January’s new release energy carries into February, with a handful of notable new games due this week. Looking ahead for the rest of the month, highlights include Wild Hearts, Like a Dragon: Ishin, Atomic Heart, Wanted: Dead, Octopath Traveler II, and the PSVR2 – which launches with 32(!) titles.
This week, there’s THQ Nordic’s SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake – from the team that handled the excellent Battle for Bikini Bottom remake – sci-fi adventure Deliver Us Mars, a belated release of the zen-like PowerWash Simulator on PS4 and Switch (complete with new, free, Tomb Raider DLC) and the Xbox’s Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition.
The Xbox also gains retro shooter revival Metal Black S-Tribute (the PS4 and Switch versions were canned due to clashing with the Arcade Archives release,) along with ‘Game Preview’ releases of the medieval manuscript battler Inkulinati and the fast-paced FPS Roboquest.
Puzzle Bobble S-Tribute is still on track for all formats.
Then there’s the cartoony rhythm actioner Rhythm Sprout, humorous retro FPS Fashion Police Squad, and Albacete Warrior – a pixel art brawler set in 3D locations, starring a Spanish ninja and his feisty chicken.
Some belated conversions are also on the agenda, with the PS5’s open-world adventure The Pathless making the jump to Xbox and Switch, and Football Manager 2023 Console coming home to PS4.
The Evercade sees a new release too – Indie Heroes Cartridge 2 includes twelve titles, including Tapeworm Disco Puzzle, Beer Slinger, Reknum Souls Adventure, and Yeah Yeah Beebiss II – a faux sequel to an NES game that likely didn’t exist.
New release trailers
SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake
The Pathless
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition
Inkulinati
PowerWash Simulator: Tomb Raider Special Pack
Deliver Us Mars
Fashion Police Squad
Exitman Deluxe
Albacete Warrior
Puzzle Bobble 2X Arcade Edition & Puzzle Bobble 3 S-Tribute
Rhythm Sprout
Helvetii
Roboquest
Cuddly Forest Friends
Evercade – Indie Heroes Collection 2
New multiformat releases
- SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake
- PowerWash Simulator: Tomb Raider Special Pack
- ExitMan Deluxe
- Puzzle Bobble S-Tribute
- Deliver Us Mars
- Fashion Police Squad
- Rhythm Sprout
- Albacete Warrior
- BackFirewall
- Speedway Racing
New on PSN
- PowerWash Simulator
- We Were Here Forever
- SEASON: A letter to the future
- Football Manager 2023 Console
- Active DBG: Brave’s Rage
- Speed Truck Racing
- Helvetii
- Delirium
New on Xbox Store
- The Pathless
- Metal Black S-Tribute
- Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition
- Roboquest (Game Preview)
- Inkulinati (Game Preview)
- ReactorX2
- Heirs of the Kings
New Switch retail releases
eShop round-up coming Thursday
- SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake
- Cuddly Forest Friends
Evercade
- Evercade Indie Heroes Cartridge 2
Next week: Hogwarts Legacy, Prison Tycoon: Under New Management, Touchdown Pinball, Repentant, Bumblebee – Little Bee Adventure, The Redress of Mira, and Raiden IV x Mikado Remix.
