Honestly, the past few months of covering new video game releases have been a struggle. From the impacts of development due to the pandemic to the relative “dead time” a few months after the release of new consoles, the early portion of 2021 saw a noticeably low number of heavy-hitting games and ended up being better suited for catching up on older titles. For the most part, leading into the hot months of summer, that changes with the release calendar put forth in May. From a long-awaited – and recently quite heavily memed – new installment in a beloved horror franchise to a delayed, yet anticipated science-fiction action game and a premium remastering of one of the most celebrated trilogies ever created, there’s a lot of firepower in this month’s lineup. Let’s get into it.

Resident Evil: Village – May 7 (PS4/5; Xbox O/S/X; Stadia; PC)

Excitement levels for the Resident Evil franchise took a hit after the release of RE6, which steers the franchise away from being focused on terror and more into the vigor of the action-horror subgenre.  Then, the combo of RE7 and the remakes of Resident Evil 2 and 3 showed that their design philosophy had returned closer to the spectrum of horror, striking a satisfying balance between shooter intensity, genuine scares, and reverence for the franchise. The success in those titles make it easier to get fired up about future installments … which is good, because this one’s a doozy.

Resident Evil 8, code-named Village, takes some cues from the enduringly popular setup of the fourth game by dropping returning character Ethan Winters near a township within the boundaries of Transylvania. There, on an emotional rescue mission, he encounters the various monstrous denizens of the village, notably the tall and imposing vampire-ish ruler Lady Dimitrescu who has taken the internet by storm. While RE8 does stay locked the first-person perspective and removed from the familiar zombie ambience, the isolation and inventory aspects look to Resident Evil 4 for heavy inspiration.

Get Resident Evil: Village on Amazon

Hood: Outlaws and Legends – May 10 (PS4/5; XBOX O/S/X; PC)

Frequently depicted in a hood and sporting an iconic bow and arrow, the character of Robin Hood possesses traits that have already become recognizable on popular video-game characters. While the hood can be seen as a signature element of Assassin’s Creed and the archery aspects found in the likes of Tomb Raider and The Last of Us, the combo befits another semi-popular video game character: Garrett of the Thief series, a close shadow of the legendary character. Between all that, it’s relatively understandable why we haven’t really seen a dedicated Robin Hood video game in the current era.

Striking while there’s a lull in all those franchises, Hood: Outlaws and Legends hopes to fill the void both of the stealth genre and of the absence of a game centered on the mythology of the character. This is a budget, online-only multiplayer title with a narrower focus, though, pitting foursomes of characters from that storyline against each other in a battle and race to pilfer goods from a fortified point before the other. Gameplay appears to be a tight hybrid of others from the stealth genre, and there’s something to be said for the game’s dependence on team-based coordination for the “merry men” to succeed.

Get Hood: Outlaws and Legends

Mass Effect: Legendary Edition – May 14 (PS4; Xbox One; PC)

It’s been almost a decade since the Mass Effect trilogy came to a thrilling, polarizing conclusion. Despite the passage of time – and despite the release of the “flawed, yet exhilarating journey” that is Andromeda — it doesn’t seem like the enthusiasm of its fans has faded much at all, which can be seen each time even a mild hint surfaced about a remastered edition of the original Mass Effect games. When it was finally confirmed that a new edition would be making the jump to newer consoles, the response was predictably charged up, even when it was unclear what exactly the Legendary Edition would be.

To be fair, we still don’t fully know exactly what the Mass Effect: Legendary Edition will be, except on the surface.  Comparison footage reveals it to be a handsome upcycling of the original atmospheric visuals, improved just enough to be impressive yet not too much to make any of the games feel like different experiences, as they aren’t remakes. In terms of gameplay …? Well, that remains to be seen, as the original game has at the very least been low-level overhauled in terms of the shooting/cover controls and driving around in the iconic vehicle, the Mako. BioWare’s never short for surprises, so it’s anyone’s guess what’ll be at the other end, except they’ve insisted that fans will still feel at home in this Mass Effect.

Get Mass Effect: Legendary Edition at Amazon

Subnautica: Below Zero – May 14 (PS4,5; Xbox O,S,X; Switch; PC)

While there will always be a desire to explore space and beyond, there’s something to be said for the fact that we’ve only explored about 1/5 of the oceans on Earth, concealing plenty of mysteries. Subnautica took the enigmatic appeal of exploring other planets and oceanic depths and merged them to the fullest extent, dropping the player into the depths of water planet 4546B and forcing them to survive with advanced navigation and scuba equipment. While the discovery and immersion are easy targets for compliments in Subnautica, players often talk about being surprised by how scary it can be.

Subnautica: Below Zero hopes to capture the same sense of wonder and anxiety, but in some new and versatile ways. Taking place a year after the events of the first game, this one finds the player crashed in an even less hospitable portion of 4546B, introducing temperature gauges and extensive land aspects. Players still have the freedom to customize their Subnautica experience, though, as they can again choose from survival, freedom, and hardcore modes to fit the engulfing experience they’re hoping to have.

Get Subnautica: Below Zero at Amazon

Biomutant – May 25 (PS4; Xbox One; PC)

Early rumblings about Biomutant had it pegged as possibly being one of the more unique, trailblazing games to come out in the early years of last-gen consoles. Mostly, that boiled down to the customizations that the open-world adventure game would bequeath to the player, allowing them to create wild mammalian characters that must be mutated and manually modified in specific ways to reach unique locations and achieve goals. From a daylight/weather system to transport vehicles and deviations in the story path based on choices, the game has been propped up as having tons of potential with its freedom and responsiveness.

Then, Biomutant just drops off the grid, offering little in terms of updates and no concrete release dates for quite a while. And now, we’re in the early stages of the next generation of consoles, and Experiment 101 will finally be releasing their once hotly-anticipated debut at the end of May.  To their luck, there hasn’t been much advancement in the nature of open-world games since the peak of its hype – save the masterpiece that is the shark-RPG Maneater, of course – and if they’re able to deliver on their premise and potential, Biomutant could still leave a fresh impression on the sandbox subgenre.

