New Releases: February 17th-23rd, 2022

This week, PlatinumGames’ updates Nichibutsu’s long-lapsed Cresta series, the Ezio Collection arrives on Switch, and King of Fighters XV updates the series with the use of the Unreal Engine as well as employing GGPO rollback for online matches.  If none of the those seem interesting, Monark offers supernatural, school-based investigations, while Tsuki ni Yorisou Otome no Sahou explores the world of fashion.

Header: Tsuki ni Yorisou Otome no Sahou, PC

PlayStation 4
Destiny 2: The Witch Queen (digital, $39.99-$249.99)
Horizon Forbidden West (physical & digital, $59.99)
Monster Crown (physical, $29.99)
Sol Cresta (digital, $39.99-$49.99)
The King of Fighters XV (physical & digital, $59.99)
Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden (digital, $29.99)

Switch
Assassin’s Creed The Ezio Collection (digital, $39.99)
BigChick (digital, $4.99)
Duggy (digital, $6.99)
Edge Of Eternity (digital, $26.99)
For The Warp (digital, $16.19)
Fluffy Cubed  (digital, $3.99)
From Heaven to Earth (digital, $9.99)
Gem Wizards Tactics (digital, $12.99)
Gravity Runner (digital, $9.99)
Light Up the Room (digital, $9.99)
Mages and Treasures (digital, $4.99)
Monark (digital, $59.99)
Mr Maker 3D Level Editor (digital, $3.00)
Red Colony 3 (digital, $6.99)
Rover Mechanic Simulator (digital, $11.99)
Sol Cresta (digital, $39.99-$49.99)
The Table Game (digital, $14.99)
Trash Sailors (digital, $TBA)
Upaon: A Snake’s Journey (digital, $2.99)
Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden (digital, $29.99)

Xbox One
Choice of Life: Middle Ages (digital, $4.24)
Destiny 2: The Witch Queen (digital, $39.99-$249.99)
Dr. Oil (digital, $4.99)
From Heaven to Earth (digital, $6.99)
Monster Crown (physical, $29.99)
Super Toy Cars Offroad (digital, $16.99)

PC
Battle Ready ($19.99)
Being Loved ($TBA)
Blade & Sword ($TBA)
Final Fantasy VI ($14.49)
Holdfast: Frontlines WW1 (free to play)
Mechs V Kaijus – Tower Defense ($10.91)
Spaceflight Simulator ($TBA)
SpellMaster: The Saga ($18.74)
Teamkill ($8.24)
The King of Fighters XV ($59.99)
Time Rift ($9.99)
Tiny Combat Arena ($TBA)
Total War: Warhammer III ($59.99)
Tsuki ni Yorisou Otome no Sahou ($TBA)
Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden ($29.99)

Rob’s Pick: I’m glad that NIS America is taking a chance with Monark. Much like the Caligula Effect titles, it’s one of those remarkably cerebral games. When I feel that the industry’s output is becoming increasingly commodified and vapid, these are the kind of games that renew optimism. This is far from being a surefire hit, so it’s great to see a publisher taking a chance by localizing it.

It’s not a perfect game by any means, and I’m currently growing a bit fatigued by the game’s investigative elements. However, combat is consistently enjoyable and the plot tackles some surprisingly poignant subjects. These are the kind of issues that aren’t often addressed by more mainstream games, which is one of the reasons why we need more experiences like Monark. I enjoy media that makes me think, and the game’s allusions to Adlerian Psychology, with actions driven to compensate for feelings of inferiority, is giving my brain a decent workout.

But occasionally, I feel the need to blow off a little steam and blow some shit up. And while dogfights are always fun, I always get a thrill from a perfectly executed bombing run. Wiping out a procession of targets through a mix of skillful flying and a bit of basic trigonometry is an evening well spent, so I’ll be grabbing Tiny Combat Arena.

Matt S’ pick (Editor, DigitallyDownloaded): I always figured that I’d enjoy Monark. I didn’t realise that I would enjoy it this much. This game is dark, smart, and very much the kind of game that I go hunting for as the reason that I play video games. It’s art, innit? It’s also one of those games that the industry and critical body is woefully underequipped to manage, as it’s not really a thing you can give a “buy/don’t buy” rating on based on how entertaining it is to press buttons, so unfortunately you’re going to see review scores and hot takes that are all over the place with this one, but if you do enjoy your smart games with a dash of philosophy and psychology, then don’t overlook this one.

I’m also a big fan of Total War Warhammer, so I’m looking forward to the third chapter there (though I have no idea when I’ll have the actual time to play it… if ever). My other pick for the week, though, is Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden. The first entry in this series was exceptional, and I love what they’re doing with the “modular” approach to storytelling with these releases. It’s like buying Dungeons & Dragons adventure books, and I absolutely love that.

Also, the girl in this game is a twintails with green hair. God bless, Square Enix. God bless.

Ryan’s Pick: MicroProse gave me so much PC enjoyment in the 90s, with one of my favorites being Star Trek: The Next Generation – A Final Unity. It was a point and click adventure game, and every time you’d click in an area while trying to figure out what to do Geordi LaForge would say “It didn’t work.” I heard him say this thousands of times, so thank you MicroProse – it’s still funny to me, even to this day. My pick this week goes to this publisher’s latest flight simulator game TIny Combat Arena.

From the way the explosions are animated, to the jet models and dogfighting, Tiny Combat Arena really captures some of the early 90s simulator game nostalgia for me and immediately unlocked forgotten memories of me playing my favorite jet fighter series of the era. Although it was not a MicroProse game, I spent countless 486DX2 hours on Jetfighter II trying to dogfight and or land on aircraft carriers. Landing was always a white-knuckled adventure. Luckily landings weren’t as bad as say Top Gun on NES though, and it was just a lot of fun figuring out the controls and what each key did exactly on the keyboard. I absolutely want to give this game a try, as the genre is really a blast once you can figure out the control scheme. Getting there just takes a little bit of patience.

Matt R’s pick (editor, Shindig): Throw another vote in for Monark (quelle surprise). FuRyu is quickly becoming one of my favourite developers; everything they make is so thought-provoking and genuinely interesting, in a medium that is, by and large, quite risk-averse. You can see The Caligula Effect’s DNA in Monark’s style and fascination with the intersection between technology and psychology, but it also takes some darker, more eerie turns. Experimental twists instill a sense of tension that’s rare in a JRPG, while also creating some fascinating character growth systems out of psychological quizzes that range from humorous to unsettling.

I’m also curious about Sol Cresta. I’ll admit I’ve never played Moon Cresta or Terra Cresta (which I really should rectify, given they’re both readily available through Arcade Archives) but the though of a Platinum-developed shoot-’em-up is more than a little exciting. With three different ships under your command that you can combine or split into different formations at will, I’m expecting plenty of depth and room for creative play, backed by a classic arcade vibe and Platinum’s unparalleled mastery of responsive, immensely satisfying action.

And lastly, just quickly, Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden. I wasn’t expecting a sequel to Yoko Taro’s neat take on card-based RPGs, and certainly not mere months after The Isle Dragon Roars dropped, but I’m certainly not complaining.