content for its platform. For example, A24 is reportedly developing a game show based on Overcooked for the streaming service.

2026-03-07 04:10:02

Nintendo of America is suing the US government, including the Department of Treasury, Department of Homeland Security and US Customs and Border Protection, over its tariff policy, Aftermath reports. The video game giant already raised prices on the Nintendo Switch in August 2025 in response to “market conditions,” but has so far left the price of its newer Switch 2 console unchanged.

Nintendo’s lawsuit, filed in the US Court of International Trade, cites a Supreme Court ruling from February that confirmed a lower courts’ opinion that the Trump administration’s global tariffs were illegal. Nintendo’s lawyers claim that the video game company has been “substantially harmed by the unlawful of execution and imposition” of “unauthorized Executive Orders,” and the fees Nintendo has already paid to import products into the country. In response, the company is seeking a “prompt refund, with interest” of the tariffs it has paid.

“We can confirm we filed a request,” Nintendo of America said in a statement. “We have nothing else to share on this topic.”

While taxes and other trade policies are supposed to be set by Congress, President Donald Trump implemented a collection of global tariffs over the course of his first year in office using executive orders and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), a law that gives the president expanded control over trade during a global emergency. The Trump administration has positioned tariffs as a way to punish enemies and bargain with trade partners, but many companies have passed the increased price of importing goods onto customers.

In upholding opinions from the US District Court of the District of Columbia and the US Court of International Trade, the Supreme Court removed the Trump administration’s ability to collect tariffs using IEEPA, but didn’t clarify how the tariffs the government had illegally collected should be returned to companies. Like Nintendo, other companies have decided filing a lawsuit is the best way to get refunded.

The Guardian reports that US Customs and Border Protection is already preparing a system to process refunds for affected companies, but that might not mark the end of Trump’s tariff regime. In a press conference held after the Supreme Court released its decision, the President announced plans to introduce tariffs using other, more constrained methods. Tariffs aren’t the only obstacle Nintendo faces, either. The company could also be forced to raise the price of its consoles in response to the current RAM shortage.

2026-03-07 03:45:00

There is so much to love about Dell's new XPS 14, it's hard for me to discuss it without sounding like a total fanboy. Its new design makes it incredibly thin and light. And Intel's Panther Lake chips give it a ton of power, even when it comes to games. After reviving the XPS brand from last year's ignominious rebranding, it's as if Dell was laser-focused on fixing all the issues we've had with the XPS 14 so far. 

Unfortunately, a shallow, unresponsive and hilariously error-prone keyboard kept me from truly loving the XPS 14. Simply put, it has trouble recognizing keys if you press them too quickly in succession. And for fast and demanding typists like myself, that leads to countless errors that disrupt your flow. In the last sentence alone, I counted ten times where I had to go back and make sure commas appeared before a space, or tweak simple spelling errors. What good is a fast, light and beautiful machine if I can't type a sentence in peace?

It's not unusual for laptop keyboards to require a bit of user training. But my issues with the XPS 14 aren't from a lack of practice — it simply doesn't recognize key presses as quickly as every other laptop I've tested. As you can see in the video below, quick key presses are almost always recognized in reverse, or sometimes aren't recognized at all. Those issues mostly go away if you type more slowly and deliberately, but that seems like a ridiculous compromise for a premium machine in 2026.

Dell engineers are currently testing one of the two review samples I received, both of which exhibited the exact same keyboard issue. Other reviewers have also noted that they need to type more slowly for the keyboard to work best. Gizmodo's Kyle Barr seems to be just as frustrated with the keyboard as I am, but he thinks it's due to Dell's seamless key design, which doesn't have any spaces between keys. My brother, who is an IT professional, also noticed the input issues when he typed on the XPS 14. 

I'm not crazy, I swear!

Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

According to Dell, its engineers say that “a small batch of early XPS units” have the quick typing issue I ran into. They also say the issue is currently resolved and doesn’t affect XPS units shipping now. The company plans to release a firmware fix later this month, and I’ll be sure to update this review once I get my hands on it. But given that these laptops have been out in the wild for weeks, I decided to review the XPS 14 as is. TL;DR, it's the prettiest machine I've ever used that I hate to type on.

Seriously, this thing is gorgeous. Dell's designers outdid themselves with the machine's smooth metal case, which is more MacBook-like than its boxy predecessors. It's astonishing this system weighs just three pounds, putting it right between the 3.4-pound 14-inch MacBook Pro and the 2.7-pound 13.6-inch MacBook Air. It's also just a third of a pound heavier than the MacBook Neo, Apple's attempt at an underpowered entry-level laptop.