Get Biomutant at Amazon

At the tail end of the month, on May 25, folks worldwide will also finally be able to get their hands on the delightful HD remastering of Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne released in Japan earlier this year. On the same day, Capcom will be delivering their own retro collection with Capcom Arcade Stadium, which packages together several noteworthy games from their history, including a trio of the most popular installments in the Street Fighter franchise (original SFII, SFII Turbo: Hyper Fighting, SSFII Turbo). Also on May 25, Switch users will finally be able to see what the fuss is all about with Maneater, while the Switch, the other consoles and PC will be able to hit the high seas in another way with King of Seas, an attempt at more evenly balancing the action and management aspects of a pirate simulator.

May’s New Video Game Titles Effective at Giving Life to 2021

It’s no secret that many of the new video games from the tail end of the year, crunched to get released on both the next generation of consoles and the current ones, had their fair share of issues. While there’s little possibility in the developers changing the fundamentals of the game – looking at you, Cyberpunk 2077 and your missing role-playing features – a period of 2-3 months tends to be a good timeframe for titles to be cleaned up through patches/updates so that the digital experience is roughly the best it can be.

Therefore, counting down from the release of the PS5 and the Xbox Series systems, now’s the time when those launch titles are close to the best they’re going to be … and it’s a good time to fire up those games, whether on the old systems or new, because February is a reasonably quiet month for new games. Though, not without a little firepower. Let’s take a closer look.

Control: Ultimate Edition — PS5, Series X/S; February 2

Remedy Entertainment has this tendency of making absorbing, atmospheric games that, for one reason or another, go under the radar. In the same vein of Alan Wake, Control took some time for its audience to catch onto its thrilling concept of a Metroidvania skill-progression action game centered on paranormal investigations, psychokinetic powers, and a New York skyscraper that changes length, width, and design like something out of Inception.

Once they did discover Control, both players and critics were aboard with recognizing it as one of the best of 2019, which in turn led to it becoming one of Remedy’s most popular original creations. With that popularity also comes the expectation of a “game of the year” type of release with any additional DLC and tech improvements, yet the Control: Ultimate Edition is more than that, as the graphics have also been optimized for Xbox Series and PS5 consoles with its planned update.

Get Control: Ultimate Edition at Amazon

Haven — PS5, Switch; February 4

The Game Bakers put themselves on the map with Furi, a title like that almost seems like it’s setting up the game to be disappointing if it doesn’t deliver enough … well, fury.  Luckily, it does, telegraphing both a vivid art style and an energetic, challenging third-person action fantasy experience. So, if they’re so attuned to making their titles indicative of the games within, it stands to reason that Haven will be a more tranquil, defensive experience about dealing with threats and fleeing to a safe space, and that’s certainly the case for this sci-fi RPG.   

Players control a pair of flighted lovers who scour a beautiful planet for resources to take back to their ship, and when they’re confronted with threats, the game’s design shifts to a pseudo turn-based combat system. Transitions from the elegant flight across the planet to the controlled combat could seem disjointed, but Haven’s intimate story, resource collection system and generally pleasing atmosphere while traversing the planet are likely to make up for it.

Get Haven at Nintendo

Werewolf: Earthblood — PS4/5, Xbox O/S/X, PC; February 4

Last month, we talked a bit about rising popularity of the World of Darkness universe — chiefly that of Vampire: The Masquerade — and the ability for werewolf games to succeed outside of beat-‘em-up action experiences.  The primal aspects of a human transforming into an overpowered man-wolf does lend itself to hack-‘n-slash gameplay, though, and that’s what Earthblood hopes to accomplish within the Werewolf: The Apocalypse universe.  

Reminiscent of Dontnod’s Vampyr, this action-RPG from Cyanide Studios (Styx, Call of Cthulhu) utilizes physical transformations in expected, yet versatile ways, where the player can change from human to wolf to werewolf depending on the circumstances.  Naturally, as a werewolf, it’s a more visceral experience hinged on building rage and resistance to physical damage, which results in vigorous combat scenarios. Backed by the universe’s interest in different tribes of werewolves and their agendas, Earthblood has a lot of potential as an action-RPG.

Get Werewolf: The Apocalypse — Earthblood at Amazon

Little Nightmares 2 — PS4, Xbox One, PC; February 11

The original Little Nightmares succeeds on the execution of its ominous, icky atmosphere, where a kid wearing a yellow poncho navigates puzzle-like platform stages and evades large, grotesque humanoid creatures lurking in the bowels of an underwater vessel. Tarsier Studios, who previously worked on the complex level design for the LittleBigPlanet series of games, clearly see the extended potential of this haunting universe and have delivered on a direct sequel, Little Nightmares 2.

While they’ve switched up protagonists to the paper bag-wearing young boy Mono, the developers have fully preserved the successful aesthetics from the first game as he navigates what’s called the Signal Tower, which has been broadcasting an unsettling transmission. All signs point to Little Nightmares 2 tapping into the same mixture of clever level design and uniquely disturbing environments, and could open the door for continuing installments not unlike, say, Five Nights at Freddy’s or Layers of Fear.

Get Little Nightmares 2 at Amazon

Persona 5: Strikers — PS4, Switch, PC; February 23

It’s tough to think of a more reliable franchise than Persona, no matter the genre.  The folks at Atlus allow their wildly popular role-playing series bounce from turn-based battles to fighting games and straight third-person beat-‘em-ups, and the creativity of the storytelling and characters always give the games the right narrative backbone to support the gameplay flavor of the week. Strikers follows directly after the events of Persona 5, combining certain turn-based aspects integral to the franchise with the fast-paced, broad-reality action from the Dynasty Warriors series.

Developed in a collaborative effort between Omega Force and P-Studio, the folks responsible for Dynasty Warriors and Persona respectively, Strikers has been out in Japan for a while and has already earned accolades and sold quite well, but now it’ll be available internationally. Here’s hoping we’ll also receive a firm release date on the SMT: Nocturne remaster in the coming weeks, due out west in “Spring 2021” according to their website.

