Personal Picks
I've been wanting a way to get some images into these posts to make it a bit less of a wall of text, so from this week I've decided to move a few choice bits of news out of the wall and into here. This is the stuff I'm personally keeping an eye on and that interests me, so I can't guarantee it's a perfect collection of news. Having said that, it's a bit extra for your weekly check in.
Top of the charts this week is the brilliant poker-inspired roguelike Balatro getting an Android and iOS release later this month. For those who have somehow slept on this hit (notably the 5th highest scoring title of 2024 on Metacritic), this is an easy game to pick up. You start with a regular deck of cards and aim to hit scores by playing known poker hands.
As you progress, you gain access to an assortment of special Joker cards to boost your score, along with the ability to slowly warp your deck to your liking. Wanting a deck that focuses on flushes? You can make that. Want a deck that'll rip out not just four of a kinds, but five of a kinds each hand? That's on the cards. Every run is unique, and even after more than 60 hours I keep coming back for more. It's a perfect fit for a mobile game, though one I would really hope has some way to keep your progress from other platforms. Time will tell, but if you're yet to buy it either way, this is a great place to jump in.
Next up is Baldur's Gate 3 with its seventh major update. Now I'll be open, I've still not beaten the game yet. I put in 50 or so hours on launch week and then just had other things come up; this new patch is something that might pull me back though. Outside of adding new "evil endings" to the game and revamping the split-screen gameplay for those couch co-op lovers out there, Larian are introducing their very own mod manager.
This should streamline the experience of modding the game, and it's always great to see a developer so accepting of a community's creations. There are some guidelines to be aware of, which you can find here if you happen to be a mod creator yourself, but I'm excited all the same to return to the Sword Coast.
On the hardware side I was absolutely elated to see a new device on the horizon from reMarkable in the form of the reMarkable Paper Pro. Unveiled with a scheduled event on YouTube, the device really takes a leap for e-ink note-taking, complete with a colour screen and frontlight. I know where I've covered e-ink devices in the past, both of those things have been a pretty big deal for some people, so some of you might just be as excited as I am.
It does come at a cost though; the device is available to order now starting at a hefty £559 for just the tablet and pen. Is it worth it? While I can't say without the device in hand, I can at least appreciate that pretty much everything about the Paper Pro is bespoke to the device. This is a premium device that seems to be at the cutting edge of e-ink note taking. If that's something you're into, I can see it being worth it just as the reMarkable 2 was to some. With some luck I'll be reviewing the device in the near future, so keep an eye out!
Finally to round off my picks, I have something a little smaller in the fact Atelier Yumia got a new trailer. This might not be so noteworthy for some, and I can appreciate that, the game did only get announced recently anyway. It looks great though, what can I say? Since the first Ryza game it's been great to see Atelier being more mainstream, and it seems like Yumia is on track to keep that momentum. The series is coming to the Xbox for the first time, all I could really ask for now is an English dub for the voice acting. I don't think it's happening, but I can hope all the same. The Japanese cast sound great in the trailer either way.
New Game Announcements
Pre-Launch Updates
Post-Launch Updates & DLC
Hardware & Accessories
Oddball Extras
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Skyward Extraction
Developer: Naughty Clogs
Publisher: Naughty Clogs
Genres: Action, Adventure, Roguelike
Platforms: Steam
Release Date: September 24th
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➤ Bandai Namco have announced that Guilty Gear Strive is coming to the Switch; originally released in 2021 on PC and other systems and was received positively (Trailer)
➤ Kill the Shadow gets new trailer showing off its dark world alongside gameplay; game has you wandering the "gritty" streets of Darkwater using deduction and persuasion to investigate murders (Trailer)
➤ Story-driven VR shooter Grit Alone gets a November release date; game was originally scheduled to launch this month on Meta Quest 2 and 3
➤ Vampire: The Masquerade - Reckoning of New York gets September 10th release date; game to launch on all modern consoles and PC (Steam)
➤ Nails Noir: Rebel Rush to release September 16th; features double-jumping cars that can dash and bounce off buildings with a heavy focus on speedrunning (Steam)
➤ Retro game streaming service Antstream adds two PS1 titles ahead of the launch of its PS4 and PS5 app; the games in question are Worms Armageddon and Motor Mash
➤ Capcom's upcoming fighting compilations are confirmed to be coming to Xbox in 2025 after some "technical discussions" with Microsoft; these two compilations are set to launch on Switch, PS4, and PC later this month
➤ Much-anticipated neo-noir mystery game Phoenix Springs has been delayed to October 7th; game was originally set to launch September 16th, with the studio founder saying they need "some extra time to get the game ready for release" (Trailer)
➤ Map Map, a game that you might have struggled to guess is about maps, gets a new commentated video showing off the Gamescom demo by the developers; the demo sees you explore to find landmarks, and use them to orient yourself and pinpoint various objects (Trailer)