I'm also glad to see that Dell has heard my complaints about how over-designed the last XPS line was. For example, the company has stuck with its "invisible" trackpad, which sits flush with the laptop's wrist rest. But now there are two faint lines that designate where, exactly, the trackpad begins and ends. It's a solution reminiscent of Apple's MacBooks, which all feature large glass trackpads separated by a light border from their metal cases. Thanks to these two small lines, which don't detract from XPS 14's minimalist aesthetic, I feel more confident swiping around.

Dell also reversed course on the wonky capacitive function row from the previous models — which again, looked cool, but had some serious usability issues. It was tough to touch type with them, since they didn't feel as tactile as normal keys. And most crucially, the capacitive function row completely disappeared in direct sunlight. God forbid you were outside and wanted to change the volume level! This XPS 14 brings back a normal keyed function row, which is easier to touch type on and actually works in direct sunlight. (I sometimes wonder if Dell's designers ever went outside with the last XPS 14.)

Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

Our review model's 2.8K 14-inch OLED touchscreen looked spectacular, with bold colors and wonderfully deep black levels. But that's pretty much what I've come to expect from OLED by this point. I can't get enough of the extra eye candy OLED adds to photos and videos, and it makes a huge difference with games as well. But take note that OLED is only available for the priciest XPS 14, all other models get a standard non-touch 2K LCD. 

When it comes to connectivity, three USB-C ports and a headphone jack are all you get with the new XPS 14. The microSD card slot from the previous model is gone, and there's also no HDMI or USB Type A connections like you'd find on similar systems from ASUS and Acer. Apple's 14-inch MacBook Pro, notably, features three USB-C ports, a full-sized HDMI slot, a large SD card reader and a headphone jack. 

Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

Beyond Dell's redesign, the main star of the XPS 14 is Intel's new Panther Lake Core Ultra X7 358H chip, which offers some serious graphics upgrades over the last generation. Our review unit, which featured 32GB of RAM and Intel's built-in Arc B390 GPU, was able to reach 130fps in Arc Raiders while playing in 1080p with medium graphics settings, as well as XeSS upscaling and frame generation. I was able to play through a few rounds with no lag — my only distraction was the lingering realization I was playing so smoothly on an ultraportable's integrated graphics.

I certainly wouldn't recommend the XPS 14 for heavy gamers. But if you're forced to choose a new non-gaming system for work or school, it's certainly nice that it can play some modern titles well. I also saw 63fps while playing Cyberpunk 2077 in 1080p with medium graphics settings and XeSS tech active. Not bad for one of the most demanding PC games in recent memory! 

Benchmarks also point to plenty of power under the hood: The XPS 14 scored similarly to the MSI Prestige 14 AI+, which also has the Ultra X7 358H chip, in PCMark 10 and Geekbench 6. I was also surprised to see that its single-core Geekbench 6 score was higher than ASUS's ProArt PX13 GoPro Edition, a beastly machine with 128GB of RAM and a powerful AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 chip. The XPS 14 also scored 3,000 points higher than the Acer Predator Triton 14 AI gaming laptop (powered by a last-gen Core Ultra 9 288V chip) in Geekbench's multi-threaded CPU test. 

Clearly, this was a growth year for Intel's hardware. Just keep in mind that all of our figures come from Dell's highest-end XPS 14 configuration, which currently starts at $2,250 with 64GB of RAM on the company's site. The lowest-end configuration, which starts at $1,450, comes with an Intel Core Ultra 7 355 chip, 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. When I briefly tested that system (it had to be sent back to Dell for that keyboard issue), it scored 2,000 points lower than the Ultra X7 model in PCMark 10. I didn't get to game on the entry-level XPS 14, but I wouldn't expect much, since Intel's beefy Arc graphics are reserved for its pricier X7 and X9 CPUs.

Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

I was also surprised to see that the XPS 14 lasted just 10 hours and 21 minutes in PCMark 10’s Modern office battery test. The MSI Prestige 14 went for a whopping 22 hours and 15 minutes — that’s far more in line with Intel’s efficiency claims for Panther Lake systems. I tested both the XPS 14 and MSI Prestige 14 in Window’s “balanced” battery profile, so you may be able to eke out more life with more battery saving features turned on. 

