Survival shooter Remnant: From the Ashes was a surprise hit for THQ Nordic, garnering positive reviews on PS4 and Xbox One.
The Switch sees a conversion this week, with critics claiming that it holds up reasonably well, but the Switch’s shortcomings are more evident here than in other multiplatform releases, including long loading times, pop-up, and missing assets. The worst way to play a decent game appears to be the consensus.
On a more positive note, reviews of the Gearbox published comical 2D action roguelike Have A Nice Death went live last week, and were generally full of praise.
“Have a Nice Death is a well-put-together and polished game with crisp controls, an engaging story, and an adorable hand-drawn art style. The soundtrack is an endless string of bangers that makes the runs engaging,” said Checkpoint Gaming.
The one-on-one monster brawler Omen of Sorrows also sweeps onto Switch (and PS5) this week. Review scores for the PS4/Xbox One versions were all over the place when it first launched in 2018. We imagine it has seen several updates since then, but even so, don’t expect something on par with a Capcom or Namco fighter.
The Switch also gains Koei-Tecmo’s RPG Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key – featuring characters old and new – Annapurna Interactive’s interactive storybook Storyteller – a game ten years in the making – and the insect-filled pixel art platform adventure Anyaroth: The Queen’s Tyranny.
We can also expect 505 Games’ investigative adventure Unheard Voices of Crime, futuristic racer Flashout 3, arcade-style dodge’em up Steel Defier, mini-game challenge suite The Hero with a Thousand Arms, and (brace yourself) Gekisou!Benza Race -Toilet Shooting Star – a Japanese toilet racing game. Let’s hope it doesn’t drive players round the bend.
New Switch eShop releases
Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key – £49.99
The story begins when a group of islands called Kark Isles appear near Ryza’s—the protagonist’s—hometown. Seeing this as a threat to their home, Ryza and her friends investigate the isles and discover ruins with a huge gate. Just as Ryza approaches the gate, a strange voice echoes in her head, telling her to reach the Code of the Universe. What is it that lies beyond the gate, and what does the “Code of the Universe” mean? In hopes of finding a way to save their home, Ryza and her friends set off on a great adventure that revolves around a Key and the roots of alchemy.
Remnant: From the Ashes – £34.99
The world has been thrown into chaos by an ancient evil from another dimension. Humanity is struggling to survive, but they possess the technology to open portals to other realms and alternate realities. They must travel through these portals to uncover the mystery of where the evil came from, scavenge resources to stay alive, and fight back to carve out a foothold for mankind to rebuild…
FurryFury: Smash & Roll – £8.99
Imagine a game of pool, but with little beasts instead of balls, and a deadly arenas instead of the table. Then add the special abilities, various pickups and a drop of battle-royale sauce to it all.
Play 1v1 duels or 2v2 multiplayer in fast paced turn-based matches based on physics! Or go through the story mode, face challenging bosses and explore this strange world. Invite a friend to experience it together.
The Hero with a Thousand Arms – £4.00
The Hero with a Thousand Arms has created a challenging game where multiple mini-games are running simultaneously on the screen, and the player needs to switch between them to operate. Meanwhile, the other games enter bullet time mode. Players need to carefully observe the status of each game and switch between them in a timely manner to prevent a game over, which is a significant test of their multitasking skills.
Unheard – Voices of Crime Edition – £8.74
Unheard – Voices of Crime Edition contains the original Unheard game, an innovative experience that puts players in the role of Acoustic Detectives investigating crime scenes using a new aural device that allows them to hear voices from the past. The voices they hear will help them identify potential suspects and solve the mysteries. What is it that’s connecting seemingly unrelated cases?
This edition also contains “The Lethal Script” case that will have the detectives investigating a movie industry mystery on The Peak Hotel.
What makes a saint? Fire to one’s face, wounds on one’s body, dying slowly from disease — history paints a grim picture. When Holly Beltran attends a religious recollection, she discovers the dark secrets that haunt the convent’s past. At night, broken faced statues and whispered prayers haunt Holly’s dreams — before the recollection is over, Holly may have to face more than her own demons to come out alive.
