This week we welcome MS’s fourth console generation. We’ve been around long enough to see every Xbox generation fold-out, awarding the original Halo a stonking 10/10 on launch day. We certainly aren’t spring chickens, which makes it all the more surprising to say that this week is the busiest we’ve ever seen in the site’s 20-year history.
Even looking back to 2013, when the PS4 and Xbox One launched, we didn’t have a week like this due to those systems arriving a few weeks apart. It’s also a rather peculiar week for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the PS5 isn’t out in Europe until 19th November yet the retail releases of Godfall, Sackboy, Demon’s Souls and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales are all due 12th November in the UK. Nice to admire from the mantelpiece, we suppose.
Secondly, the UK is on lockdown – over 40 retail releases are expected, yet GAME et al remain closed. The supermarkets will likely have Xbox Series X and PS5 games at launch, but don’t expect to see consoles on the shelves – pre-orders sold out way back in September.
With Halo Infinite absent, the Xbox Series X’s line-up is lacking a major standout title. There’s plenty to get stuck into though, even if the majority of games are multiformat. As for exclusives, Tetris Effect: Connected and Gears Tactics – both available on Game Pass – are worth checking out.
There’s also Bright Memory, the only X|S exclusive in the line-up. This FPS is being developed by a small Chinese studio and looks mighty impressive. What’s being released this week is a prelude of sorts, allegedly lasting an hour, hence the £7 price tag. Then there’s The Falconeer, an avian aerial combat game gaining positive reviews.
As for multiformat releases, we have two of the biggest releases of the year – Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. Fresh from the cover of EDGE magazine, Destiny 2: Beyond Light is eagerly awaited too.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon sees the series take a new turn-based direction, meanwhile. Planet Coaster – available for around £35 – provides all the fun of the fair, while FUSER is an evolution of the DJ Hero series only bigger and better in every way. And those that missed DmC5 first time round may want to grab the shinier Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition, again available for around the £35 mark. Maybe less than £30 if you look hard enough.
The PS4 version of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is also with us. We thought the colourful creature feature Bugsnax is about to crawl onto PS4, but it seems the UK release is still 19th November. The fact that searching for ‘Bugsnax’ on the PSN store currently brings up no results isn’t very helpful.
We aren’t done yet – XIII Remake arrives on Xbox and PS4. This cel-shaded shooter from 2003 went on to become a cult favourite, explaining why it has received the remaster treatment some seventeen years later. Switch owners also have KINGDOM HEARTS Melody of Memory, Speed 3 and Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered to consider.
In fact, there’s brand new Nintendo hardware – Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros. includes Super Mario Bros, Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels, and Ball, along with a few secret features to find. Expect to pay £49.99.
It’s pleasing to see indie developers aren’t afraid to go up against the big boys, with the sketchbook-style Drawngeon: Dungeons of Ink and Paper and Exit the Gungeon on Xbox also nestled amongst the rest.
Next week sees the rest of the PS5’s line-up, including Watch Dogs: Legion, Dirt 5, Bugsnax, The Pathless and Maneater, along with digital releases of Godfall, Sackboy and company; y’know those games out this week physically. 2020 certainly isn’t becoming any less confusing. At least furloughed workers have plenty of time to play the aforementioned, eh? Just remember to spare a thought for key workers, such as myself, please.
New release showcase
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
Gears Tactics
KINGDOM HEARTS Melody of Memory
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
Demon’s Souls
Godfall
Sackboy: A Big Adventure
Game & Watch: Super Mario Bros.
XIII Remake
The Falconeer
Bright Memory
Yakuza: Like a Dragon
Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition
Tetris Effect: Connected
FUSER
Planet Coaster: Console Edition
Just Dance 2021
New multiformat releases
- Destiny 2: Beyond Light
- FUSER
- Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
- Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
- KINGDOM HEARTS Melody of Memory
- Borderlands 3: Designer’s Cut
- Asterix & Obelix – XXL Collection
- Professor Rubik’s Brain Fitness
- Let’s Sing 2021
- Planet Coaster: Console Edition.
- Just Dance 2021
- XIII
- Yakuza: Like a Dragon
- Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition
- Slide Stars
- Liftoff: Drone Racing
- Unturned
- Esports Life Tycoon
- The Sims 4: Snowy Escape
New on PSN
- Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
- Death Come True
- Farming Simulator 19 Premium Edition
- The Pathless
- My Universe: Cooking Star Restaurant
New on Xbox store
- The Falconeer
- Bright Memory
- Gears Tactics
- NBA 2K21
- Beat Me!
- Observer: System Redux
- Sparkle 4 Tales
- Tetris Effect: Connected
- Enlisted
- Evergate
- Fights in Tight Spaces
- 50 Years
- Sig.Null
- Vera Blanc
- Bouncy Bob 2
- Drawngeon: Dungeons of Ink and Paper
- Exit the Gungeon
New Switch retail releases
eShop round-up coming Thursday
- Let’s Sing 2021
- Just Dance 2021
- Ghostbusters The Video Game Remastered
- Kingdom Hearts: Melody Of Memory
- New ‘N’ Tasty! Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee
- Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered
- My Universe – Fashion Boutique
- My Riding Stables: Life with Horses
- 3D Mini Golf
- Rapala Fishing Pro Series
- World of Solitaire
- Street Outlaws: The List
- Harvest Life
- Speed 3: Grand Prix
Next week: Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin, Watch Dogs Legion (PS5), Just Dance 2021 (PS5), Maneater (PS5), Bugsnax, Dirt 5 (PS5), WRC9 (PS5), Warhammer: Chaosbane – Slayer Edition, Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate, Bubble Bobble 4 Friends The Baron Is Back, Poker Club, Mars Horizon, Five Dates, and Katamari Damacy REROLL.