Last week was just the tip of the new release iceberg – there’s wealth of new games out this week too, including several big hitters. Thirty new releases in total, which is quite possibly a record breaking amount for a week in August.
On Tuesday, a triple-whammy of zombie shooters arrived both at retail and on the download services – Dead Alliance (PS4/XO), Resident Evil Revelations (PS4/XO) and Killing Floor 2 (XO).
Maximum Games’ Dead Alliance is deathmatch shooter with a minor twist – the ability to influence zombie hordes via pheromone bombs, prompting them to head toward the opposition or swarm around objects of importance. We took part in the beta and wasn’t left too impressed. Not only did the weapons feel limp and lifeless, but zombie slaying didn’t feel remotely satisfying.
Killing Floor 2 is the better option, being a remarkably slick co-op shooter with deep character customisation options. The PS4 version was a PS4 Pro showcase, and word has it that this belated Xbox One iteration will have Xbox One X enhancements.
Resident Evil Revelations meanwhile is a remake of a remake, just like Resident Evil HD before it. It was originally released on 3DS in 2012, making the jump to last-gen consoles in 2013. It doesn’t appear to have survived a third format switch, with review scores mostly being a mixture of 5s and 6s. “The game is enjoyable and features a undeniably spooky atmosphere, but at the end of the day, it’s a five-year-old 3DS game on its third life,†said Hardcore Gamer.
Obsidian’s role-player Pillars of Eternity: Complete Edition is going down a storm in comparison, gaining some impressively high review scores. “Pillars of Eternity is a wonderful role-playing game, expertly weaving deep, tactical combat and captivating writing – a combination that will appeal to unabashedly old school gamers, but will also yield abundant rewards for players new to the genre,†beamed Push Square, before handing out 9/10.
Other new releases hitting both PS4 and Xbox One include the oddball tower defence/Super Monkey Ball mash-up Rock of Ages 2: Bigger & Boulder (trial available on Xbox One), Climax’s sun-drenched Surf World Series, musical role-player The Metronomicon: Slay the Dance Floor, sci-fi top down shooter/tower defence hybrid X-Morph: Defense, and the futuristic racer Redout Lightspeed Edition.
The popular Ark Survival Evolved leaves ‘game preview’ status meanwhile, gaining a full price retail release.
The first episode of Life is Strange: Before the Storm is also due out tomorrow. Presumably, the lack of pre-launch reviews is Square-Enix’s way of stopping spoilers. Eurogamer reports that despite the change of mechanics, lead character and voice actress, it still feels authentically Life is Strange. Good to know, seeing a different developer is at the helm.
Over on PS4 Everybody’s Golf makes an eagerly awaited comeback, and by all accounts, it’s going down incredibly well – it’s fun, accessible and features some great online modes. Scores include an 8.5 from PlayStation Lifestyle, and 80% from GameSpew.
That’s joined by Yakuza Kiwami – a remake of the original PS2 Yakuza from 2005. Critics claim that while this remake has been handled with care, it’s showing its age when compared to newer entries. As such, Yakuza Zero – released earlier this year – remains the best entry point. Scores for this one are mixed, varying from Push Square’s 6/10 to GameInformer’s 8.5.
This week’s new PSN arrivals don’t end there. Far from it, in fact. There’s the FTP Fishing Planet, abstract shooter Gunducky Industries, point ‘n click adventure Obduction, 2D puzzle/platformer Still Time, neon-hued PSVR sports game Sparc, Groundhog Day-style adventure Last Day of June, cutesy Japanese platformer Rabi-Ribi, online melee-based brawler Absolver, and Koei Tecmo’s Warriors All Stars. That last one features characters from Ninja Gaiden, Dead or Alive, Nioh, Toukiden and more.
Presumably to make up for the recent absence of ACA NeoGeo titles, no less than three launch this week – Magician Lord, Fatal Fury 3 and Puzzled. With Art of Fighting Anthology and Dotemu’s Windjammers re-release also out this week, fans of all things NeoGeo have lots to get stuck into.
Back over on Xbox One we expect White Noise 2 – the sequel to White Noise Online – before the week is out. ReCore: Definitive Edition launched Tuesday too, but for whatever reason, it isn’t showing on the dashboard currently. A 50% off launch discount is in place, bringing it down to a rather enticing £14.99. A trial is also available.
This leaves us with Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle. What seemed to be a questionable crossover has turned out to be surprisingly great. It’s a challenging and delightfully silly tactical shooter that’s almost as polished as first-party effort.
As our review round-up shows, reviews scores are mostly 8s and 9s. Yet another feather in the Switch’s cap, then.
Next week: Destiny 2 (PS4/XO), Knack 2 (PS4), Monster Hunter Stories (3DS), LEGO Worlds (Switch), The Binding of Isaac Afterbirth+ (Switch), Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth (PS4), and The Nonary Games (PS4).