What happens when the faithful go too far?
In order to restore order, you’ll have to grab your trusty scythe and show your employees who’s boss!
Discover and explore the darkly-charming, procedurally-generated departments of Death Inc., where you’ll meet a diverse cast of memorable characters—like your affable pumpkin-headed assistant, Pump Quinn—who are always willing to share the latest office gossip.
Sharpen your skills (and scythe) through fast-paced hack n’ slash combat, utilizing over 30 unique weapons and spells you can find and upgrade to create devastating combinations.
Gekisou!Benza Race -Toilet Shooting Star- – £11.00
An exciting toilet racing game that lets you experience a toilet revolution.Many circuits and toilet racers are waiting for your challenge.After customizing the toilet and getting your stomach ready, it’s time to start the toilet race!
Anyaroth: The Queen’s Tyranny – £13.49
The Queen’s control covers planet Anyaroth in its entirety. From the forests and historical cities of its surface, stepping down to the core at the centre of the planet, the Queen has spun a complex web of barracks, factories and mines. The Queen’s Regime is aiming to exploit all of the planet’s resources, even the its population!
In Anyaroth: The Queen’s Tyranny, you will be provided with a full range of weapons, objects and abilities that will let you explore all possibilities within the game’s fighting system. Have fun combining your weapons and abilities to end with your enemies in stylish ways!
In a hidden underworld ruled by creatures of the night, a new terror has awakened! Omen of Sorrow brings monsters of horror, literature and mythology together for a fighting game experience unlike any other. Inspired by numerous arcade classics but offering its own unique innovations and mature aesthetics, Omen of Sorrow positively bleeds style!
Featuring a roster inspired by such icons as Frankenstein’s monster and Egyptian high priest Imhotep, this traditional 4-button fighting game rewards or punishes players based on how aggressive their playstyle is, putting a skill-centric spin on combat while keeping the experience accessible to newcomers. Powered by Unreal Engine 4, Omen of Sorrow’s 2.5D brawling spans a multitude of detailed locations with handcrafted animations and cinematic finishers, all set to a masterful soundtrack by composer Francisco Cerda.
This definitive version of Omen of Sorrow includes the full character roster, an enhanced story mode as well as cross-platform online play.
An explosively addicting puzzle game starring Anique and her crew of demolition experts. With its unique, clever gameplay, cast of wacky characters and comic style, Numolition is a guaranteed blast for the whole family!
Your job is simple: flatten as many constructions as you can by setting up, adding up and blowing up the numbers 1 to 9 through loads of mind-bending levels, bonus challenges, endless towers and other unlockable game modes that offer endless replayability.
Armed with your trusty frying pans, up to four friends (or AI) take control of a cast of quirky cluckers and compete until one player emerges as the Ultimate Mother Clucker.
With only one stick and three buttons, you can lay, lob, and throw eggs with ease. Every player has a chance at victory but the dedicated among you will become “one with the pan” as you hone your counter timing and cultivate the ideal egg-smash-face strategies.
Are you ready to escape from your tight prison cell? A malfunction in the defense system of a transport spaceship accidentally killed everyone aboard, except for one last survivor… You and your suspiciously orange suit.
Explore the maze-like environment around you, moving from room to room, collecting access cards and finding new upgrades for your suit. Use your skills to outmaneuver dozens of different hazard types, while also trying to find a way out.
Sakura Neko Calculator – £4.99
Welcome to the Sakura Neko Calculator! Have you ever wanted a calculator with a cute and quirky anime cat-eared character, this is the perfect combination of utility and fun. Get ready to do your math with a smile on your face!
The Sakura Neko Calculator offers both basic and scientific calculators. The user-friendly interface makes it easy to navigate and perform calculations with ease.
Now you can have a calculator that’s both practical and cute! The cute character has different reactions if you enter different codes! (Try with 51339) Will you find the other two? Have fun!