If I were to judge the XPS 14 based purely on its specs and design alone, it would be my favorite Windows laptop available today. But I swear, I can't live with its keyboard issues. I had to seriously slow down my typing just to get this review written, and even then I still had to back up and make more corrections than usual. Dell is so close to making a PC that’s a true MacBook Pro competitor, it's a shame a simple keyboard issue holds the XPS 14 back from true greatness.

Update 3/6/26 2:20PM ET: Added further information about the XPS 14’s keyboard issue and a potential firmware fix.

2026-03-07 03:00:00

Samsung caught flak for the Galaxy Buds 3. The company’s mimicry of Apple’s AirPods was all too obvious last year when it opted for a stem or “blade” design after several generations of putting touch controls on the main housing of its earbuds. The Galaxy Buds 4 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro continue that trajectory, as Samsung keeps adding new features with direct parallels to AirPods. The good news is, both models have been improved in various ways, all while  their prices stay the same. 

A refined design that’s still too familiar

On last year’s Galaxy Buds models, Samsung introduced its “blade” design and overall shapes that clearly took inspiration from Apple’s earbuds. While all of that remains the same on the Galaxy Buds 4 lineup, Samsung made some refinements that at least gives its earbuds a more polished look. 

The angular “blade” is gone from both the open-fit Galaxy Buds 4 and silicone-tipped Galaxy Buds 4 Pro. That stem is now a flat panel with a thin metal cover, but it’s still called the blade (thanks, Samsung). And thank the gods, the gimmicky blade lights on the last Pro model are now gone. The Galaxy Buds 4 and 4 Pro both have an indented area that accepts both swipes and presses for the onboard controls, a design choice that makes that area easy to find by touch alone. Aside from that, the overall shape of both Galaxy Buds 4 models remains mostly the same, and they’re both pretty much the same size too. 

One big change for the Galaxy Buds 4 duo is the charging case. Since the buds now lay flat in there instead of sitting vertically in the case on the previous model, Samsung has gone back to its rounded square shape from older generations. The company did, however, keep the translucent lids, so you can clearly see if the earbuds are in the case without having to open it.  

In addition to their styles (the Buds 4 are open fit while the Pro have ear tips), a notable distinction between the two is their ingress protection (IP) levels. The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro is rated IP57, which is good enough for dust protection and full immersion in up to three feet for 30 minutes, while the Galaxy Buds 4 is IP54. That latter number means you’re only guarded against dust intrusion and water splashes.

Useful features, if you have a Samsung phone

Billy Steele for Engadget

A few years ago, Samsung offered iPhone users the same suite of features as those onGalaxy phones. Those days are long gone. Like Apple does with AirPods and Google with Pixel Buds, Samsung requires you to pair a Galaxy phone to get the most out of a pair of Galaxy Buds 4 or 4 Pro. If you opt for the open-fit model though, you’ll have to sacrifice a few features. 

Let’s start with the tools that are available on both versions. You can expect Adaptive EQ 2.0, 360 audio with head tracking, Auracast, automatic switching, head gestures and both touch and swipe controls across the board. Both models also offer AI assistance via either Bixby or Gemini. 

Voice features are where the two models primarily differ. The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro has voice detection that automatically lowers the volume and activates ambient sound mode when you start speaking. The pricier version also offers hands-free access to an AI assistant without having to touch the earbuds or your connected device. 

Pretty much all of this stuff requires a Samsung phone. Sure, you can use the basics — ANC, onboard controls and ambient sound — from the likes of iPhones and Macs. But the more advanced items like voice detection, head gestures and automatic switching won’t be available there. As before, there’s an app for Android users with non-Galaxy phones, but things like UHD audio and higher-quality calls are not available on those devices. If you do have a Galaxy phone, everything is baked into the Bluetooth menu, just like Apple does with AirPods. 

Shockingly good sound quality

Billy Steele for Engadget

I’ve come to expect good sound from the Galaxy Buds line. I usually go into any new Samsung audio review knowing I”ll be getting average audio quality at the very least. On last year’s Galaxy Buds 3, the sound performance was well above average for both sets, and that continues on the two latest models. However, if audio is your main priority, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro is the better pick. 

Like Samsung did with the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, this year’s 4 Pro has a two-way driver setup with an 11mm “super-wide” woofer and a 5.5mm planar tweeter. While the woofer is larger than what’s inside the 3 Pro, the tweeter is smaller. Those components combine for shockingly good sound quality for a pair of Samsung earbuds. I was truly surprised when I put the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro in my ears for the first time and played aya’s electro-tinged hexed! The driving bass line on “off the ESSO” is energetic yet nuanced, vocals are cutting and clear, while the synths and other percussive elements pierce through the mix. The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro deftly handled everything I threw at it, from Spiritbox’s heavy metal to the mellow acoustic tunes on Muscadine Bloodline’s 2025 release. 

