New Releases: January 25th-31st, 2024

This week, Switch owners face a trifecta of sinful shovelware with Evil Nun, Devil Inside Us, and Selling Souls. Fortunately, those aren’t the only titles arriving over the next seven days, as Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Granblue Fantasy: Relink (pictured), and Tekken 8 are all arriving.

PlayStation 4
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy (digital, $49.99)
Arcade Archives: Rainbow Islands (digital, $7.99)
Brotato (digtial, $4.99)
Dark Light (digtial, $TBA)
Granblue Fantasy: Relink (physical & digital, $59.99)
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (physical & digital, $69.99)
Starward Rogue (digital, $14.49)
The Adventures of Panzer: Legacy Collection (digital, $8.99)

PlayStation 5
Granblue Fantasy: Relink (physical & digital, $59.99)
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (physical & digital, $69.99)
Tekken 8 (physical & digital, $69.99)
The Lost Legends of Redwall: The Scout – Anthology (digital, $TBA)

Switch
Anomaly Agent (digital, $12.74)
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy (digital, $49.99)
Arcade Tycoon (digital, $19.99)
Big Watermelon Match (digital, $1.99)
Boaty Tanks 2 (digital, $6.99)
Brain Memory Training Academy (digital, $4.99)
Chip’s Challenge (digital, $2.99)
Counter Shooter Strike Zone (digital, 11.99)
Dead Tomb (digital, $4.99)
Devil Inside Us: Roots of Evil (digital, $14.99)
Eggconsole Yokai Tanei PC-8801 (digital, $6.49)
Evil Nun: The Broken Mask (digital, $17.99)
Grotto (digital, $12.99)
Hidden Through Time 2: Myths & Magic (digital, $12.99)
Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal (digital, $24.99)
Jett Rider (digital, $12.49)
Kobolok (digital, $3.99)
Kubic (digital, $3.99)
Miniland Adventure (digital, $10.99)
Negligee (digital, $9.99)
Oops, I Said Yes?! (digital, $29.99)
Post-Apocalyptic Old Man (digital, $2.40)
PuzzlePet: Feed Your Cat (digital, $4.99)
Jett Rider (digital, $12.49)
Selling Souls (digital, $2.99)
Seven (digital, $3.99)
SciFi Racer Simulator (digital, $9.99)
Silver Falls – Guardians And Metal Exterminators S (digital, $20.99)
Starward Rogue (digital, $14.49)
Sweets Drop (digital, $2.49)
The Adventures of Panzer: Legacy Collection (digital, $8.99)
Turret Rampage (digital, $4.99)
UFO: Henfield (digital, $8.99)
Under Night In-Birth II Sys:Celes (digital, $49.99)
Zombie Football Simulator (digital, $9.99)

Xbox One
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy (physical & digital, $49.99)
Brotato (digtial, $4.99)
Dead Tomb (digtial, $4.99)
Go Mecha Ball (digtial, $17.99)
Jett Rider (digital, $12.49)
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (physical & digital, $69.99)
Starward Rogue (digital, $13.49)

PC
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy ($49.99)
Atelier Resleriana: Forgotten Alchemy and the Polar Night Liberator (Free-to-play)
Corsairs Legacy – Pirate Action RPG & Sea Battles ($TBA)
Go Mecha Ball ($17.99)
Granblue Fantasy: Relink  ($59.99)
Into the Necrovale  ($TBA)
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth ($69.99)
Jett Rider ($9.74)
Kurone’s Feelings ~Apprentice Witch of Starfall Village~  ($TBA)
Phantom Abyss ($9.99)
Rin: The Last Child ($15.99)
Tekken 8 ($69.99)
Speed Crew ($TBA)
Unforetold: Witchstone ($31.49)
Zero Grounds (free to play)

Rob’s Pick: RGG Studio has consistently offered some perceptive insights on contemporary society, snuck into their pulpy tales of honor and duty. And while some reviewers have grumbled about Infinite Wealth’s introductory chapter, I thoroughly love it (as well as the rest of the game). Games have excelled at reproducing larger-than-life moments. But they sometimes struggle to reflect the subtleties of our reality. But here, witnessing Ichiban getting snubbed when saying goodbye to his coworkers or the agony of getting friendzoned is palpable, demonstrating games can be a tool for empathy.  Don’t worry, it’s not all about emotions. But there are moments when Infinite Wealth feels more like an indie flick than a summer blockbuster.

A few months ago, I had the opportunity to play Granblue Fantasy: Relink and speak to the developers. Naturally, they put me in the middle of an action sequence that showed off the game’s action, which was engaging and visually impressive. But coming from Yasuyuki Kaji, the director of titles like Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance and Bayonetta, passionate battles aren’t surprising. But a hands-on with the final build is showing what’s unexpected: a lot of smart innovations. Don’t care to delve into the details of Granblue’s storyline? Skipping cinematic sequences delivers a succinct summary of what you’re missing. Alternatively, if you’re just here for the characters, Full Assist mode provides the visual fireworks but significantly moderates the level of challenge. My only concern is the game’s single-player scaling. Relink seems intended for teams and I hope things are endurable when playing with CPU allies.

Ryan’s pick: I recently had a chance to play the Tekken 8 demo and really enjoyed it so I’m going to make that my official pick for the week. Admittedly, I haven’t had a chance to play some of the more recent Tekken games, but one thing that really made Tekken 8 stand out against previous versions for me were the attacks and the effects associated with them were impressive and made my character feel pretty powerful even though I was haphazardly smashing buttons. In general, the animation and visuals looked great, and the over-the-top cut scenes helped enhance the whole experience. Kazuya walking right out of that helicopter crash made me laugh out loud, and I was like, yep, this is Tekken.

The Atelier series and I go way back, so I think that Atelier Resleriana: Forgotten Alchemy and the Polar Night Liberator could be worth a look. Over the years I have come to really enjoy various free-to-play games and think that there’s more than enough really likable characters that I can see this model working for this series. Overall I think this could be a lot of fun and a reason to continue to resist diving into Honkai: Star Rail for me. Speaking of Mihoyo games, there’s exactly one week left for those playing Genshin Impact to pick up Raiden Shogun, good luck if you are wishing for her!

Matt S’ pick (editor, DigitallyDownloaded): Dear God, there are so many games. Take a chill pill, 2024. It’s not even February yet.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is arguably the finest game by RGG Studio since Yakuza 0. Remember the game that made the entire world fall in love with the series? Yeah, Infinite Wealth is like that. The Hawaiian location is as blissfully tropical as Sydney feels right now, yet the dark underbelly behind the paradise gives the game an exceptional contrast. Backed up by masterful performances and a page-turner plot, this is everything you’ve ever loved about Yakuza, just refined to an even greater shine.

Meanwhile, yes, Atelier Resleriana: Forgotten Alchemy and the Polar Night Liberator is free-to-play, but it’s pretty Atelier girls, and it’s, you know, Atelier, so therefore I’m almost certainly going to love it on some level. Swimsuit costumes will be enough to earn the 5/5 there!

Finally, I have been looking forward to Granblue Fantasy: Relink for a long time. I loved the fighting game by Arc System Works, and indeed I love everything about Granblue Fantasy… except for the fact that it’s a free-to-play mobile game. Giving us a proper RPG set in the universe is almost certainly going to go down well with me. If I can find the time for it. Why are there so many game releases already!?!