Get Persona 5: Strikers at Amazon

Speaking of franchises successfully bouncing between gameplay genres, the Yakuza: Like a Dragon turn-based spinoff will be getting its Xbox and PC debut on February 25. Nioh and Nioh 2 will be receiving Remastered Complete Editions on February 5, while the Wii U’s Super Mario World 3D is also getting the spruced-up port treatment for the Switch on February 12. There are also some arcade video games worth keeping an eye on: the popular, challenging roguelike dungeon crawler Curse of the Dead Gods will be vying for attention from Hades on consoles once February 23 arrives, and the ‘90s throwback sword-and-sorcery FPS Wrath: Aeon of Ruin will be casting its spell on February 25.  

February’s New Video Games: A Haven for Werewolves, Nightmares

As a longtime collector of physical media – not just of the media itself, but of unique collector’s editions and exclusives – it’s almost sad to see what’s happening to the decline and future of “little shiny discs”. For CDs, it’s a freefall; for 4K and Blu-ray discs, there’s still plenty of life left there, but some products one wouldn’t think would be scarce have been running out-of-stock and out-of-print much quicker than anticipated. The market for video game limited editions seems to be caught in the middle: while there’s certainly a move to transition over to digital libraries, the collector culture tends to be a tad stronger in the gaming community and, therefore, still has a healthy audience for elaborate versions of otherwise mostly standard-edition releases of games.

There’s enough uncertainty there, though, that it’s worth the while for those interested in limited printings of video games to probably hunt them down sooner rather than later … and there are some really, really good ones coming later this year. Below, we’re going to talk about some of those potentially scarce – or, just particularly cool – limited edition packages for notable releases coming throughout the remainder of 2020.  It’s hard to predict what’s going to be in high demand or what’s going to be printed at high quantities, let alone whether these games will actually be good or not, but it’s better for these to be on the radar instead of waiting until they’re off the shelves. Let’s dive in.

Bayonetta / Vanquish: 10^th Anniversary Launch Edition

Release Date: February 18, 2020; Price: $39.99: Order @ Amazon

We’ll start the discussion off with something that’s already been released this year, and something that’s not out in the stratosphere in terms of pricing. Gamers who appreciate a challenge will likely have some familiarity with PlatinumGames, and while that might be because of the underrated Nier: Automata or their journey into the Metal Gear universe with Revengeance, it’s probably due to the iconic heroine that is Bayonetta and the challenging magic/gunplay environment that exists around her.  A remastered edition of Bayonetta has been holstered alongside the developer’s underrated, blitzed-paced sci-fi shooter Vanquish as a twofer collection for new consoles, and the Launch Edition comes with a sweet Steelbook casing featuring bold illustrations of the two games on either side. There are still some of these out in the wild, and $40 is well worth it for the pair of games and a limited collectible case prominently featuring one of last-gen’s most noteworthy new character creations.

Doom Eternal Collector’s Edition

Release Date: March 20, 2020; Price: $199.99: Order @ Best Buy

Ca we be real for a second? Yes, there’s a conversation to be had about how influential the exhilarating chaos of Doom has been on the FPS genre, as well as how splendid it is that the property has been revived again and popular enough to lead into this “sequel”, Doom Eternal. But, it’s tough to talk too much about all that when we’re leading into a discussion about a collector’s edition of a Doom game with … a wearable Doomguy Doom Slayer helmet. While no, it isn’t modeled after the helmets of nostalgia, there’s still something undeniably mesmerizing about the fact that this Doom Eternal: Collector’s Edition will come equipped with a wearable helmet that’ll be ready to wear between – or, hell, during – gaming sessions. A few extra goodies for the subtler fans are there as well: a really nice steelbook case, lossless digital soundtrack codes on a little cassette tape gadget, a lore book, lithograph, and DLC goodies. The value’s close to being justifiable, but frankly, the ability to just throw on the helmet and boot up Doom Eternal out of the box is close to priceless.

Resident Evil 3: Collector’s Edition — GameStop Exclusive

Release Date: April 3, 2020; Price: $179.99: Order @ GameStop

The remake of Resident Evil 2 took many people off-guard: while they may have expected a decent revisit to Leon and Claire’s charge through Raccoon City, most weren’t ready for it to be not-so-arguably the best horror game to come out of last year.  Resident Evil remains popular for a plethora of reasons, but that rejuvenated enthusiasm for the franchise has made it all feel fresh again, and it’s bound to do so again with this year’s Resident Evil 3 remake. Fan favorite Jill Valentine has been smartly remodeled for her standalone adventure, clearly evoking her classic look while exchanging the skirt for a few touches of tactical badassery that remind one a bit of Alice’s presence from the movie series.  This gives players a more reputable, grounded heroine to blaze through the zombie apocalypse in RE3, one who’s captured in statue form in the game’s collector edition alongside a neat double-sided poster, an art book, and a S.T.A.R.S. crate box presentation. This one’s only available at GameStop, so a pre-order might not be a bad idea.

Final Fantasy VII: Deluxe Edition

Release Date: April 10, 2020; Price: $79.99: Order @ Amazon

Perhaps it isn’t quite up there with jokes about Half-Life 3, but fans of the Final Fantasy franchise have been clamoring for a spruced-up reconstruction of FFVII for a very, very long time. After the idea of a remake was introduced in the PS2 era, many haven’t been able to stop thinking about it and discussing it, even as the developers kept a healthy distance from wanting to do so.  Finally, after much rumoring, development time, distribution paradigm changes and exclusive window decisions, a new version of Final Fantasy VII – the first part of it, at least — will be here in less than a month. To commemorate, Square Enix will be releasing a deluxe presentation of this “part” of the remake, including: a steelbook case featuring the game’s antagonist, Sephiroth; a hardback artbook; a soundtrack CD; and two pieces of “summon materia” DLC, one exclusive and the other tied to a pre-order. The book, music, and exclusive case artwork all add real fan-centric substance for a $20 premium, so this one’s worth consideration as an early buy.

Elder Scrolls Online: Greymoor Expansion Collector’s Edition

Release Date: May 18, 2020; Price: $129.99: Order @ Amazon

Even after an incredibly shaky initial release, Elder Scrolls Online is still going very strong and continues to maintain a robust player base.  Like most other developers in the MMO space, Bethesda has learned from missteps and dished out extensive updates, all the while releasing new expansions that offer fresh, exciting looks at what’s possible within their fantasy landscape and game design. They’re now on the fourth of these official substantive expansions, Greymoor, in which they’re journeying back to Skyrim – the western side – for a new chilly adventure connected to vampires. “Chapter” addons like this are a strange beast when it comes to physical collectibles due to their restricted appeal, but this edition of Greymoor offers an interesting package that comes at players from two general angles: there’s a sweet vampire (lord) statue, and there are Skyrim-themed coins also included. Roll those together with the addon itself, extra DLC, a steelbook, and a map, and it’s pretty sweet.