The Galaxy Buds 4 aren’t a sonic slouch by any means. It’s true you’ll get deeper bass and more overall clarity and detail from the Pro model, but prospective buyers who desire an open fit don’t have to sacrifice too much in the sound department. There’s still punchy bass and crunchy highs, with enough midrange to fill in the gaps adequately. I noticed the biggest difference on that aya track, where the bass isn’t as deep or detailed and the rest of the mix isn’t quite as dynamic as it is on the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro. 

Active noise cancellation that still needs work

Billy Steele for Engadget

While both Galaxy Buds 4 models offer active noise cancellation (ANC), the Pro version has what Samsung calls Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation 2.0 versus just Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation on the other. The company didn’t go into much detail about the differences, other than to say the ANC performance on the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro is superior. Hence the 2.0, I guess. 

ANC performance was a major issue on the Galaxy Buds 3 and that continues on the Galaxy Buds 4. Samsung just hasn’t managed to crack the noise cancellation code on open-fit earbuds the same way Apple has with its “regular” AirPods. In fact, the ANC on this new model makes such a modest difference, I’d wager most customers would prefer to trade it for longer battery life (or a lower price). I only kept it on in the interest of my battery rundown, otherwise I wouldn’t have used it at all. It’s definitely more like active noise reduction than outright cancellation. 

Thankfully, noise cancellation is a different story on the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro. It’s still not going to silence the world like the second-gen Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds can, but Samsung’s tech does just enough to make it useful in most circumstances. I found it particularly adept at blocking moderate levels of constant noise, like a clothes dryer, fan or white noise machine. It’s the sudden jolts of racket where the Pro struggles. The Buds 4 Pro also does a decent job at muffling human voices, which caused my family much frustration. 

Calls and voice quality

Every audio company claims its special sauce is the key to the clearest calls, and Samsung is no different. The company boasts that its combo of a 16kHz super wideband mode, DNN noise reduction and personalized beamforming mics offer “calls so clear, it’s stunning.” Of course, that promise requires a Galaxy S26 series phone — not just the earbuds. 

I was shocked to discover how well I sounded in quiet environments as both of these earbuds offer voice quality that’s crisp and clear. If you move to a noisy spot, both models will completely block any background roar, but you will sound slightly digitized on the other end. This was more apparent on the Galaxy Buds 4, but it’s noticeable on both versions. That’s due to all the audio processing Samsung is doing to mute those distractions. 

To top it all off, the ambient sound mode on the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro is very natural, which means you won’t be yelling to hear yourself during calls or meetings. 

The competition

If you’re looking for the best earbuds to use with a Samsung phone, the Galaxy Buds 4 and 4 Pro are your best options. Again, like Apple does with the AirPods and Google with the Pixel Buds, Samsung continues to offer the most advanced and most useful features to the Galaxy faithful. If you don’t really care about that synergy, the second-gen Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are currently my top pick. That set won’t wow you with features, but the combination of excellent sound quality and the best ANC performance make them hard to beat. Plus, multipoint Bluetooth connectivity offers easy switching between a Galaxy S26 and a MacBook.  

Wrap-up

With each passing year, Samsung draws closer to offering Galaxy phone users a true like-for-like AirPods rival. The company is really only lagging behind Apple in two areas: hearing health and heart-rate tracking. Samsung currently offers the option to amplify voices on its earbuds, but it hasn’t built a hearing test or the hearing protection tools Apple has. The biggest update on the AirPods Pro 3 was the addition of heart-rate tracking last year, which would be a great foundation for a fitness-focused version of the Galaxy Buds. 

Everything else continues to improve on a familiar formula. Samsung has bolstered overall sound quality and ANC performance, even if the noise canceling abilities of the Galaxy Buds 4 remain somewhat lackluster. The design changes offer a more premium look and the gradual addition of modern features like head gestures help the company keep pace with the competition. While the Galaxy Buds 4 and 4 Pro are both good, Samsung really needs to take bigger swings with new features to make its earbuds the must-buy that AirPods are for iPhone users.

2026-03-07 02:30:00

One of the biggest issues with mainline Pokémon games is that you're often so focused on catching, battling and trying to be the very best that you don't have time to stop and smell the flowers. But in Pokémon Pokopia, you're rewarded for doing just that while building a loving community of friendly monsters. The game is one part Animal Crossing and one part Dragon Quest Builders sprinkled with a touch of Minecraft and Stardew Valley. he result might be one of the coziest, most wholesome life sims on the market.

