We’ve never fully understood why lots of new releases launch close to Valentine’s Day. Potential gifts? Something for couples to play together? A pastime for singletons? Or perhaps it’s simply six weeks until the end of the financial year. It’s a real mystery.
This week, we can get High On Life once again in Squanch Games’ anticipated sequel. That’s unless you happen to own a Switch 2, as that version isn’t due until April. This world-hopping adventure involves taking down a pharmaceutical conglomerate threatening human life. New features include dialogue options for the talking alien weaponry, skateboard traversal, and a greatly expanded hub. Five retro games are being stashed away too, including the NES’ Bible Adventures. So that’s something to look forward to.
The Switch 2 does however gain Mario Tennis Fever, boasting 38 playable characters, over 30 rackets with various abilities, and commentary provided by the Talking Flower. Erie adventure REANIMAL, from the creators of Little Nightmares and its sequel, also comes to Switch 2 as well as other formats. The story sees a brother and sister trek across an island in search of their friends, using a boat for traversal.
SEGA’s back with Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties, which add a new tale starring Yoshitaka Mine, featuring boxing-based combat. This too includes a handful of playable retro games, including the Game Gear’s Sonic Chaos, Streets of Rage, Woody Pop, Columns and more. Arcade games meanwhile include Emergency Call Ambulance, SlashOut, and Magical Truck Adventure – a rail cart racer, on-rails by default.
Perfectly timed, there’s Romeo is a Dead Man – the latest gory hack ‘n slash from Grasshopper Manufacturer. After joining the Space-Time Police, our titular hero is tasked with tracking down his girlfriend, Juilet, across…space and time. Combat combines ranged and melee attacks, while many of the upgrade systems involve playing mini-games.
A couple of horror games are due too. Crisol: Theater of Idols is a first-person action game starring a soldier who can use his blood as a weapon, while Wales Interactive’s Heart of the Forest is an interactive psychological horror. We aren’t without some romance either, with Revenge On Gold Diggers featuring 472 minutes of cinematic footage and themes of deceit, while Speed Dates provides 18 potential female partners to woo. Remember to tell them their blouse looks smashing.
Then there’s RIDE 6 – with new off road tracks – the 2D roguelite spin-off BlazBlue Entropy Effect X, dark fantasy strategy RPG Disciples: Domination, gamebook adventure Down Among the Dead Men, the paint mixing puzzler ChromaGun 2: Dye Hard, the literal money laundering sim Cash Cleaner Simulator, and a PS5/Xbox Series release of Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma – which was a Switch 2 launch title originally.
New release trailers
High On Life 2
Mario Tennis Fever
REANIMAL
Romeo is a Dead Man
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties
BlazBlue Entropy Effect X
RIDE 6
Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma
Crisol: Theater of Idols
Cash Cleaner Simulator
ChromaGun 2: Dye Hard
Disciples: Domination
Heart of the Forest
Roadside Research
Revenge On Gold Diggers
New multiformat releases
- High On Life 2
- Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties
- Romeo is a Dead Man
- BlazBlue Entropy Effect X
- RIDE 6
- REANIMAL
- Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma
- Crisol: Theater of Idols
- Cash Cleaner Simulator
- Heart of the Forest
- Disciples: Domination
- Down Among the Dead Men
- Clue: Murder By Death
- Centipede Gun
- Revenge On Gold Diggers
New on PSN
- ChromaGun 2: Dye Hard
- Pure Pool Pro
- Speed Dates
- A living house
- Kuky Adventure
- Memory Holder: The Colors II
- Adrenaline Rush
- Corner Kitchen Fast Food Simulator
New on Xbox Store
- Relooted
- Roadside Research (Game Preview)
- Monterey Jack
- Sleeping Beauty: Hidden Object Game
- PopSlinger Vol. 2 – Loveless
- Sokobear Cave
- Backrooms: Poolrooms
- Cinemoji Collection
- Guess the Flag! – World Flags Quiz
- Puzzle Book
- Real Cake Maker
- Zumba World – The Crazy Marble Dimension
New Switch retail releases
eShop round-up coming Thursday
- Mario Tennis Fever
- Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties
- REANIMAL Deluxe Edition
- Totally Reliable Delivery Service – Definitive Edition
Next week: Avowed (PS5), Styx: Blades of Greed, Ys X: Proud Nordics, Gear Club Unlimited 3, WiZmans World Re;Try, Death Match Love Comedy, Calamity Angels: Special Delivery, Hex Park, HeadHunters, Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown, Backrooms Level X, KLETKA, Manairons, Prize Fighter: Heavyweight Edition, Horror Tale 2: 4k Remaster, Vampire Therapist, Under The Island, The Stairwell, Book of Korvald, Baladins, Death Howl, Metro Sim Hustle, and LOVE ETERNAL.