The Last of Us: Part II – Special, Collector’s and Ellie Editions

Release Date: May 29, 2020; Price: $229.99: Order @ PS Direct

While Naughty Dog’s exhilarating action game design impressed throughout the Uncharted series, it was with the tension and emotions of The Last of Us that they likely created their very best work to date. The gaming community has obviously gone through apocalyptic zombie experiences before, yet the relationship between Joel and Ellie elevates it from being merely a strong horror game to one that strikes a deeper chord. A sequel to such an experience is dangerous territory, but it’s territory that Naughty Dog will brave with Ellie at the helm of this sequel.  Due to the return of past characters that players genuinely care about, this game will have a strong following, so making plans to pick up either the Special, Collector, or elusive Ellie Editions of The Last of Us: Part II would probably be wise. The Ellie Edition has proven to be tricky to acquire already, so if the idea of an exclusive replica of Ellie’s backpack sounds appealing, grab it when and while you can. Luckily, the other two premium versions come with the steel case, and the one-tier-down Collector’s Edition still gives fans the opportunity to get a replica of Ellie’s bracelet and a statue of the character.

Marvel’s Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Edition

Release Date: September 4, 2020; Price: $199.99: Order @ Amazon

Believe it or not, it won’t be long before Joss Whedon’s original Avengers movie will be a decade old. It’s the blockbuster that transformed a neat intersection of cinematic superhero stories into perhaps the most popular big-screen comic franchise in history, one that ensures that a healthy chunk of people will be standing in-line on day one for anything new and exciting involving the team. Square Enix and the Crystal-Eidos development team are banking on that, as they’re going all-out with a massive limited edition of Marvel’s Avengers, a new action-based adaptation – with some uniquely different-looking versions of the characters – coming in September.  Along with a pretty standard steelbook, the Earth’s Mightiest Edition comes with a whole bunch of goodies: a statue of Captain America; a Hulk bobblehead; a keychain of Thor’s hammer; a Black Widow belt buckle; blueprints of Iron Man’s suit.  Each item has been carefully and familiarly designed so they’ll still appeal to general fans of the Avengers comics and movies, not just to those who might like the game, so this could naturally be a very hot item.

Cyberpunk 2077: Collector’s Edition

Release Date: September 17, 2020; Price: $249.99: Order @ Best Buy

As the giants of role-playing video games have hit rough patches over the past couple of years, other labels have moved into the spotlight, chief among them being CD Projekt Red. While their Witcher series had already made waves with the RPG crowd, it was with The Witcher 3 that the company offered an experience that both triumphed over competitors and gave mainstream players something they’ve been yearning for on current consoles: a rich, choice-based, story-driven sandbox game in a fantasy world. Therefore, CDPR’s announcement that they’d be taking on science-fiction RPGs with Cyberpunk 2077 – a space even less crowded without Mass Effect – received big excitement. And CDPR is all about packing value into their presentations: while the standard edition comes with a world compendium, postcards, stickers and such, there’s a mega Collector’s Edition awaiting preorder status that’ll arrive with a statue, a very nice steelbook, game prop replicas, patches, etc. $250 is steep, but it’s bound to be an elusive set since CDPR’s fans are a dedicated bunch.

Video Game Limited Editions of 2020 Worth Seeking Out

With the recent release of a demo for a long-anticipated remake that’s coming out next month (April), the year in video games feels like it’s finally starting to kick into gear. The release schedule’s catching up to that enthusiasm a little bit, as March delivers a handful of interesting new adventures to embark upon, though it’s all a little scattered between consoles as exclusives … except for one big damn shooter. Let’s dig in.

Order Will of the Wisps at Amazon          Order Nioh 2 at Amazon

Ori and the Will of the Wisps — March 11

With platform action video games, it can be incredibly difficult to hit the sweet spot between family-friendly fun and genuine challenging design, tilting either too easy for seasoned gamers or too tough for an intended widespread audience. Ori and the Blind Forest did a tremendous job of landing in the center almost perfectly, while also boasting dazzling fantasy visuals and supremely endearing characters wrapped up in an emotional story.  Hopes are naturally running high, then, for Ori and the Will of the Wisps, in which developer Moon Studios continues its exhilarating tales of the forest in an equally whimsical design space.  Some tweaks to the gameplay and upgrade systems  shouldn’t intrude on what Moon Studios hopes to replicate in this sequel.

Nioh 2 — March 13

With the Ninja Gaiden franchise currently on the backburner to a few iffy releases in the early-2010s, Team Ninja has been exploring other avenues for their brand of challenging martial-arts gameplay. Nioh became a vessel for that, and after years of tough development that involved adapting – and abandoning — an unused script from Akira Kurosawa and preventing it from becoming a Ninja Gaiden replica, it received both critical acclaim and a stamp of (mostly) approval from the intended audience.  More importantly, it stands out as yet another daunting challenge from the developer, which naturally escalates hopes for what’s to come in Nioh 2.  This time’s a little different, though, as Team Ninja will be exploring the realm of character creation … and the early demos for what’s capable are rather impressive. Here’s hoping the effort put into customization won’t detract from their hard-hitting design.

Order  MLB 20 at Target          Order Doom Eternal at Amazon

MLB The Show 2020 — March 20

If you’re a fan of sports video games, choosing between consoles really isn’t much of a big deal since the vast majority of titles are available across all platforms. That is, unless you’re a baseball fan.  Sure, there are baseball games available on all of ’em  – Super Mega Baseball is an under-the-radar gem and should be a stronger competitor – but in terms of authentic simulators with updated rostors, the choices have remained slim: either MLB The Show, or MLB The Show. That has remained one of the PlayStation’s most surprising exclusives, something that continues into 2020 with their latest iteration of the franchise. Changes are likely to be marginal between this year’s release and last year beyond roster updates and the inclusion of Minor League player representation, if for no other reason than The Show 2020 marks the last time that the franchise will be exclusive to the PlayStation. While no hard info has been revealed, the assumption is that it’ll be coming to Xbox and possibly PC in 2021.