Setup and gameplay

In Pokopia, you play as a Ditto, who has awakened to a world where all the other humans and Pokémon have mysteriously disappeared. Naturally, the loss of your trainer has inspired you to take the form of a person (well, as best as a Ditto can). You work together with the only other soul around, Professor Tangrowth, to figure out how to revitalize this once thriving town. As you explore, you learn to create habitats from a mix of shrubs, trees and anything else you can scavenge. You can also create new homes for the missing Pokémon and lure them back, slowly converting the wasteland into a bustling place full of life and excitement. It's a simple but extremely rewarding gameplay loop, and as you make friends with the returning monsters, they help you on your quest by teaching you skills that allow you to continue shaping and manipulating the environment. They also provide handy items and building materials. 

Nintendo / Engadget

This is where the other main gameplay cycle comes in, as the entire world is made up of blocks that you can excavate or rework to your heart's content. Not only does this let you customize your environment, it also serves as a way to traverse the world. See a shiny treasure on the other side of a river but you can't swim there? You can simply build a bridge instead. And just like in Minecraft, you can use raw materials to create all sorts of fancy blocks and furniture so your homes look exactly how you want. When compared to games like Animal Crossing, I found I actually prefer Pokopia's flavor of world-building a touch more, as it relies slightly more on building and exploring and less on decorating. 

Nintendo / Engadget

My one small issue with the game is that while I like the real-time building mechanic that lets Pokémon work on stuff while you're not playing, having to wait a full day for bigger projects to be completed can bog down your progress a bit. With a game that easily provides more than 50 hours of content just for its main story (and that's not counting all the time you'll spend customizing and tweaking your town), sometimes things become a slower burn than they ought to be.

The magic of Pokopia

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

While the success of Pokopia's core mechanics can be largely attributed to co-developer Bandai Namco borrowing the game's basic template from the Dragon Quest Builders series, the real magic of the game comes from the Pokémon themselves. When I load into the world and the first thing that happens is one of my townsfolk running up to me to say thanks or give me a present, it just makes me happy. And unlike most other Pokémon games, you can actually have proper conversations with them, instead of just hearing them do their 8-bit cries. Speaking of that, I really think it's time for Game Freak to archive those Game Boy-inspired sound bites in favor of proper voice acting. We've had thirty years of crunchy, low-fi yells, and in an open-world game with adorable polygonal graphics, I think we can finally let the 'mons say their names like they do in the anime. 

Pokopia's roster of characters is also bigger than expected. That's because in addition to new faces like Peakychu and Mosslax, there are well over 100 different Pokémon to befriend. And while the game leans a bit more heavily on characters from Kanto and the original 151, there's solid representation from other generations, including cameos from legendaries. Furthermore, each monster has its own unique habitat, preferences and abilities. I appreciate little details like water-type Pokémon who ask you to make their home a bit more humid or fighting-type monsters who ask for exercise equipment to spruce up theirs. Similarly, when it comes to building out your town, I like that the game makes you turn towards plant-types if you want help with your crops or a fire-type if you need help smelting some iron. 

Nintendo / Engadget

However, the most heartwarming thing about Pokopia might not even be how you interact with the other Pokémon, but how they socialize with themselves. Sometimes you'll run into two mons chasing each other around, working out together or cuddling up for a nap. And thanks to the game's photo mode, you can capture all these moments when they happen. 

Exploring the world is also quite satisfying, particularly for anyone who has played any of the Pokémon games from gen one. There are a ton of references to memorable people and places from Kanto. Plus, when you're just out and about or spelunking, you'll sometimes run into other adventurous mons who need a little help before you can convince them to move into town. It feels like there are fun secrets hiding around every other corner, and even for those that are a bit less obvious, Pokopia drops just enough hints to point you in the right direction. 

Wrap-up

Nintendo / Engadget

There's so much to do in Pokopia that I wouldn't be surprised if dedicated players could tide themselves over with this game until Pokémon Winds and Waves comes out next year. But more importantly, Bandai Namco and Game Freak have found a perfect balance between the title's open-world building mechanics and homages to the underlying franchise. Pokopia isn't just a half-hearted life-sim clone with a thin veneer of monster catching (or in this case, monster community outreach) draped on top; it's a good game in its own right that just gets better with the addition of neighborly Pokémon.