Here it is. The last ever FIFA – something we thought we’d never see. From next year the series defaults to EA Sports FC, ending EA’s 30-year partnership.
What can we expect from FIFA 23? It doesn’t appear to be a milestone year, considering cross-play and double the amount of motion capture work are the big new features. The Switch receives a Legacy Edition once again, meaning the core gameplay will be the same as last year. And the year before that.
A trio of RPGs are also on the agenda. We reviewed NiS America’s The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero on Friday and found that it puts some fresh spins on tried and tested formulas. It seems to be going down well with critics across the board. On PS5, PS4 and PC there’s Valkyrie Elysium from Square-Enix – promising faster-paced combat than most RPGs. Then on Switch there’s a belated release of Bandai-Namco’s SWORD ART ONLINE Alicization Lycoris.
Speaking of belated releases, Tunic – one of our highest rated games of the year – rolls onto PS4/PS5 and Switch. It’s essentially Zelda: A Link to the Past meets Dark Souls, with a hefty dose of nostalgia.
Obsidian’s backyard-based survival game Grounded also leaves Early Access, duly coming to Game Pass.
Also look out for the multiformat Let’s Build a Zoo on Xbox Game Pass, which ushers in a waft of ‘cosy’ style life-sims and whatnot. Prepare to get comfy with Team17’s Animal Crossing alike Hokko Life, Soedesco’s bakery restoration venture Lemon Cake, and the nature park creator Bunny Park.
Realistic beer brewing sim Brewmaster and the US-set weed business management game Weedcraft Inc loosely fit into this genre too, we guess.
Then there’s the colourful 2D platformer C.A.R.L, skill-based hack ‘n slash Moonscars, multiplayer survival shooter Deathverse: Let It Die, a couple of Sam & Max remasters for PS4, and the sprint car racer World of Outlaws: Dirt Racing – the first officially licensed World of Outlaws game in over 10 years.
New release trailers
FIFA 23
The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero
Hokko Life
Grounded
Valkyrie Elysium
Tunic
World of Outlaws: Dirt Racing
SWORD ART ONLINE Alicization Lycoris (Switch)
Let’s Build a Zoo
Moonscars
Lemon Cake
Airoheart
Bunny Park
C.A.R.L
Brewmaster
Deathverse: Let It Die
Tip Top: Don’t fall!
One Hell of a Ride
Casual Challenge Players’ Club Trailer
New multiformat releases
- FIFA 23
- The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero
- Hokko Life
- Let’s Build a Zoo
- Lemon Cake
- Airoheart
- Bunny Park
- PAW Patrol: Grand Prix
- Tip Top: Don’t fall!
- Moonscars
- One Hell of a Ride
- World of Outlaws: Dirt Racing
- Caffeine: Victoria’s Legacy
- Brewmaster
- Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous
- C.A.R.L.
New on PSN
- Tunic
- Valkyrie Elysium
- Post Void
- Sam & Max Save the World Remastered
- Sam & Max: Beyond Time and Space Remastered
- Deathverse: Let It Die
- APICO
- Century: Age of Ashes
- Watcher Chronicles
- PBA Pro Bowling 2023
- Hot Tentacles Shooter
- Running On Magic
- Casual Challenge Players’ Club
New on Xbox Store
- Grounded
- Work from Home
- Weedcraft Inc
- Rabio
New Switch retail releases
eShop round-up coming Thursday
- Hokko Life
- FIFA 23 Legacy Edition
- Squish
- Life is Strange Arcadia Bay Collection
- SWORD ART ONLINE Alicization Lycoris
- Demon Throttle
Next week: Dakar Desert Rally, Yum Yum Cookstar, Alfred Hitchcock: Vertigo, L.O.L. Surprise! B.Bs Born to Travel, Dragon Prana, Paper Flight – Super Speed Dash, Super Jagger Bomb, Let’s Sing ABBA, and Rivalia: Dungeon Raiders.