Square-Enix has expressed concerns about Final Fantasy XVI’s pre-orders falling short. The fact that it’s a PS5 exclusive, skipping both the PS4 and Xbox One/Xbox Series, may have something to do with this. Or perhaps nobody wants to spend 50+ hours with a hero named Clive.
Joking aside (and apologies to anyone called Clive) Final Fantasy XVI could very well become one of 2023’s highest-scoring games – the demo was met with praise from fans, describing it as a return to form with traditional, grounded, fantasy elements. It’s also hard to dislike a game that grants the protagonist a canine companion.
While the Xbox misses out on Final Fantasy, there are plenty of other new releases. These include the tactical Aliens: Dark Descent, anticipated expansion The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom, the 4v4 teamwork-based Crash Team Rumble – launching at £24.99 – and Don’t Nod’s humanity ending Harmony: The Fall of Reverie. Indeed, considering the time of year it’s a curiously busy week.
We aren’t done yet, as we can also expect the intriguing puzzle adventure The Bookwalker: Thief of Tales – which entails leaping into famous books to steal priceless artifacts – the match-four puzzle spin-off Dr. Fetus’ Mean Meat Machine, Metroidvania Skautfold: Usurper, and the explorative island management game Nova Lands.
The Xbox additionally gains the top-down crafting/bee-keeping sim APICO, and arcade-style rhythm game LOUD: My Road to Fame. Then back on PSN there’s the promising Cosmic Smash sequel C-Smash VRS for PSVR2, the eagerly awaited Rogue Legacy 2 – due on PS Plus at launch – VR shooter Hubris, and a belated release of the parody-filled The Last Hero of Nostalgaia.
In addition to the usual assortment of 20+ eShop titles, the Switch gains the multiformat magical school management RPG Valthirian Arc: Hero School Story 2 and Sonic Origins Plus – which adds a selection of the hedgehog’s Game Gear titles. We would have rather had full-screen Master System games, all told.
And yes, this does indeed mean there’s a choice between buying Dr. Fetus’ Mean Meat Machine and Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine this week. Amazing.
New release trailers
Final Fantasy XVI
Aliens: Dark Descent
The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom
Crash Team Rumble
C-Smash VRS
The Bookwalker: Thief of Tales
Sonic Origins Plus
Dr. Fetus’ Mean Meat Machine
Valthirian Arc: Hero School Story 2
Rogue Legacy 2
Hubris
Harmony: The Fall of Reverie
The Last Hero of Nostalgaia
Nova Lands
Skautfold: Usurper
APICO
LOUD: My Road to Fame
New multiformat releases
- Aliens: Dark Descent
- Crash Team Rumble
- Sonic Origins Plus
- The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom
- Dr. Fetus’ Mean Meat Machine
- Harmony: The Fall of Reverie
- Skautfold: Usurper
- Tricks Magician
- Nova Lands
- The Bookwalker: Thief of Tales
- Robolt
New on PSN
- FINAL FANTASY XVI
- C-Smash VRS
- Valthirian Arc: Hero School Story 2
- Rogue Legacy 2
- The Last Hero of Nostalgaia
- Neko Secret Homecoming Light
- Mighty Mage
- Hubris
New on Xbox Store
- Crown of the Empire
- Envasion
- LOUD: My Road to Fame
- Alice Sisters
- APICO
- Gravity Thrust
- Time Of War, Arkano’90
- Unimime – Unicycle Madness
New Switch retail releases
eShop round-up coming Thursday
- Valthirian Arc: Hero School Story 2
- Sonic Origins Plus
- Pretty Princess Magical Garden Island
- Alchemic Cutie
Next week: AEW: Fight Forever, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective, Everybody 1-2-Switch, Story of Seasons: A Wonderful life, RayStorm x RayCrisis HD Collection, Front Mission 1st Remake, Inner Ashes, Enclave HD, Raging Bytes, Reverie: Sweet As Edition, NOOB – The Factionless, Classic Racers Elite, I’LL KILL HER, SOULVARS, Your Computer Might Be At Risk, Destroy All Humans! 2 – Reprobed Single Player, Xicatrice, Goodbye World, Shootvaders: The Beginning, and Doom & Destiny Worlds.