Typical. After waiting years for a new Wolfenstein, two turn up at once. Spin-off Wolfenstein: Youngblood is launching at a knockdown price (£25-£30), starring B.J. Blazkowicz’s twin daughters Sophia and Jessica in Nazi-occupied 1980s Paris. Not only does it feature co-op play, but also a new levelling up system that allows you to pick skills and abilities to match your play style.
Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot, meanwhile, is set 20 years after the events of The New Colossus and before Youngblood. It’s a PSVR/PC exclusive, in which it’s possible to hack various Nazi war machines. If you’re expecting an on-rails shooter, you may be surprised – it’s free-roaming. The £14.99 asking price suggests we’re still in for something short and arcade-like, though.
Another surprise: anime arena battler Kill la Kill the Game: IF is pretty good. Great, even – TheSixthAxis called it the “perfect anime video game.†It’s out on PS4 and Switch this Friday.
Despite launching on PC some time ago, the console release of Fantasy Strike seems to have gone unnoticed. This fun and colourful beat’em is made with accessibility in mind, yet it’s still deep enough for competitive online tournaments. Might be one to watch.
Be sure not to overlook Songbird Symphony and Pawarumi either. Songbird Symphony brings cutesy platforming with a side-line of rhythm action to PS4 and Switch, while Pawarumi is a ‘neo-aztec’ shooter with a rock/paper/scissors gimmick hitting both Xbox One and PC.
The first scores out the door are mighty encouraging. PlayStation Country gave Songbird a lofty 9/10 (“Cheep and Cheerfulâ€) while Video Chums awarded Pawarumi 4/5. “Pawarumi’s visuals are spot-on complete with kickass moments and flashy scenes, its controls are tight and intuitive, and the audio is excellent with pitch-perfect music and effects. Oh, and the transforming bosses are incredibly satisfying to fight,†they said.
The strategic battler Wargroove makes its mark on PS4 this week too, and likewise, reviews are glowing. The Metro felt it deserving of 9/10. “The best Advance Wars game never made, whose post-launch update smooths out the rough edges and creates a strategy game that’s more accessible and fun than ever,†was their verdict.
Switch owners get their own turn-based strategy game in the form of Fire Emblem: Three Houses. While we doubt it’ll be nothing less than life-consuming, don’t expect reviews for a while – critics have only just received review code for this 100+ hour epic.
Wayforward bounce back this week too with Mighty Switch Force! Collection. They’ve definitely kept that one quiet.
New release showcase
Kill la Kill the Game: IF
9/10 – TheSixthAxis: Kill La Kill -IF- may just be the perfect anime video game. It almost flawlessly manages to embrace the style and energy of the original anime, and translate that into an enthralling arena fighter that is just as much fun solo as it is competitively. The art is incredible, the music is astounding, and the story mode goes above and beyond to deliver a fresh narrative that fans of the anime will eat up. Whether you’re a Kill La Kill megafan or just a fighting game enthusiast, this is a must play.
8.5 – God is a Geek: Kill la Kill The Game: IF managed to exceed my expectations in almost every way delivering a fantastic experience for Kill la Kill fans like myself who have been waiting a long time for a game.
4/5 – Digitally Downloaded: Kill la Kill is an anime licensed tie-in fighter done well, and given how frequently these turn out to be terrible that in itself is a relief. It’s fast, it’s furious, it’s explicit and fanservicey, and it is outright hilarious in its satire. The developers have nailed every element of Kill la Kill that needed to be done right, and I can’t imagine fans wanting anything more from this particular game.
Wolfenstein: Youngblood
Fantasy Strike
Songbird Symphony
PawarumiÂ
New digital multi-format releases
- Wolfenstein: Youngblood
- Smoots Summer Games
- Mighty Switch Force! Collection
- Tetsumo Party
- Hoggy2
New on PSN
- DATE A LIVE: Rio Reincarnation
- Wolfenstein Cyberpilot – PSVR
- Wargroove
- Fantasy Strike
- Songbird Symphony
- Gravity Error
- Hoggy2
- Arcade Archives ROAD FIGHTER
- Arcade Archives TIME PILOT
New on Xbox One store
- Pawarumi
- Furwind
- Decay
New Nintendo retail releases
- Kill La Kill – If
- Wolfenstein Youngblood Deluxe Edition
- Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Next week: Madden NFL 20, Forager, Varenje, The Tower of Beatrice, Pilot Sports, Meow Motors, The Church in the Darkness, FIA European Truck Racing Championship, and Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden (Switch).