New Releases: March 21st-27th, 2019

With titles like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and Nelke & the Legendary Alchemists: Ateliers of the New World, reissues like Danganronpa Trilogy and The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel Decisive Edition, there’s plenty of notable new releases this week. Beyond those heavy hitters, there’s plenty of games to keep your eye on. SIE San Diego Studio’s fourteenth annual MLB The Show aims for the fences while Avalanche Software’s Generation Zero offers a chance for redemption after the disappointing Just Cause 4.

Image header: The Princess Guide, Switch and PlayStation 4

PlayStation 4
Alwa’s Awakening (digital, $9.99)
Danganronpa Trilogy (physical and digital, $59.99)
Generation Zero (physical and digital, $39.99)
MLB The Show 19 (physical and digital, $59.99)
Nelke & the Legendary Alchemists: Ateliers of the New World (physical and digital, $59.99)
Outward (physical and digital, $39.99)
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (physical and digital, $59.99)
Space Junkies (digital, $TBA, PS VR)
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel Decisive Edition (physical and digital, $49.99)
The Princess Guide (physical and digital, $39.99)
The Walking Dead – The Final Season: Episode 4 – Take Us Back (included with season pass)

Switch
Air Conflicts: Pacific Carriers (digital, $19.99)
Air Conflicts: Secret Wars (digital, $19.99)
Alien Cruise (digital, $11.30)
Apocryph: An Old-School Shooter (digital, $14.95)
Arcade Archives – Elevator Action (digital, $7.99)
Assault On Metaltron (digital, $4.89)
Azure Saga: Pathfinder DELUXE Edition (digital, $8.49)
Bargain Hunter (digital, $12.49)
Blaster Master Zero 2 (digital, $9.99)
Block-a-Pix Deluxe (digital, $7.99)
Croc’s World (digital, $3.99)
Doodle God: Evolution (digital, $6.99)
Final Fantasy VII (digital, $15.99)
Galak-Z: The Void: Deluxe Edition (digital, $12.74)
Gems of War (digital, free)
Grand Prix Story (digital, $12.00)
Hook (digital, $1.99)
Inventioneers (digital, $9.99)
Nelke & the Legendary Alchemists: Ateliers of the New World (physical and digital, $59.99)
Neon Caves (digital, $3.99)
Nuclear Throne (digital, $13.99)
OMG Zombies! (digital, $1.24)
Peasant Knight (digital, $2.99)
Reptilian Rebellion (digital, $2.99)
Rogue Bit (digital, $4.99)
StarDrone (digital, $9.99)
Super Phantom Cat: Remake (digital, $9.99)
Sushi Time! (digital, $3.49)
The Princess Guide (physical and digital, $39.99)
The Walking Dead – The Final Season: Episode 4 – Take Us Back
Unravel Two (digital, $19.99)
Windscape (digital, $15.99)
Witch & Hero (digital, $4.99)
Xenon Racer (physical and digital, $49.99)

Xbox One
Generation Zero (physical and digital, $39.99)
Outward (physical and digital, $39.99)
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (physical and digital, $59.99)
The Walking Dead – The Final Season: Episode 4 – Take Us Back (included with season pass)
Xenon Racer (physical and digital, $49.99)

PC
King of Texas ($1.99)
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice ($59.99)
The Walking Dead – The Final Season: Episode 4 – Take Us Back (included with season pass)
We. The Revolution ($17.99)

Matt’s Pick (Editor, DigitallyDownloaded): What a difficult week it is to narrow down to a single game! There’s a new game from NIS, Koei Tecmo is bringing together all of my favourite girls into one adventure in its latest Atelier, Unravel 2 on the go is a great thing, and of course there’s FromSoftware’s ninja epic, Sekiro, to sink your teeth into.

But I’m going to have to go with Trails of Cold Steel’s port to PlayStation 4 this week, because if you haven’t played this series yet, you absolutely have to. It’s the best classical turn based JRPG that we’ve seen in a generation. Free of any efforts to mess with and “modernise” the genre, the developers have instead focused on delivering an incredible, deep, and rewarding narrative and a delightful bunch of characters. Shades of Persona, Valkyria Chronicles and Final Fantasy abound, the game is a love letter to everything we’ve ever loved about the JRPG. And, with the other three games in the series also coming (and each title a direct sequel to what came before), if you are going to give Trails a go, you must start at the chronological beginning.

Also Trails of Cold Steel will introduce you to Alisa, a perky archer with the best legs in videogamedom… I mean she’s a great character and you’ll love her a lot.

Jay’s Pick: Wow, this week is huge. Thankfully for some of your wallets a few of the amazing games are re-releases but if you haven’t stepped into the wonderful worlds of Danganronpa or Trails of Cold Steel yet than I highly suggest you do.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice would probably be my pick if I could bring myself to actually enjoy Souls-likes as much as everybody else seems to. After playing Sekiro at a preview event I finally came to the conclusion that these types of games just aren’t for me, and that is somewhat saddening because I like so many of the aspects and ideas.

I’m going to have to go with something I know I’ll love, and that’s Nelke & the Legendary Alchemists: Ateliers of the New World. I haven’t played an Atelier I didn’t like, and this one brings back characters from all across the series up to this point. If crafting, fun little stories, and gorgeous art styles are your thing, look no further… just don’t try and pronounce Atelier on YouTube unless you’re French or willing to face the full wrath of a pedantic comment section.

Ryan’s Pick: On any other week, I would have not hesitated to own all three games on a single disc featuring the Ultimates of Hopes Peak Academy, but my blood runs red this week instead of pink. Truth be told I’ve been following Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice for quite some time and I’ve been eagerly awaiting its release. While I get the feeling that true Dark Souls purists may have a few gripes about how certain mechanics are different, I think that at its core it still will get your blood pumping like a DS game even if you may be able to revive your character. This, plus it adds a bit more strategy with the addition of stealth mechanics instead of just chewing on a Green Blossom and charging in every time.

It is also important to know that while it is a completely new IP, the game does have a history with the publishers of the Tenchu series, which was a successful stealth game for PS1 back in 1998. Similarly, the two games share the use of a grappling hook, which allows you to maneuver around levels stealthily as you like to tackle enemy encounters. That grappling hook really made Tenchu a blast, so I am pretty sure it will be your go-to utility item in Sekiro. I know there still will be the guaranteed face-off moments where you will have to cross swords normally, but that’s where the Dark Souls feeling of dread mixed with excitement will be waiting for core fans. Marrying the two distinct game types together is a tough feat, but I think that by something new with their already successful game model, FromSoftware is looking to continue to grow as a studio which is a good thing.

Robert’s Pick: I’m really temped to pick up Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. But like Jay, I’m afraid my parrying skills might be inferior, my reflexes dulled by years of turn-based titles. But the idea of getting an opening that leads to killing in a single, swift blow harken back to my days spent with Bushido Blade.  Factor in some stealth-based gameplay, and I’m sure I’ll break down and buy Sekiro. If FromSoftware would have included actual Sengoku-era locales and historical figures, they would have already had my money in the bank already.

Given the absence of verisimilitude, I’m most excited for Nelke. I’ve followed Gust’s charming series for nearly fifteen years, aiding a steady stream of ambitious alchemists self-actualize. This is the franchise’s twentieth anniversary, and as such Ateliers of the New World serves as both victory lap and departure from formula. This time out, expect the multiple demands associated with city management occupy your leisure hours. With over a hundred characters culled from most (no one from the portable iterations is present) of the franchise’s prolific run, this week will be spent at the A – TE – LI – é.