Last weekend we started working on a feature detailing the vast number of publishers who’ve handled the long-running Armored Core series. Partway through, though, we noticed it wasn’t amounting to much more than a glorified list – prompting a swift push of the ‘delete’ key. It was at least surprising to find just how many Armored Core games released over the years, most of which saw a change in publisher – SEGA, Ubisoft, 505 Games, and even Sony have handled the mech-mangling franchise.
Armored Core VI Fires of Rubicon has landed into the lap of Bandai-Namco, which seems logical seeing they’ve published From Software’s past works for the last couple of generations. It’s easy to imagine Dark Souls players taking an interest in Fires of Rubicon – and lots of them – but we’re not sure if it’ll offer a similarly deep and nuanced experience outside of its lore. It’s frontloaded with massive mechs and explosions, for starters. We’re still expecting big things, effortlessly becoming the fastest entry in the series to date. A possible million seller before the month’s end.
EA is also back with Immortals of Aveum – a first-person shooter headed by ex-Dead Space and Call of Duty developers, which replaces shotguns with spells. It appears to be a looker, as well as delightfully over the top. The novelty of spellcasting via elaborate animations may soon wane, mind.
Following on from last week’s double-whammy of Gord and Moving Out 2 comes Blasphemous 2 from Team17. The original – a side-scrolling Metroidvania Souslike – became a sleeper hit, and this sequel appears to be greatly expanded. The Metacritic score sits at an impressive 87%.
We’re well into the annual sporting update season now, with RIDE 5 making its debut this week. This year’s entry is built for current-gen systems and has AI based riding aids so that anyone can jump in and master the skills required to stay on track. PS5 owners can also expect the condensed sci-fi narrative thriller Fort Solis – an episodic affair, similar to Telltale’s The Expanse – and the PSVR2 shooter Firewall Ultra.
Then there’s a PS4/Xbox One releases of the surprisingly good Smurfs Kart, retro shoot’em up RedRaptor, pixel art fantasy RPG Virgo Versus the Zodiac, and the Roguelike chess game Shotgun King: The Final Checkmate. Too silly for chess nuts? Don’t worry as there’s Chess Royal. Saints Row gains its promising A Song of Ice and Dust DLC, too.
And after last minute delays, the wrestling role-player WrestleQuest and the retro shooter Rise of the Triad: Ludicrous Edition should be with us – although don’t quote us on the latter, as there’s no official confirmation, just sightings.
Next week might end up being potentially expensive for some, with both the early-access granting Baldur’s Gate 3 Deluxe Edition and Starfield Premium Edition due. Steady your wallets.
New release trailers
Immortals of Aveum
Armored Core VI Fires of Rubicon
Blasphemous 2
RIDE 5
Fort Solis
WrestleQuest
Firewall Ultra
Saints Row: Song of Ice and Dust
Smurfs Kart
Virgo Versus the Zodiac
Ashina: The Red Witch
RedRaptor
Mirrored Souls
DPS Idle
New multiformat releases
- Immortals of Aveum
- Armored Core VI Fires of Rubicon
- RIDE 5
- Blasphemous 2
- WrestleQuest
- Rise of the Triad: Ludicrous Edition
- Smurfs Kart
- Chess Royal
- Virgo Versus The Zodiac
- Shotgun King: The Final Checkmate
- Ashina: The Red Witch
- RedRaptor
- The Expanse: A Telltale Series – Episode 3
- Saints Row: A Song of Ice and Dust
New on PSN
- Fort Solis
- Firewall Ultra
- I’m in Love With Your Dead Grandmother
- Mr. Hibbl: The Lost Levels – PS4 & PS5
- Alice Escaped!
- LogiKing
New on Xbox Store
- No Place Like Home
- Mirrored Souls
- Heavenly Bodies
- King of the Hat
- Zombie Derby
- DPS Idle
- Overdriven Evolution
- Tanky Tanks 2
- Truth
New Switch retail releases
eShop round-up coming Thursday
- Blasphemous 2
- Loop Hero
Next week: Baldur’s Gate 3 Deluxe Edition, Starfield Premium Edition, Samba de Amigo: Party Central, The Bridge Curse: Road to Salvation, LAPIN, Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy, Taito Milestones 2, The Making of Karateka, Sea of Stars, Agatha Christie – Hercule Poirot: The London Case, Under The Waves, Goodbye Volcano High, Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle, How 2 Escape, Somerville, Tenebris Pictura, Bomb Rush Cyberfunk, Crossfire: Sierra Squad, Rhapsody: Marl Kingdom Chronicles, War Hospital, DREAMERS, and Otoko Cross: Pretty Boys Dropout!