Introducing Mighty Mage, the top-down arena shooter rogue-lite where you play as a cute mage on a journey to become a master magician. Armed with up to 5 elemental spells at a time, you’ll take on hordes of enemies and choose from a variety of upgrades and spells to create unique builds.
In Mighty Mage, every wave presents a new challenge that you must overcome by choosing an upgrade or skill before taking on the enemies. From slow but tough Slimes to fast but weak Bats, you’ll face a variety of foes on your journey to become the ultimate mage.
Rakuen is an adventure game about a little Boy who lives in the hospital. One day, the Boy asks his Mom to escort him to the fantasy world from his favorite storybook, so that he can ask the Guardian of the Forest to grant him one wish. In order to receive his wish, the Boy must complete a set of challenges that revolve around helping his neighbors in the hospital by interacting with their alter-egos in the fantasy world…
…A cranky old man who guards a broken music box with his life while complaining that he never gets any visitors; a young woman in a coma whose husband hasn’t left her side in months; a little girl who laments over a friend she was never able to say goodbye to after growing ill… The Boy slowly begins to realize that his neighbors are plagued by secrets and struggles that are mysteriously tied to the strange hospital.
Fishing: North Atlantic – £22.49
Fishing: North Atlantic makes you experience an atmospheric and realistic game world based on real maps, boats and fish species. Get ready to enjoy new weather systems with upgraded atmospheric effects, North American Vessels and fishing techniques like harpoons, deep-line-buoy-fishing and lobster pots. Purchasing larger boats and better gear will increase your fisherman skills.
Fishing: North Atlantic offers you 32 ships at your disposal for all types of fishing styles and fishing techniques like the harpooning, which is used to hunt swordfish and tuna. Start with harpooning, then work your way up to setting deep lines, catching snow crabs or lobster. As well as longline, net and trawling. Do you have what it takes to fulfill this challenging task?
Plan the course of your fishing career throughout the whole year: Brave rain and snow while looking for the best fishing areas, but make sure that you are not in danger of exceeding your quotas! The new advanced fish-AI will require the use of GPS and sonar to follow the movement of your prey depending on weather and season.
In “Birds and Blocks 2” you still have to help the birds! They can´t fly because of their tiny wings.
You have to remove the blocks without the birds touching the ground (because they don´t like the ground or there might be cats around). If they are falling on the ground you lose!
It features 120 levels and an addictive gameplay.
There are different kinds of blocks with different properties (“normal”, “bouncy”, “icy” and “safe for birds”).
You can remove blocks by tapping them!
In a grand and mysterious world woven together by beautiful graphics and an emotional story, you become the protagonist and forge your own destiny.
The protagonist, who is unaware of the discovery of an unknown virus in the world, enjoys a happy school life with six beautiful girls. Little did they know that it would become a time that would never return… In the first half of the story, the common route is filled with event scenes that can be called the epitome of gal games! They spend their time enjoying events like the pool event and date event. There are more than 100 common events alone!
In the future, giant city-states have emerged, separated from each other by indestructible barriers. Most professions have been taken over by machines. People work mainly as mechanics, programmers or operators.
Split is a first-person puzzle game with the unique mechanics of creating copies of yourself and manipulating time. The gameplay combines many different types of puzzles from more and less famous puzzle games and takes them to a whole new perspective.
Nefasto’s Misadventure: Meeting Noeroze – £17.891
In this vibrant tribute to the point and click genre, play as Nefasto, a corrupted piece of game data, locked in a buggy console! The system is about to crash and your time is running out! Will you find a way out before you are permanently deleted from the program?
Adventure, action, puzzle, etc. Guide Nefasto through a strange and mind-blowing world as you solve challenging puzzles. Meet colourful-looking and talking characters, fight wacky bosses and unlock one of the many endings before the clock runs out!
Unique, offbeat, and surprising, Nefasto’s Misadventure: Meeting Noeroze is an extravagant point and click full of humour and references.
Serve hordes of demanding patrons and build-up your menu by purchasing more recipes, to take with you to bigger and better restaurants.