Doom Eternal — March 20

One of the easiest ways to trigger memories in old-school computer gamers is to mention the one-two punch of Wolfenstein and Doom. These two games from id Software have been responsible for countless hours of entrancement by way of immersive, innovative 3D graphics and intense shooter gameplay, a legacy that paved the way for countless other first-person shooters.  Doom itself has lingered in the shadow of the likes of Halo and Gears of War for roughly a decade and a half now, though, waiting for the right time to reemerge in the 2016 reboot, which received reviews that were a far cry from the unyielding praise received by the games of yesteryear.  With Doom Eternal, id Software sets its sights on reestablishing that reputation by taking everything that worked in the reboot – quite a bit – and escalating the firepower and versatility movement as the Doomguy Doom Slayer works to purge demons invading Earth.  And hey, it’ll be on Stadia for those who are interested.

Pre-Purchase Half Life: Alyx at Steam

Half-Life: Alyx — March 23

Well, folks, here it is: irrefutable proof that there’s still life left in the Half-Life franchise, and that Valve hasn’t decided to complete abandon it. Yes, of course Valve’s sticking with a PC-only release right now; yes, it’s designed as a virtual reality experience; and yes, it’s a mid-quel instead of that much desired sequel that’s become the source of jokes and memes and everything in between.  However, Half-Life: Alyx does bring players back into the familiar world that hasn’t been revisited in roughly 13 years, telling the story of how the popular character from the franchise, Alyx, and her father flesh out the resistance to the alien forces of the Combine before they hook up with Freeman. Boasted as being the next step in storytelling for the franchise, as well as being non-episodic and roughly the same lengthy end-to-end as Half-Life 2, Alyx marks the proving grounds for one of Valve’s largest and most audacious team efforts … and a possible precursor for more to come.

A few interesting odd-and-end ports and sequels are also coming out in March.  Two tie into video games being released later in the month: Black Mesa, an unofficial remake of the original Half-Life, has been given the green light from Value for an official release and will be made available ahead of Alyx on March 6; and Doom 64 will be receiving a rerelease on all major platforms on March 20. Animal Crossing: New Horizons will continue the slice-of-life simulator game series on the DS on the same day as Doom 64, and Nintendo Switch players will have the chance to play the gleefully violent sci-fi superhero sandbox spoof Saints Row IV: Re-Elected on March 27.  Finally, the latest installment of the SMT: Persona series will see a worldwide release of its upgraded version, Persona 5 Royal, on March 27.

March’s Video Games Showing More Than Half-Life

By December, most people have figured out what they either want to give as gifts for their videogame loving people in their lives, or what they want for themselves over the holiday season. Lists are finalized, Black Friday shopping has ended, and for the most part the final month of the year gets dedicated to enjoying the season and/or hunting down those coveted gifts. Media studios understand this, and that’s why the release calendar for shiny discs and digital downloads tend to be somewhat sparse, with this December being no exception.  The end-of-year video game releases aren’t an exciting batch, filled with last-minute ports and franchise tie-ins, so the month can safely be dedicated to stockpiling the year’s best releases or tearing through that ever-growing backlog.  Let’s take a peek, though.

Pre-Order Darksiders at Amazon          Pre-Order NWN: Enhanced at Amazon

Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition – December 3

Canadian gamemakers Beamdog have turned the process of porting classic cRPGs – especially BioWare’s — into something of an art, figuring out what works and doesn’t while focusing on areas where tweaks are needed. Along with a slew of their “enhanced” line of titles receiving console editions earlier this year, they’re also delivering their revamped iteration of another BioWare classic: Neverwinter Nights. Taking place in the Forgotten Realms corner of the Dungeons & Dragons universe, this tale focuses on curing a mystical plague and hunting down the cult responsible for it, a campaign spread across several dozens of hours and involving plentiful character interactions and decision-making. The Enhanced Edition of Neverwinter Nights hit PC earlier this year to mixed reviews due to the visuals, but the console edition boasts updated/upgraded HD functionality and, naturally, control scheme modifications.

Darksiders Genesis – December 5

Here’s an unusual situation. You’ve probably seen commercials for Google’s new subscription streaming-based gaming service, Stadia; at the very least, check out some of the articles out there that label it a major model shift for the digital-focused gaming culture.  It launched on November 19^th, and right now the platform has a little over two dozen playable games, most of which have been available on other systems for a year or two now. The platforms first substantive, exclusive title – outside of Windows; not on consoles until 2020 – will be Darksiders Genesis, an isometric hack-‘n-slasher that seems more like a Diablo or Dark Alliance clone than the 3D games that make up the rest of the franchise. Sure, it isn’t a heavy hitter of an exclusive (and it isn’t even exclusive on PCs), but it’s a step in a positive direction for Google’s innovative model. But yeah, y’all can play it in 2020.

 

Pre-Order Ancestors at Amazon          Pre-Order T:Resistance at Amazon

Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey – December 6

One of the best things about Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood wasn’t the setting or the advancements in the stealth gameplay, but in how Ubisoft created a management simulator for the assassin ecosystem. Designer Patrice Desilets oversaw that metamorphosis of the franchise, arguably the best among them … and then hasn’t developed a game since then.  Until now, where he goes all-in with simulation game design in Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey.  This game tackles two unique challenges: on a gameplay level, it puts the player in control of surviving in the wild as primitive pre-humans, which naturally lack many of the conventional humanoid aspects of playing a video game; and on a world-building level, it charts the growth and literal evolution of a species across lengthy periods of time. To call Ancestors ambitious would be an understatement, perhaps too ambitious considering the PC version’s middling reviews.

Terminator: Resistance – December 10 (?)

