Turn10’s Forza Motorsport rolls out on the Xbox Store and Game Pass this week, following last week’s early access granting Premium Edition. Fan feedback has been mixed so far – the graphics and level of realism have gained praise, but it also allegedly feels a little lifeless, and there’s far less content than Forza diehards expected. The critical consensus was slightly different when the embargo lifted, with most outlets opting for 8/10s, resulting in an impressive 85% Metacritic score.
Soulslike Lords of the Fallen is another big name release launching this week, being a franchise reboot…of a series with only one entry. Oh. The 2014 original was a bit uneven, so perhaps it was believed best to create a distance than make a numbered sequel. This reboot is five times larger than its predecessor and packs a hefty visual clout thanks to Unreal Engine 5. The developers haven’t been coy with showing it off – YouTube is full of twenty minute long gameplay clips.
Then there’s Wild Card Football from Sabre Interactive, which appears to live up to its name – screenshots show plasma shields, UFOs, ice abilities, and more. It’s based on football of the US variety, we should note. The same goes for Axis Football 2024, the trailer for which is below.
A couple of yuletide licensed games are also out, with TRANSFORMERS: EARTHSPARK – Expedition appearing to be a straightforward action game for younger gamers, and The Grinch – Christmas Adventures offering side-scrolling platforming frolics. Our memories of Konami’s The Grinch on Dreamcast aren’t too pleasant. Brr.
Retro enthusiasts, meanwhile, can look forward to River City: Rival Showdown on PS4 and Switch, the ‘90s style shooter RedRaptor, Amico outcast ASTROSMASH, and Atari’s reimagining of Haunted House – which appears far more accomplished than the XBLA game from a decade or so ago.
Also look out for Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs for PSVR2, an PS4/Xbox release of the short but sweet adventure platformer Lil Gator Game, the bankrolling Roblox on PS4/PS5, and a belated Xbox version of The Crown of Wu – an action platformer based on Journey to the West. Hopefully it has seen improvements since its lacklustre PS5 debut.
New release trailers
Forza Motorsport
Lords of the Fallen
Wild Card Football
The Grinch – Christmas Adventures
TRANSFORMERS: EARTHSPARK – Expedition
Axis Football 2024
River City: Rival Showdown
Haunted House
Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs
Chemically Bonded
Lil Gator Game
RedRaptor
From Space
ASTROSMASH
New multiformat releases
- Wild Card Football
- SWORD ART ONLINE Last Recollection
- Haunted House
- Re.Surs
- Chemically Bonded
- Lil Gator Game
- The Grinch: Christmas Adventures
- Transformers: EarthSpark – Expedition
- RedRaptor
- Builder Simulator
- Long Gone Days
New on PSN
- River City: Rival Showdown
- Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs
- Roblox
- Honkai: Star Rail
- BLINNK and the Vacuum of Space
- Saltsea Chronicles
- Kittengumi: The Sakabato’s Thief
New on Xbox Store
- Axis Football 2024
- From Space
- Between Time: Escape Room
- The Crown of Wu
- ASTROSMASH
- Virtual Families 3: Our Country Home
- Alphadia I & II
New Switch retail releases
eShop round-up coming Thursday
- Red Dead Redemption
- The Grinch: Christmas Adventures
- Absolute Drift
- Fortnite – Transformers Pack
- Transformers: EarthSpark – Expedition
- Survivor: Castaway Island
- Talisman – 40th Anniversary Edition
- Dino Ranch
Next week: Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged, Sonic Superstars, Hellboy: Web of Wyrd, Gargoyles Remastered, A Boy and His Blob: Retro Collection, Spirit Of The Island, Inescapable: No Rules, No Rescue, Agatha Christie – Murder on the Orient Express, The 7th Guest VR, The Jackbox Party Pack 10, Skull Island: Rise of Kong, World of Horror, The Gap, Mail Time, Harmony’s Odyssey, Vlad Circus: Descend Into Madness, Kingdom Eighties, SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake (PS5, XBS), Endless Dungeon, Wizard with a Gun, Tennis On-Court, The Caligula Effect 2 (PS5), Slender: The Arrival, Mummy Pinball, Demons of Asteborg, Warm Snow, and TrinityS.