Ubisoft is no stranger to the Avatar license, creating a tie-in to the first movie back in 2009. Some fourteen years and one movie sequel later, we’re back on Pandora. Preview footage of Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora has proven impressive, suggesting the decision to leave last-gen behind was the right call. Hopefully the ability to fully explore land, air, and sea will prevent it from being just another open-world game.
We can also explore the world from a different perspective this week. Smalland: Survive the Wilds borrows from Grounded and, erm, The Borrowers, putting you in control of a ‘Smallfolk’ able to ride on insects and animals, swim vast puddles, and scale tall trees. Up to ten players can join in and survive the wilds at once. Then on PS5 there’s The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria, which is less of an action game and more of a survival/crafting adventure, taking place deep underground. The PC version didn’t arrive to the most positive of receptions.
Secret Mode’s creative top-down multiplayer racer Make Way should be hitting consoles any day now too, featuring a few unique twists on the genre.
PlayStation owners can also jump into Arizona Sunshine 2 – looking very similar to Dead Island 2, ans offering PSVR 2 support – survive the horrors of the above average Anthology of Fear, and try to climb the online leaderboards in the retro shooter DoDonPachi Blissful Death Re:Incarnation.
The Xbox isn’t without some retro action this week either. Quite a big dollop of it, in fact, with ININ bringing over much of their back catalogue including the very good Pocky & Rocky Reshrined, the Mega Drive’s Panorama Cotton, and the previously lost arcade game Clockwork Aquario.
Incidentally, the very good Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration is due a mystery content drop, with more games being added. One of these might be Berzerk, which Atari now owns the rights to.
A trio of very different RPGs are also upon us: the colourful, cartoon-like, turn-based Born Of Bread, the sci-fi flavoured Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, and the traditional affair Xuan-Yuan Sword: Mists Beyond the Mountains from eastasiasoft.
Then on Switch there’s a retail release of the excellent WORLD OF HORROR, a belated conversion of Skater XL – promising to run silky smooth – and an equally belated physical release of Fitness Boxing Fist of the North Star. Poised to fight those festive season pounds, no doubt.
New release trailers
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora
Smalland: Survive the Wilds
The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria
Born Of Bread
Arizona Sunshine 2
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader
Xuan-Yuan Sword: Mists Beyond the Mountains
While the Iron’s Hot
Laika: Aged Through Blood
Make Way
Irem Collection Volume 1
Skater XL
New multiformat releases
- Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora
- Smalland: Survive the Wilds
- Born Of Bread
- Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader
- While the Iron’s Hot
- Xuan Yuan Sword: Mists Beyond the Mountains
- Laika: Aged Through Blood
- Pesterquest
- Make Way
- Battle Stations Blockade
- Fearmonium
- T.E.S.T: Expected Behaviour
New on PSN
- The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria
- Arizona Sunshine 2 Deluxe Edition
- Ancient Dungeon VR
- DoDonPachi Blissful Death Re:Incarnation
- Hiveswap Friendsim
- Anthology of Fear
- Wall World
New on Xbox Store
- Irem Collection Volume 1
- Parkitect: Deluxe Edition
- Forklift Extreme: Deluxe Edition
- Clockwork Aquario
- Cotton 100%
- Panorama Cotton
- Pocky & Rocky Reshrined
- Ruinarch
- Ultracore
- Adventure Tanks
- Aircraft Carrier Survival
- Against the Storm
- Bestial Reception
- Happy Words
- Evil Nun: The Broken Mask
New Switch retail releases
eShop round-up coming Thursday
- STAR WARS Heritage Pack
- WORLD OF HORROR
- Skater XL
- Fitness Boxing Fist of the North Star
Next week: Bahnsen Knights, Vertigo 2, Bear and Breakfast, Hammerwatch II, Hammerwatch Anniversary Edition, Raccoo Venture, Cookie Cutter, Hell Well, Hidden Paws, Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising Standard Edition, CUSTOM MECH WARS, Rising Dusk Aztek Tiki Talisman, Not For Broadcast: VR, Stickman’s Arena, Towers and Powers, HARDCORE MECHA, Trinity Fusion, Dungeons of Sundaria, and Cards We’re Dealt.