For roughly two decades now, the powers-that-be have been trying to galvanize the Terminator franchise into an enduring machine that could output consistent quality content in the vein of T2.  They haven’t been able to fully do so, though, resulting in a swath of mediocre content spanning T3: Rise of the Machines all the way up to this year’s film lackluster release of Terminator: Dark Fate.  Naturally, video games have accompanied those cinematic releases wherever possible, and this year’s no exception with Terminator: Resistance, a first-person shooter from developers Teyon, a high-output studio with very little recognizable titles under their belt. Set in the future era under the umbrella of the anti-Skynet rebellion helmed by John Connor, Terminator: Resistance hopes to allow players to vicariously navigate through James Cameron’s universe without connections to the current film. The date for this keeps shifting, but the second week of December seems the most accurate right now.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Coteries of New York — December 11

Long considered one of the cult classics among role-playing aficionados out there, the Vampire: The Masquerade universe has enjoyed a surge of popularity as of late, largely on the heels of D&D’s spike in attention. While the tabletop RPing experience tends to be the best execution of the concept, the computer iterations have been surprisingly good over the years, especially cult favorite VtM: Bloodlines and its underappreciate role-playing freedom and choice system. While a sequel to that one is slotted to come out in 2020 – contain your excitement, everyone – the thirst for more can be sated by the largely text-based, visual novel-esque Coteries of New York, in which developer Draw Distance takes a lot of cues from the narrative and prompts from a tabletop module/sourcebook. Decisions will branch out and terminate into several different endings, hinged on how the player maintains their vampirism and preserves the “masquerade”.

The remainder of the release calendar in December mostly looks to fill in gaps with ports and re-releases.  Blair Witch is now seeing the light of day on PS4 at the beginning of the month, December 3, while Alien: Isolation will creep onto the Switch come December 5. Those of us outside Japan will now be able to enjoy SaGa: Scarlet Grace, a port of the popular PS Vita RPG, on December 15, while an HD remaster of the Star Ocean remake, First Departure, is scheduled to dock on December 5. Also, Halo Reach and Detroit: Become Human will also receive highly anticipated PC releases this month, too.  And, worth noting, the final episode of the second season of Life is Strange will be released on December 3.

Power Down 2019 With December’s Humdrum New Video Game Releases

The coming of fall means two very important things that frequently overlap with individuals, often with those of the video game culture: the arrival of football season, and the drive to watch more horror movies as Halloween approaches. August, of course, comes with the built-in expectation for one of gaming’s longest running and predictably high-quality titles that speaks to the sports fans out there, while a few new, spooky entries in the horror and apocalyptic genre will be bringing up the rear for that seasonal excitement.  Gamers who don’t fall into enthusiasts of those categories shouldn’t fret, though, because there’s plenty to look forward to in this reasonably stacked month, from an atmospheric third-person loot shooter to a newly revamped installment of a beloved action-RPG series. Let’s huddle up and talk about this month’s plays.

Order Madden NFL 20 at Amazon

August 2

Madden NFL 20

Fun fact: EA’s Madden football games have been around for over 30 years now, with the first game being released on DOS in 1988 and on consoles in 1990. Obviously, tons of things have changed about Madden during that span; yeah, it catches flak for offering only incremental changes and roster rotations year after year, but y’know what I mean. One thing hasn’t changed since its release, though, and that’s its dominance in the market coupled with its overwhelming popularity, something that’s only achievable if they maintain a high-enough quality to keep competitors at bay.  Despite a few big moves from lower-ball indie titles, Madden NFL 20 doesn’t seem to be straying from that pattern, tweaking its roster and controls while also incorporating a revamped career story mode for something new.  Sure, at this point deep in the console life cycle, it’s more of the same; however, EA have done just enough to sustain and make it another worthwhile upgrade, asserting that it’s still a nimble franchise at 30. Madden’s blitzing onto Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

Pre-Order Remnant at the PS Store          Pre-Order Rad at Microsoft

August 20

Remnant: From the Ashes

Sometimes, releasing a video game is all about timing: creating and delivering on an experience during a period when something similar hasn’t made its way onto the market in a while. In the absence of third-person sci-fi shooters like Gears of War and dungeon action-RPGs like Dark Souls, and hitting the market just before two big loot/sandbox post-apocalyptic games in the form of Borderlands 3 and The Outer Limits, Gunfire Games are hoping to strike at just the right moment with Remnant: From the Ashes.  In the wake of hostile demons arriving from another dimension that decimated most of the population, the player takes control of one of the “remnants” of humankind and navigates through portals, discovering why they’re here, how to defeat them, and how many of the critters they can mow down along the way. With its gloomy atmosphere, a wealth of artillery available to pick up, and the ability to charge forward either by yourself or with two other party members — playable solo or together, online or not — Remnant: From the Ashes has the potential to scratch a bunch of different itches at once.  Survivors will be exploring Remnant on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

Rad

Psychonauts will forever ensure that many will be interested in just about anything Double Fine decides to release, and that enthusiasm has led to them releasing other games with immense personalities, notably the metal actioner Brutal Legend and the Costume Quest RPG series. Rad, their latest creation, can’t even get past its three-letter title without having an amusing play on words: it’s a isometric post-apocalyptic action game where the main character continuously mutates due to radiation, and it’s … well, potentially pretty rad. In a world where humanity has faced not one, but two near-extinction events, the main characters wanders a wasteland with bat in-hand and encounters numerous points where rads will grant them a host of new abilities, which completely changes the combat against oddly morphed monsters scattered throughout the neon glow of the landscape. Branded a roguelike for its ever-changing properties, Rad holds the potential to live up to its name.  Know what else is Rad? The game’s materializing on all major consoles, Switch included, and PC on the same day.

Order Control at Amazon                    Order Blair Witch at Amazon

August 27

Control

While Remedy Entertainment may be best known for their efforts in the Max Payne series, it’s in their other outlandish horror and science-fiction games — Alan Wake and Quantum Break — where they discovered the label’s real sense of identity. They’re reaching even further with their ambitions with Control, a third-person sci-fi actioner where the new director of a supernatural government agency, Jesse, discovers that she has other-worldly powers and must use them to defeat a force that’s invaded her bureau’s headquarters and continues to distort reality.  The versatile shooting gameplay seems reminiscent of BioShock, where the player can choose whether to use Jesse’s advanced weapon or utilize her supernatural ability to levitate and manipulate things in her surroundings, giving the player plenty of options in how to engage combat and solving environmental obstacles. There’s still a lot of mystery around the game, but Remedy have certainly pulled a lot of interest toward their latest. Xbox One, PS4, and PC players will gain a firmer grasp on Remedy’s enigmas at release.

