Gaming is a trend-based medium. Usually, when successful recreation turns right into a generational success story, you’ll be able to see it form the trade in real-time as studios attempt to copy its notes. In current historical past, we’ve seen that with an inflow of two sorts of video games: open-world video games and Soulslikes.
Whereas each of these are nonetheless very a lot in trend, 2026 has seen an surprising development shift: Simple motion video games are having a second. A few of the yr’s greatest, or not less than most high-profile, video games are buying and selling in vastness and RPG customization for one thing extra targeted. Name it a throwback to an older period of gaming, nevertheless it’s a welcome shift for anybody who has been delay by how demanding big-budget video games have turn out to be through the years.
That cost is being led, in no small half, by Capcom. The writer has had a press release yr by releasing hit after hit that buck standard knowledge. Quite than going huge for Resident Evil Requiem, for example, Capcom delivered a lean 11-hour recreation. Half of that could be a straight-up motion shooter, as Leon S. Kennedy blasts his manner via a compact slice of Raccoon Metropolis. Not a second of gameplay goes wasted, neither is any single concept repeated extra occasions than it must be.
That very same philosophy powers Pragmata. Capcom’s distinctive action-hacking recreation drops you into six simple ranges, every with a little bit room for exploration, and places the main target squarely on toying with the fight. You may improve protagonist Hugh’s swimsuit and talents, however there’s not loads of RPG depth to get misplaced in. It’s a momentum-driven recreation that sends you hurtling via its 12-hour story and will get you out earlier than the capturing will get outdated.
The closest Capcom’s slate has skewed in the direction of trendy developments has been in Onimusha: Way of the Sword. Its robust, parry-heavy fight approaches FromSoftware territory, and its Japanese hub city may be thought of a small open-world. However even then, Onimusha is essentially dedicated to linear degree design when it comes right down to its core quests (although it’s price noting that Onimusha is about twice so long as Pragmata and Requiem, and wears skinny in its again half consequently).
It’s not simply Capcom that sees the worth in a tighter form of recreation. Marvel’s Wolverine is a surprisingly linear recreation for Insomniac contemplating it has spent the higher a part of a decade chasing open-world design in its Spider-Man sequence. Although Wolverine has its issues, Insomniac’s no-bullshit adherence to old-school style traditions are refreshing. You may slash your manner via the story in 15 hours with out distractions getting in the best way of the hack-and-slash fight. Even the sport’s numerous collectibles, like its litany of whisky bottles, don’t require going too far off the crushed path.
There are lots extra examples like this in distinction to a few of this yr’s open-world video games like Nioh 3 and Crimson Desert. Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy retains it tight in its 12-hour runtime, ensuring its stealth-infused tackle Uncharted-style motion doesn’t overstay its welcome. 007 First Light is a little bit broad in scope and style, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a concentrated stealth-action recreation in comparison with a few of its friends. Even Microsoft going again to the effectively for Halo: Campaign Evolved after Halo Infinite’s open-world experimentation seems like a return to a time when an motion recreation was a brief thrill you wished to replay, moderately than a multimonth dedication. Actually, the basic design of Halo: Marketing campaign Developed encourages a number of playthroughs with its “marketing campaign remix” mode, which randomizes enemies and weapon placements.
Possibly it’s a coincidence that each one these video games landed on the similar time, however I hope it’s an indication of issues to come back. I’ve lengthy missed the heyday of tight motion video games, the place you would play one thing like Viewtiful Joe in a weekend binge. (Observe to Capcom: Give Viewtiful Joe an Onimusha-style revival subsequent!) I can’t say that I really feel the identical manner about any lengthy motion RPG that requires me to put aside loads of time and psychological power. I’ll take a compact recreation that I need to revisit like a consolation film over one thing nice that I’ll by no means contact once more.