Steady your wallets, as numerous big name titles are vying for your hard-earned cash this week. This should make for an interesting UK retail chart next Monday, with a handful of titles destined to set tills ringing. Or couriers out delivering, which is more likely the case these days.
Dragon’s Dogma 2 is something long requested, and at one point didn’t seem likely to happen – the original launched way back in 2012. The DD series bares western RPG tropes – the kind found in Magic the Gathering, and Dungeon & Dragons – but has the tact and polish of a Japanese production, along with unique touches you wouldn’t find in something like a Bethesda RPG. On first glance, it seems a bit limited, with AI controlled Pawns instead of full online play and a combat system seemingly yanked from a hack ‘n slash. But then the magic happens, and you’re absorbed into a world where it feels like anything can happen – unscripted giant monster attacks included. This sequel looks set to improve on every single aspect, and doubtlessly, it’ll cross the 1m sales milestone far sooner than the original.
On the subject of Capcom, THQ Nordic’s Alone in the Dark – originally due in January – looks set to put a Resident Evil 4 style spin on the long-running franchise, featuring a similar behind-the shoulder perspective. The story is set in Louisiana, involving Emily Hartwood and Edward Carnby exploring an asylum shrouded in intrigue. It’s up against Shines Over: The Damned, another dark horror adventure with a surreal plot.
Then there’s Princess Peach: Showtime on Switch, the second game to star Super Mario’s long time love interest after 2005’s Super Princess Peach. Expect it to play similarly to recent Kirby and Yoshi games in terms of difficulty, with this rumoured to be from Good-Feel, the studio behind Kirby’s Epic Yarn. For whatever reason, Nintendo hasn’t officially revealed the developer yet, suggesting people should play it and find out for themselves. Oh.
Over on PS5 there’s Koei Tecmo/Team Ninja’s Rise of the Ronin – published by Sony themselves. Set in the 19th century, it looks set to offer a mixture of Ghost of Tsushima, Nioh, and Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty. Hi-Fi RUSH comes to PS5 too, allowing a new audience to sample its delightful rhythm-based combat and fresh cartoony visuals. Then following a popular beta, FINAL FANTASY XIV Online comes to Xbox officially on March 21st.
Other releases include the annual sporting update MLB The Show 24, an early access release of the off-planet open-world farming adventure Lightyear Frontier, NIS America’s 3DS revival The Legend of Legacy HD Remastered, a console release of House Flipper 2, and the electro-metal rhythm platformer Krimson – which is giving me a headache just looking at it.
New release trailers
Dragon’s Dogma 2
Alone in the Dark
Rise of the Ronin
Princess Peach: Showtime!
Hi-Fi RUSH (PS5)
FINAL FANTASY XIV Online (Xbox)
MLB The Show 24
Lightyear Frontier
The Legend of Legacy HD Remastered
Shines Over: The Damned
House Flipper 2
Stunt Paradise
Krimson
New multiformat releases
- Dragon’s Dogma 2
- Alone in the Dark
- MLB The Show 24
- Master Maker 3D Ultimate
- Stunt Paradise
- Tram Simulator Urban Transit
New on PSN
- Rise of the Ronin
- Hi-Fi RUSH
- The Legend of Legacy HD Remastered
- Kingdoms and Castles
- Hyper Turbo Boost
- Krimson
- Shines Over: The Damned
- Duggy
- Mystic Pillars – Remastered
- Arcade Archives MOUSER
New on Xbox Store
- FINAL FANTASY XIV Online
- House Flipper 2
- Ikonei Island: An Earthlock Adventure
- Lightyear Frontier (Game Preview)
- Power of Ten
- Scott Whiskers in: the Search for Mr. Fumbleclaw
- DARKGEMS (Xbox Series)
- Gambit Shifter
- Space Moves
New Switch retail releases
eShop round-up coming Thursday
- Princess Peach: Showtime!
- The Legend of Legacy HD Remastered
- Plate Up!
Next week: South Park Snow Day, Planet Zoo: Console Edition, Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles, Grandia HD Collection, Terra Memoria, Radirgy 2, Felix the Cat, Richman 11, A Tale of Paper: Refolded, Farming Simulator Kids, Outward DE (Switch), Re:Touring, 7 Days Heroes, Forest Farm, Fortress S, OTXO, and Sunny Café.