The Bard’s Tale IV: Director’s Cut

InXile’s iteration of The Bard’s Tale fantasy-action series built its cult following by maxing out its two key pillars: top-down isometric gameplay that echoed other games of the genre, and a palpable sense of humor woven throughout an alluring narrative. Along with the absence of Cary Elwes as the voice of the lead character, The Bard’s Tale IV has also moved away from those familiar aspects and brought their RPG experience into a space that’s much more old-school. Despite moving through the 3D world from a first-person perspective, the inventory and combat systems reach way back to the turn-based games of yore … and while that’s uniquely satisfying in theory, critics weren’t too thrilled with the original cut’s fusion of elements, graphical presentation, and general abundance of bugs.  That’s hopefully where this Director’s Cut will come into play, updating it with new content and “thousands” of fixes ranging from interface tweaks and character creation tools to new gear, combat functions, and an “engine update”. Consoles, PC, Mac, and Linux will be regaled by its tunes soon enough.

August 29

Blair Witch

To this day, the original Blair Witch Project remains a polarizing film.  Some can’t stand the persistent motion and infuriating (and, uh, snotty) reactions from characters, while others — myself included here — can still get entirely wrapped up in the found-footage eeriness captured in every frame, dictated by its clever sound design, well-crafted visual language, and  appropriately frantic attitudes from the actors. Regardless of which “camp” one falls into here, the concept of a survival-horror video game set within the films’ earthy, haunted landscape should be intriguing for those who appreciate interactive horror adventures on their consoles.  Bloober Team, the folks behind the exquisitely unnerving Layers of Fear series, are the ones who have undertaken the challenge in their adaptation of Blair Witch to the video game format, and they’re one of a few studios capable of doing it justice. Here’s hoping they’re able to get natural performances out of the VOs to complement their tight grip on psychologically demanding atmosphere.  Blair Witch will be scaring up audiences exclusively on the Xbox One and PC.

The Switch is a little light on attention this month, though, with it seeing a few noteworthy ports: Pillars of Eternity on August 8, Sword Art Online on August 9, and Friday the 13^th on the, uh, 13^th. Other releases worth keeping an eye on are the stealth narrative-based game The Church in the Darkness, which comes to all major platforms on the August 2; Episode 4 of Life is Strange 2 materializes on the August 22; and the World of Warcraft: Classic experience will be up and roaring on August 27.

Six Rad Video Game Releases Worth Blitzing Through This August

Gaining in popularity among gaming enthusiasts over the last few years, mechanical keyboards typically allow you to type quickly and more accurately.

In addition, the life of a mechanical keyboard is longer due to the quality of the key witches and overall build, compared to a standard keyboard.

While most mechanical keyboards are build without size in mind, the HAVIT Mechanical Keyboard is designed more for someone on the go. Forgoing the number pad, this keyboard is just under an inch in height and weighs just over 1 pound. Rather than using a fixed cord, the keyboard utilizes a detachable USB to micro cable to connect to your PC.

Forgoing full RGB, the HAVIT board comes with Kailh Blue Switch keys and an Ice Blue LED color shading that’s adjustable using multiple backlight modes. Those modes can be programmed for quick access to the function keys at the top of the board.

If you are looking for a smaller mechanical board for travel, this could potentially be ideal for you. MSRP: $59.99; here’s the link on Amazon. You can check out the specifications below as well as more images.

Specifications:

Key number: 87 keys
Size: 354*127.5*22.5mm
Net weight: 520g
Interface Type: USB
Cable length: 1500mm (Black USB cable)
Operating force: 45±10gf
Travel(Total): 3.0mm
Voltage: 4.75V±10%
Current: ≤ 50mA （No backlight），≤ 250 mA （brightest backlight）
Service Life: >50 Million Key Operation
Fully Compatible with: Win 10/8/7/Vista/Mac/Linux/IBM PC

Shut Up and Take My Money: HAVIT Mechanical Keyboard

If you are in the market for a new desktop or laptop PC, it’s probably worth buying it sooner rather than later. Detailed by Lenovo COO Gianfranco Lanci, there’s a current shortage of RAM, batteries and SSDs; components used in building personal computers. This shortage is driving costs up each month.

At it relates to companies that sell custom PC builds, consumers may start to see more upgrades being packaged together to hide the cost of more expensive components. If you want to upgrade the hard drive to a SSD, you may see that packaged with a i7 processor upgrade, a more powerful video card or additional RAM.

RAM prices shot up by 30 percent during the last quarter of 2016 and may climb an additional 40 percent during the first quarter of 2017 due to lack of supply. Analyst firms are also expecting the price of SSD to rise for during Q1 2017, but not as sharply as RAM prices.

Interestingly, Intel is selling more i7 chips due to increased in PC gaming as well as the growing adoption of VR headsets. Custom builds that can handle VR output require relatively high specs. For instance, the HTC Vive requires a minimum of a GeForce GTX 970 video card and an Intel Core i5 4590 CPU. The Oculus Rift ups that even more with a requirement of 8GB of RAM.

Realted: Check Ben’s for Deals on Computers

PC prices are rising, due to component shortages

Looking for an awesome gift that will make a Fallout fanatic grin ear to ear? In honor of Fallout 4, we’ve collected a smattering of fantastic Fallout-related items sure to win you positive karma with a Fallout-obsessed player. Check out the full list below:

Fallout Bobbleheads 5″ and 7″ Sizes

If you haven’t taken the G.O.A.T. yet, we doubt you have the insider knowledge to know why these bobbleheads are so cool. In Fallout 3, the player was able to collect little Fallout bobbleheads in the game. When that happens, players receive a boost to a base stat or a particular skill. Returning in Fallout 4, bobbleheads will be one of the things that gamers spend hours, perhaps days, searching the ruins of Boston to find.

Anyway, Bethesda has created physical versions of the bobbleheads, available on November 13. There’s seven different 5-inch versions and five different 7-inch versions. The 5-inch versions ($15 each) are related to perception, energy weapons, strength, lockpicking,  endurance, melee weapons and the repair skill. The 7-inch versions ($20 each) are related to intelligence, endurance, strength, perception and the classic “arms crossed” pose.

