Back when Activision experimented with Call of Duty, rather than solely creating endless sequels to the franchise’s biggest sellers, we always hoped they’d tackle Vietnam in the way as WWII. That never happened, and given the current trajectory, it probably never will. Heck, even a sequel to Ghosts seems unlikely given the lengthy passage of time.
Fortunately, Team17 and Expression Games see the potential in creating a multiplayer shooter set during the controversial conflict, resulting in this week’s Hell Let Loose: Vietnam. We’re in for 50 vs 50 battles set within dense Unreal Engine 5-rendered jungles, with helicopters, patrol boats, and napalm galore. The ability to build tunnels should help differentiate it from similar online shooters further.
From Hell Let Loose to No More Room in Hell 2. This Green Man Gaming-published first-person shooter sees eight players battle endless undead, casting you as an emergency responder. The PC version launched in early access in 2024 and has gained numerous updates since. This 1.0 release sees it exit early access and come to PS5 and Xbox Series, greatly increasing the number of maps.
EA SPORTS Madden NFL 27 launches this week too, including on Switch 2. This year’s edition is powered by a new Persona Engine and features new short-yardage mechanics, along with a Superstar G.O.A.T. Career Journey. Look out for it on Thursday.
Another sports game set to land in the end zone is Pro Jank Footy. It follows Aussie Rules and is rife with daft power-ups, some of which hinder as much as they help. Do we even need to mention that it’s arcade-like? A new skateboarding sim is also on the cards. Skateboarding is a sport, right? Skatesterre features Dutch boarder Sterre Meijer and is inspired by genre classics — Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2, in other words. Hundreds of tricks, diverse map design, and a “killer” soundtrack are promised.
Also channelling the days of yore is Wild Blue Skies, inspired by Star Fox. In fact, developer Chuhai Labs was founded by Giles Goddard, who worked with Nintendo on the original. As such, we’re expecting something that plays remarkably similarly to the real deal. A Switch version was announced last week and is coming later this year.
Then there’s Duskfade, a new 3D action platformer with hack ’n’ slash-style combat, rail grinding, and more. Hero Zirian is out to restore the fabric of time in a world constucted with clockwork contraptions. Visually, it’s looking incredibly accomplished, full of grand vistas and environments with intricate detail.
Grounded 2 is about to march onto PS5, alongside the Into the Abyss content update, which adds underwater pond exploration. Cross-play and cross-save support are included. CloverPit — the addictive, demonic, slot-machine roguelike — and the sloppy horror romp Nightmare Shift are also set to arrive on PS5. We awarded that last one a 5/10.
Then there’s the dusty factory automation game Sandustry, mystical Metroidvania Akatori, anime-style tank battler Panzer Knights: Commander’s Edition, combat-free non-linear sewer-set adventure Plungeez, the Bomberman-inspired KABOOMANIA — which has a Chris Huelsbeck soundtrack — and the return of Defender of the Crown, aka the game that helped sell the Amiga 500. This remaster features a retro mode, a modern mode, and a kingdom mode with new features such as procedurally generated maps. Plenty of variety this week, eh?
New release trailers
Hell Let Loose: Vietnam
Grounded 2
EA SPORTS Madden NFL 27
No More Room in Hell 2
Duskfade
Wild Blue Skies
Panzer Knights: Commander’s Edition
Defender of the Crown: The Legend Returns
Pro Jank Footy
Akatori
Skatesterre
Emergency Room Simulator
Pets Survivors
Plungeez
Grave Seasons
Tower Dominion
Nightmare Shift
Lootbound
KABOOMANIA
New multiformat releases
- Hell Let Loose: Vietnam
- No More Room in Hell 2
- Duskfade
- EA SPORTS Madden NFL 27
- Panzer Knights: Commander’s Edition
- Defender of the Crown: The Legend Returns
- Wild Blue Skies
- Pro Jank Footy
- Akatori
- Skatesterre
- Emergency Room Simulator
- Plungeez
- Pets Survivors
- Grave Seasons
New on PSN
- Grounded 2
- CloverPit
- Nightmare Shift
- Nightmare Delivery
- The Three Kingdoms: Rebirth
New on Xbox Store
- Tower Dominion
- Sandustry
- Pieced Together
- Bunny Pit Berry
- Iridio
- Trash Raccoon
- Pool Cleaning Simulator
- Barkside Roads
- Idle Immortal
- KABOOMANIA
- Hidden Legends 2
- Hunahpu Quest. Mechanoid
- Lootbound
- Slime Rebellion
New Switch retail releases
eShop round-up coming Thursday
- EA SPORTS Madden NFL 27 – Switch 2
Next week: The Sinking City 2, Mortal Shell II, Starsand Island, Grim Trials, Backyard Baseball, No Case Should Remain Unsolved, Mexican Ninja, Puppergeist, Ashigaru: The Last Shogun, Driving is Hard, Dark Reflection, Yet Another Zombie Survivors, Gallipoli, Berry Bury Berry, Refate: Echoes of Desire, Psalm 5:9-13, and Archerio.