A new month is (almost) us. August isn’t looking too shabby for new releases, offering plenty of variety. Next week gives us Konami’s shoot’em up CYGNI: All Guns Blazing, pixel art action platformer Volgarr the Viking II, and the nautical adventure SteamWorld Heist II. Then towards the end of the month, there’s Quantic Dream’s Dustborn, the lavish looking Black Myth: Wukong, PS5 exclusive hero shooter Concord, smash ‘n crash racer Monster Jam Showdown, and Ubisoft’s anticipated Star Wars Outlaws.
Star Wars action is on this week’s agenda too. Star Wars: Bounty Hunter was originally released on PS2 and GameCube to tie-in with Episode II, with a storyline set before the events of the film. In this remaster, the textures are enhanced and a flashlight tool has been added. While the original didn’t receive poor reviews, neither were they exactly glowing. It was a bit run-of-the-mill if we recall.
Another imminent re-release is Tomba! Special Edition from Limited Run. Originally released on PSone, colourful platformer Tomba (aka Tombi) has become revered since its release, and consequently desirable to collectors. This re-release includes save states, a rewind tool, a new soundtrack, and an artwork gallery. Sadly though, it’s skipping Xbox.
The Xbox does however gain Roots of Pacha – the well regarded Stone Age survival sim – and the off-world colony settlement builder Quriocity.
Sword & Fairy Inn 2 also makes the jump from Switch to platforms new, being a restaurant management sim in which it’s possible to both grow and buy the ingredients needed to create dishes for the daily menu. Over the course of a year, different events unfold and friendships blossom.
Then there’s Thank Goodness You’re Here – a cartoony comedic tale set in northern England, starring a travelling salesman. EDGE awarded it an 8/10 in the most recent issue. It’s from the publishers of Untitled Goose Game, so expect a huge dollop of absurdity.
Another release flying under the radar somewhat is Deadlink – a punchy FPS with roguelite elements, described as Cyberpunk 2077 meets DOOM Eternal. The PC version from 2023 boasts ‘very positive’ reviews on Steam.
Other releases include the promising sci-fi Metroidvania MARS 2120, emotional slice-of-life sim Closer the Distance, the hoverboard-based Death Noodle Delivery, retro-style horizontal. shoot’em up Cilla, 16-bit style platformer Farlands Journey, and a re-release of Sunsoft’s ’90s big top platformer Aero the Acro-Bat.
New release trailers
Star Wars: Bounty Hunter
Thank Goodness You’re Here!
Tomba! Special Edition
Closer the Distance
Sword & Fairy Inn 2
MARS 2120
Roots of Pacha
Deadlink
Quriocity
Death Noodle Delivery
Aero the Acro-Bat
Farlands Journey
New multiformat releases
- Star Wars: Bounty Hunter
- Closer the Distance
- Sword & Fairy Inn 2
- Deadlink
- Death Noodle Delivery
- Cilla
- MARS 2120
- Aero The Acro-Bat
- Farlands Journey
New on PSN
- Tombi! Special Edition
- Thank Goodness You’re Here!
- Colorama Cubes
- The Mortuary Assistant
New on Xbox Store
- AirportSim
- Roots of Pacha
- Landnama
- Quriocity
- TENSEI
- Sugar Tanks 2
- Beastie Bay DX
- Forest Camp Story
New Switch retail releases
eShop round-up coming Thursday
- The Oregon Trail
Next week: Cat Quest III, SteamWorld Heist II, CYGNI: All Guns Blazing, Volgarr the Viking II, Arcade Paradise VR, Creatures of Ava, Seed of Life, Eden Genesis, I Want To Go To Mars, Cattie, and Pepper Grinder.