See Bobbleheads on Bethesda Store

Fallout 4 Print: (A Long Road Ahead)

Starting at $20 for a print, this beautiful Fallout 4 poster is available in both 13 by 19 and 8.5 by 11. The poster depicts the survivor from Vault 111 as well as his trusty dog and the Mister Handy robot. Outside of the Fallout universe, you can find similar prints of characters in the Star Wars universe.

See Fallout 4 Poster on Etsy

Nuka-Cola Bottle Caps

Used as currency after the devastation of nuclear fallout, bottle caps were popular in both Fallout 3 and Fallout New Vegas. While you can use an Instructable DIY project to make your own, there’s also plenty of people selling the caps on design DIY sites like Etsy. Here’s one such seller, offering up five caps as well as a nifty custom inked pouch to carry around those precious caps! Price: $5

See Nuka-Cola Caps on Etsy

Tranquility Lane Vault Boy Watch

Likely borrowing the concept from that popular watch featuring a Disney cartoon mouse, this watch features an adorable Vault Boy pointing out the hour with his short hand and the minutes with his long hand.  The watch is 43mm gold ion plated with a blue leather band and a scratch resistant lens. It’s water resistant up to 30 meters as well. MSRP: $60

See Watch on Bethesda Store

The Art of Fallout 4

Currently being developed by Dark Horse Comics, this 368-page hardcover book will include full color images from everything related to the world of Fallout 4. Some of the extras for true Fallout fans include concept art for weapons, characters and the game environment as well as “never-seen-before” designs related to the game’s long development. It will be released on December 22, 2015. MSPR: $49.99 (There’s also a special edition for $85.)

Check Price on Amazon

Fallout Monopoly

Featuring property from four different Fallout games, Fallout Monopoly follows the basic rules of monopoly. However, the game also includes currency in the form of caps and tokens which include a 10mm Pistol, a MiniNuke, a Nuka-Cola Bottle, a Power Armor Helmet, a Vault Boy, and the Vault 111 door. Unfrotuantely, it may be tough to get the game at the moment as Gamestop sold out quickly. Look for sales of the game on eBay or on the Bethesda Store. MSRP: $40

Check for Game on GameStop

Fallout 4 Xbox One Wired Controller

Usable on both the Xbox One as well as the PC, the Fallout 4 Xbox One controller features the classic blue & yellow design as well as a smiling vault boy giving you the thumbs up for ditching work to play a marathon session of Fallout 4. The controller includes vibration feedback as well as a detachable 10 foot USB cable. (MSRP: $60)

See Controller on Bethesda Store

Pip Boy 3D Printed Kit

Ideal for use with Bethesda’s iOS, Android and Windows Phone apps that work with the game, anyone that’s crazy serious about getting into the head of a vault dweller can snag a 3D-printed version of the Pip-Boy worn by the game’s main character. Assuming your phone fits, you will be able to check tons of stats related to your ongoing game as well as play mini-games. This would be ideal is you can’t find the Fallout 4 Pip-Boy Edition in stores. Price: $90

Check for Pip Boy Models on Etsy

Fallout 4 Nuka-Cola Quantum Soda

Rolling out Target stores on November 10, Jones Soda repacked their neon blue berry lemonade flavor as Nuka-Cola Quantum. In the Fallout universe, Nuka-Cola Quantum was a radioactive drink that offered a boost to your Action Points at the expense of additional radiation poisoning. Jones Soda hasn’t specifically announced a price for a 6-pack of Nuka-Cola Quantum, but it will likely be at a premium compared to their regular soda flavors.

Check Price on Target

Fallout 4 Ultimate Vault Dweller’s Survival Guide Bundle

While there’s definitely a less expensive version of this book for $23, this premium version is bound in a special edition hardcover and includes the protective slip case. It also includes multiple nuka-cola collectibles; a Nuka Cola metal bottle opener, five magnetic bottle caps, and a Nuka Cola embroidered patch. If that wasn’t enough, the set includes seven lithographs and a poster-size world map as well. It’s the ultimate fan set for anyone that needs help in Fallout 4. (MSRP: $130)

Check Price on Amazon

“I Speed Up for Deathclaws” Car Decal

Available in eight different colors, this decal will let all the motorists know you aren’t taking any crap from terrifying Deathclaws that happen to be roaming around the suburbs. It will also keep anyone that doesn’t understand what a Deathclaw is far away from your car. It’s a win-win scenario. (Price: $4)

Check Price on Etsy

Fallout 4 Pop Vinyl Figures

Available in six different figures related to Fallout 4, these $10 Pop Vinyl figures are less expensive than the bobbleheads as well as more varied. Characters included in the set are the female & male Lone Wanderer, Brotherhood of Steel soldier, Deathclaw, Super Mutant and Feral Ghoul. There’s also a seventh Vault Boy character as well.

Check Pop Vinyl Set on ThinkGeek

Fallout-Inspired Bottlecap Mine

Nailing the design of the lunchbox bottlecap mine from previous Fallout games, this replica is the perfect collectible to sit next to your Mini-Nuke from the PC anthology collection or perhaps your replica pip-boy. Other cool items from the same designer include Jet inhalers and Nuka grenades! Price: $55.

Check Price on Etsy

Honorable Mention: Fallout 3 Vinyl Soundtrack

While not technically related to Fallout 4, this awesome vinyl box set is a would bring tears to the eyes of Three Dog. Featuring the amazing music of Fallout 3,  the records include 29 different tracks featuring the score of the original game. Ships during early November 2015. MSRP: $85

See Records on Bethesda Store

Honorable Mention 2: Fallout Anthology

Shipped in a super-cool Fallout-inspired mini-nuke with an audible bomb sound feature, the Fallout Anthology is a fantastic refresher course for anyone that wants to get all caught up on narrative prior to the release of Fallout 4. The nuke includes the original Fallout, Fallout 2, Fallout Tactics, Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas. (MSRP: $50)

Check Price on Amazon

Get Fallout 4 on Amazon!

Fallout 4 Collectibles that Will Make any Vault Dweller Smile