2005’s Destroy All Humans! is the newest remaster on the block, and all signs point to it being on par with THQ Nordic’s recent HD revamps – the demo version showcased an impressive makeover, with a bright and vibrant game world and alluring explosion effects. Our only concern is that the game’s humour – centred on mocking stereotypes – may be a little out of date. A lot has changed in fifteen years.
From fun and inviting to mean and moody. Maid of Sker is a stealthy horror adventure from Wales Interactive, set in the late 18th century and taking place in a large hotel overrun by crazed zealots. Their faces covered with grubby rags, they react only to sound – making too much noise draws them to your location. Thankfully, you’re armed with a handcrafted gadget that can stun enemies for a few valuable seconds. Puzzles also feature, some of which rely heavily on sound. Best dig out your best gaming headset. Check out our review.
On Xbox One exclusively there’s Grounded, which sees characters shrunk to the size of ants battling for survival in a backyard. Why, it’s the ‘Honey, I Shunk The Kids’ tie-in we never received. It’s quite the departure from Obsidian’s usual output, and that’s no bad thing.
Skater XL heads to both retail and the download services. This indie skateboarding sim goes big on authenticity, promising fluid movement and realistic physics. It also features real-world locations.
Koei’s Fairy Tail is one of the bigger releases of the week on Switch, taking us on a journey filled with magic and dragons. It’s based on a popular anime, with the story featuring moments from key episodes as well as new story arcs. Over ten characters from the show can be added to your party. It’s also out on PS4 this week.
Samurai Shodown NeoGeo Collection is another noteworthy Switch release (again, also due on PS4). This collection comes from the preservation experts at Digital Eclipse, who have once again gone beyond the call of duty to provide a detailed and exhaustive package. The highlight here is a previously unreleased entry in the series – Samurai Shodown V Perfect, which was reportedly only ever put on test at a single Japanese arcade before being yanked.
There are plenty of other excellent looking indies to dive into, including the tunnel shooter Lost Wing – which should appeal to fans of Amplitude, Race the Sun, and Aaero – the hellish Souls-like RPG Hellpoint, and the Unreal 4 powered tower defence battler CastleStorm II.
The PS4 also gets a belated release of the ‘occult’ pinball game Demon’s Tilt – which we reviewed a while ago – while the Xbox One gets the tropical adventure The Touryst, which we really enjoyed on Switch. It looked great on Nintendo’s handheld – on Xbox One it should dazzle even more.
New release showcase
Destroy All Humans!
Maid of Sker
Grounded
Skater XL
Samurai Shodown NeoGeo Collection
Fairy Tail
Lost Wing
Hellpoint
Demon’s Tilt
Othercide
CastleStorm II
Lunch A Palooza
The Sims 4 Nifty Knitting
New multiformat releases
- Destroy All Humans!
- Maid of Sker
- Skater XL
- Samurai Showdown NeoGeo Collection
- Lost Wing
- Otherside
- Cubers: Arena
- The Sims 4: Nifty Knitting
- Hellpoint
- Nowhere Prophet
- Castlestorm II
New on PSN
- Fairy TailÂ
- Cuphead
- New Super Lucky’s Tale
- Headsnatchers
- Pistol Whip
- Buried Stars
New on Xbox One Store
- Grounded (Game Preview)
- Yakuza Kiwami 2
- Merchant of The Skies
- Swim Out
- The Touryst
- Heroes of Hammerwatch
- 112th Seed
- Nicole
- Family Mysteries: Poisonous Promises
- Seasons of the Samurai
- Lunch A Palooza
- Demon’s Tilt
New Switch retail releases
- Fairy Tail
- Cat Quest 2 Pawsome Pack (Cat Quest 1 + 2)
- Summer Sports Games
- Lovecraft’s Untold Stories: Collector’s Edition
- Deliver Us the Moon
- Super Trench Attack
Next week: Fast & Furious Crossroads, The Mean Greens, Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Up Girls in A Dungeon? Infinite Combate, Skully, Clan N, Undermine, Steam Tactics, Swimsanity, and Fallguys: Ultimate Knockdown.