Start a career as a sushi chef and absorb all of the wise teachings of your master. Slice, dice, roll and hammer sushi, and then serve it to customers as quickly as you can. Make sashimi, roll uramaki, pour sake, and feed the hungry hordes to collect cash. Catch coins as they fly by, and use the money you make to upgrade your equipment and purchase more recipes.
The characters and tone of Sushi Bar Express are presented in a light-hearted and comical style, designed to appeal to all types of players – ranging from children to adults, and all genders. Whimsical humour offers a counterpoint to the manic plate-juggling gameplay and helps players to feel comfortable and entertained throughout the game.
Lila’s Tale and the Hidden Forest – £4.50
In this classical-inspired 2D game, players will explore challenging magical environments, team up with forest animals and defeat nasty enemies.
Tary, Boo, Kung, and Ta are not your everyday Pets. They love to play around, even during the most mundane tasks. Watch their crazy antics and get ready for the funniest colouring book in your life.
Uzzuzzu My Pet is suitable for all ages and features five different themes of drawings. Let loose on the eight available whiteboards if your imagination needs more stimuli and create something magnificent.
Where high speed meets high stakes. Where unforgiving combat, loud electronic music and addictive boosts of adrenaline mix up to separate winners from losers. Where gravitation is nothing more than an empty word. This is where the world of FLASHOUT 3 will take you and your ride to the absolute limits!
FLASHOUT 3 offers you ultra-fast ships, loops, jumps and sudden razor-sharp turns! Test your skills on the most impressive sci-fi racing tracks and try not to fall behind! But if it happens, don’t sweat! Unleash the power of rockets, guns, bombs and mines to help you level down your competition!
Take part in an exciting, head-to-head fight to the finish! Witness spectacular crashes, the agony of defeat, and the sweet taste of victory! But don’t blink! It can all end in a flash!
A puzzle-platformer set in a dystopian world where the invention of a cloning device has messed things up, big time. Armed with a clone gun and a mighty fine mustache, the chore of saving THE WHOLE OF CIVILIZATION rests on your shoulders. Don’t blow it.
Step into an ethically compromised future where cloning technology has wreaked havoc on humanity – and it’s sort of all YOUR fault! As an employee of nefarious megacorp, Infinity Inc., and the inventor of its Quantic Matter Replication Device (aka the QMRD, aka the cause of the world going to hell in a handbasket), it’s up to you to sort out the mess you helped create.
Grab your cloning gun and hot-foot it through a world descending into clone-induced chaos. Create clones of yourself and use them to solve puzzles and save humanity. Get to it genius!
Isle of Jura Fishing Trip – £12.59
Be a master of fishing
Meet the locals and get your tools. Sit down or stand and wait for pike, salmon, and other smaller or bigger fish to swallow the hook.
Show everyone your trophies. Catch fish and artifacts with a fishing net or a suitable rod.
Experience some of history’s greatest stories like never before. Storyteller is an award-winning reactive puzzle game that lets you build the story.
Storyteller’s charming animations and comic-panel design allows for a unique puzzle mechanic. Use your wits to retell iconic tales — or experiment and find something new.
Play with a library full of characters and themes, featuring heroes and villains, dragons and vampires, infidelity and remorse, love, lies, madness, and more! Use the blank canvas to manipulate secrets and desires, slay monsters or terrorize people with them, betray lovers or bring them together. You know how the stories go — but this time you are the author.
Next week: MLB The Show 23, Papertris, Cannon Dancer – Osman, The Last Worker, DREDGE, Norn9: Var Commons, Assault Suits Valken DECLASSIFIED, LUNARK, Yukiiro Sign, Formula Retro Racing: World Tour, Blade Assault, Guns N’ Runs, Arcane Vale, Kraino Origins, Gripper, Like Dreamer, Pirates Outlaws, RunBean Galactic, BookyPets Legends, Billy 101, Xiaomei and the Flame Dragon’s Fist, Panda’s Village, and Kana Quest.