➤ A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead gets a new developer diary video showcasing the role of sound design in the upcoming horror game; game is set to launch on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S October 17th (Develoepr Diary)
➤ Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns gets a new trailer showing off the upcoming character Sektor, one of six new playable characters; game to launch digitally September 24th on PC, Switch, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S (Trailer)
➤ "Mario Kart meets SEGA Saturn" in Parking Garage Rally Circuit when it comes to PC September 20th; if the game hits 50,000 sales a Switch version is planned, with quite remarkably a SEGA Saturn version promised at the 100,000 mark (Trailer)
➤ Looney Tunes: Wacky World of Sports launches on all major consoles and PC September 27th; features four "action-packed sports" not unlike Mario Sports Mix on the Wii (Trailer)
➤ Frostpunk 2 unveils a new feature in "multiple colonies" as a part of its eighth and final developer diary; game to launch September 20th (Develoepr Diary)
➤ Sonic X Shadow Generations gets a third OST video for Chaos Island; music is a remix of the original composition by Tomoya Ohtani (OST Video)
➤ "Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero" gets a new trailer showing off characters from the the iconic Majin Buu saga; game to launch on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC October 11th (Trailer)
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➤ 2021 hit Papetura to get a physical release on PS5 and Switch in November; the Craft Edition will feature a physical game, special case, art book, and soundtrack download code (Trailer)
➤ Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles gets another name change to Bulwark: Evolution; title change is notably not born of frustration or "silly rage-baiting", and is fact a reflection of how the game has changed and evolved beyond the already-unique city builder it was (Trailer)
➤ Forgive Me Father 2's second content update to go live September 16th; will feature two new levels, two new enemies, more madness skills, and some new weapons for the Lovecraftian FPS (New Map Preview)
➤ Splatoon 3 gets its biggest Splatfest, the Grand Festival, on September 13th; Splatfest to run for 72 hours with players voting on whether the past, present, or future are more important to them
➤ MCM x EGX to host major UK tournament for Tekken 8 in October; tournament to feature a £5,000 prize pool to be fought for (Tournament Registration)
➤ Shiren the Wanderer's latest adventure on the Switch will get a "Plus Pack" season pass featuring new playable characters and ten new dungeons; the Plus Pack to be released in two parts with the first coming September 10th, and the second following October 31st
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➤ PDP debuts a new range of glowing controllers for the Switch and Xbox; available to buy now via PDP and Turtle Beach sites, as well as various local retailers
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➤ Nintendo of Europe announces an updated leadership structure; features Luciano Pereña as the CEO, Laurent Fisher as COO, and Tom Enoki as Senior Managing Director
➤ Gori: Cuddly Carnage celebrates its launch by offering members of games media "Tinner 4 Two", a tin containing cat food and spaghetti in tomato sauce; notably the two foods are stored separately
Fun-Looking Releases
I didn't see too many new games get announced this week, but boy did some fantastic games come out. Check out what I thought looked interesting!
Astro Bot
Available on PS5
➤ Wow, wow, wow! This game has me genuinely considering a PS5, and currently holds the spot of the highest rated game on Metacritic for the year, falling only behind Elden Ring's DLC for the overall top spot (since DLC isn't a game and all that). Having watched some reviews and seen one of our site's admins raving about it, Astro Bot by all appearances is a stellar 3D platformer that rivals some of Nintendo's finest. If you have a PS5 and are after something new, this one seems an obvious pick.
Ace Attorney Investigations Collection
Available on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, and Steam
➤ This is one we've waited too long for, and having hugely enjoyed the first Ace Attorney Investigations game many many years ago on the DS, I'm really happy to see the duology remastered and readily available. It's a no brainer for fans of Phoenix Wright, but I do feel Edgeworth stands on his own merits. Investigate, solve mysteries; we love the man in red.
Puffin Planes
Available on Steam
➤ A bit of a step back from our huge launches this week, Puffin Planes looks to be a well-made airline management game by a solo developer. There's no Early Access here; the game is launching in a finished state, and seems to be getting some solid reviews for it. Looks to be one to check out!
DATE A LIVE: Ren Dystopia
Available on Steam
➤ What's this? Me unashamedly pushing a visual novel again? Sure it is! Date a Live is a series about a boy with spirit sealing powers, with those powers relying on him dating a spirit and making them fall for him. It sounds degenerate, it probably is to some extent, but fans have been eating it up. It's a long-awaited official translation and judging by the reviews, it was worth the wait.
BAKERU
Available on Switch and Steam
➤ BAKERU is one that I fully intent to get to eventually but don't currently have the time for. A wild Japan-esque action game, it's basically the Goemon sequel fans never got. I feel like I should give the original Mystical Ninja a shot before delving into this, but it seems a solid game on its own merits regardless.
Wrapping Up
And that's that! September looks to be starting out strong, and it'll only get better as we get closer to the release of the new wisdom-packed Zelda game. If there's anything you're keeping an eye open for in September, by all means let me know and I can try to shine a better spotlight on it in the coming weeks!
