Tech-Gaming Technology, Gaming, and Culture
Traditionally, August in the month that a new iteration in the thirty-year-old Madden franchise is brought out. While the football simulation is noteworthy for sales figures in the billions, and a product that touts over ten million lines of code, even those who abhor sports have a reason to acknowledge the release of Electronic Art’s juggernaut. The game also marks the beginning of the holiday release season, with the month starting to see the release of high profile games like Yakuza 0, Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate, Monster Hunter World, Shenmue I & II, as well as the final season of The Walking Dead.
Header image: WarioWare Gold, 2DS/3DS
PlayStation 4
Dead Cells (digital, $19.99)
Flipping Death (digital, $19.99)
H1Z1: Battle Royale (digital, $4.99-$49.99)
Madden NFL 19 (physical and digital, $59.99)
Overcooked! 2 (digital, $24.99)
Switch
1979: Revolution: Black Friday (digital, $11.99)
Ayakashi Koi Gikyoku -Forbidden Romance with Mysterious Spirit- (digital, $24.99)
Battle Supremacy (digital, $9.99)
Crush Your Enemies (digital, $8.00)
Cycle 28 (digital, $5.59)
Dawn of the Breakers (digital, free to play)
Dead Cells (digital, $24.99)
Eekeemoo – Splinters of the Dark Shard (digital, $4.99)
Flat Heroes (digital, $9.99)
Flipping Dead (digital, $19.99)
Guns, Gore and Cannoli 2 (digital, $12.99)
Iconclasts (digital, $19.99)
In Between (digital, $9.59)
Johnny Turbo’s Arcade: Shoot Out (digital, $7.99)
Kenshō (digital, $14.99)
Loot Monkey: Bling Palace (digital, $7.00)
Not a Hero: Super Snazzy Edition (digital, $12.99)
Picross S2 (digital, $8.99)
Overcooked! 2 (digital, $24.99)
Pixel Action Heroes (digital, $4.99)
Road to Ballhalla (digital, $14.99)
Salt and Sanctuary (digital, $17.99)
Slam Land (digital, $7.99)
Super Blackjack Battle 2 Turbo Edition – The Card Warriors (digital, $6.39)
The Inner World (digital, $11.99)
The Inner World – The Last Wind Monk (digital, $14.99)
Toby: The Secret Mine (digital, $9.59)
Wii U
Forest Escape (digital, $0.70)
Xbox One
1979 Revolution: Black Friday (digital, $11.99)
Armored Warfare (digital, $14.99-$49.99)
Dead Cells (digital, $24.99)
Hyper Universe (digital, free to play)
Jump Gunners (digital, $12.99)
Madden NFL 19 (physical and digital, $59.99)
Overcooked! 2 (digital, $24.99)
Super Dungeon Tactics (digital, $19.99)
2DS/3DS
WarioWare Gold (physical and digital, $39.99)
PC
Dead Cells ($24.99)
King of the Dead ($TBA)
Madden NFL 19 (Origin, $59.99)
MechCorp ($8.09)
MoonStrike ($16.99)
Overcooked! 2 ($24.99)
PUSS! ($9.99)
Rena and Elin ($TBA)
Russian Subway Dogs ($13.49)
TSUN-TSUN VR (free)
Robert’s Pick: Many money-hungry publishers run popular properties into the ground, with an unremitting succession of sequels. While the method might be effective in the short-term, it has ultimately devalued once-satisfying franchises like Tony Hawk Skateboarding, Guitar Hero, Mass Effect, and Medal of Honor. Nintendo has always been a bit more prudent with its properties, stroking the flames of audience demand by gradually doling out follow-ups.
The Kyoto-based corporation could have easily put out WarioWare sequels every quarter. But that might have probably weakened the overall quality of each micro-game package and diluted demand. Instead, developer Intelligent System (which took over R&D1’s role with 2004’s Smooth Moves) has ensured each of their four follow-ups maintained the playability, charm, and cheeky attitude of the first two entries. As such, this week’s release of WarioWare Gold has me excited. Not just for the enormous compilation of 300 microgames, or the ability to overdub the cutscenes but for the accessibility and delight the series brings. There have been a number of knock-offs, but WarioWare is hands-down the best at creating seven-second bursts of amusement.
Matt’s Pick: (Editor, DigitallyDownloaded): Will I ever tire of Picross? What a silly question, of course I won’t. In fact – and this is a true story – when I spend time in Japan I have a compulsive need to visit every bookstore and newsagent that I come across to purchase every nonogram book that I can find in it. They’re everywhere, dear readers. EVERYWHERE. I’ve got a bookshelf full of them. What a country Japan is.
Picross is far easier to take on trains and stuff than those books though. Also, it’s easier to correct mistakes. After the first Picross on Nintendo Switch proved to be a real return to form for the developer (which was really churning them out on Nintendo 3DS), I’m genuinely excited to see what this new one will offer. I’m sure it’s going to be awesome.
Ryan’s Pick: Recently Hollow Knight on the Switch has reminded me how much I loved playing Metroid and Castlevania games on my older Nintendo handheld consoles. Continuing my Vania spree, I am looking forward to Dead Cells. While the Switch version is a port of the game, I am making it my pick for the week as I feel it is a welcome addition to the growing catalog for the Switch. Procedurally-generated roguelikes and Vanias work well on portables, so I’m definitely excited to give it a try on the go.
One particular part of the game development that Motion Twin has shared is the fact that they chose to utilize 3D modeling to help with the 2D character animations. This is a different workflow approach towards generating realistic animations for 2 & 2.5D games instead of utilizing sprite sheets. They were able to capture the 3D animations without anti-aliasing which gives the characters a more low-res appearance that I think looks pretty awesome. Again, very excited for this roguevania to hit Switch.
Zack’s Pick (Senior Editor, RPG Site): Dead Cells is an incredibly addictive roguelite that is equal parts challenging and rewarding with a gorgeous sprite-based art style that really draws you into the experience. I spent countless hours building up my character on the PC release, and I spent the entire time with a gamepad.
As Ryan already mentioned, while it will arrive on other platforms, the Nintendo Switch feels like the perfect place to enjoy this genre (after having spent a lot of time on Rogue Legacy for the PlayStation Vita). With its gorgeous animation and kinetic gameplay, this is easily one of the most entertaining titles to come out in a while. I highly recommend giving this one a try!
PUSS! sounds like a game that everyone would like.
What’s with the huge price range for H1Z1: Battle Royale?
Is Madden really on PC?
Why is Robert picking the simplistic games lately. Is everything OK?
We’re Switch friends. He’s also playing a lot of the games you’d expect– Octopath, Disgaea, etc.
Dead Cells is this weeks definitive choice. Great game!
Dead Cells is more on Steam that on console?!?
One of those rare instances.
If I can get WarioWare for $32 with the GCU, I’m in.
All Nintendo picks this week. This is the closest New Releases has come to agreement.
Not a Hero was fun but short. I wonder if the Switch version adds any content.
Sadly none of these really interest me cause i only have a pc and none of the pc titles sparked my interest but still looks nice!
Saw your tweet. Chris Kohler has gone south these days. I loved him a long time ago on podcasts but now his writing is just sloppy.
Whelp, Monster Hunter World missed the cut. Something to look forward tho. Next week I guess.
It’s not fair to lump Mass Effect in with those franchises. It had a trilogy and one game set outside of that trilogy that came out 5 years later. I’d hardly call that an “unremitting succession”.
I haven’t played a really good Metroidvania game in a while so I will check out Dead Cells. That is all for me this week. I’m saving up for upcoming games like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 4.