New Releases: May 18th-24th, 2023

This week, Puzzle Bobble Everybubble! ushers in several bubble-popping titles that range from the franchise’s 16-bit adaptation to an obvious knockoff like Bubble Monsters. Meanwhile, visual novels fans might be intrigued by Ghostpia Season One’s (pictured) mix of melancholy, and mayhem, along with just a hint of moe.

PlayStation 4
Convergence: A League of Legends Story (digital, $29.99)
Cyber Citizen Shockman (digital, $5.99)
Firmament (digital, $31.49)
Monster Menu: The Scavenger’s Cookbook (physical & digital, $49.99)
Shadow Warrior 3: Definitive Edition (physical, $39.99)
Star Trek Resurgence (digital, $TBA)
The Knight Witch (physical, $29.99)
Torinto (digital, $4.99)
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun (digital, $21.99)

PlayStation 5
Garden Simulator (physical, $34.99)
Monster Menu: The Scavenger’s Cookbook (physical & digital, $49.99)
Shadow Warrior 3: Definitive Edition (physical, $39.99)
The Knight Witch (physical, $29.99)

Switch
911: Cannibal (fromtal, $3.19)
Apploval (digital, $29.99)
Battle Kid: Fortress of Peril (digital, $9.99)
Best Action Games 5-in-1 (digital, $39.99)
Best Mobile Games 5-in-1 (digital, $19.99)
Bio Prototype (digital, $3.99)
BlackJack Waifu Tour (digital, $4.50)
Bubble Monsters (digital, $4.99)
Bunhouse (digital, $19.99)
Convergence: A League of Legends Story (digital, $29.99)
Cyber Citizen Shockman (digital, $5.99)
Dark Quest 3 (digital, $18.99)
Demon Gaze EXTRA (physical, $59.99)
Dying Light: Definitive Edition & Call of Juarez: Gunslinger (digital, $59.99)
Farming Simulator 23- Nintendo Switch Edition (physical & digital, $44.99)
Find The Pairs: Classic Memory Puzzle (digital, $9.99)
Garden Simulator (physical, $34.99)
Ghostpia Season One (digital, $17.99)
Glitch Busters: Stuck On You (digital, $17.99)
Hexapoda (digital, $12.99)
Japanese Escape Games The House (digital, $4.99)
LEGO 2K Drive (physical $59.99, digital $59.99, $99.99, $119.99)
Love on Leave (digital, $24.99)
Magic Bubble Shooter: Classic Bubbles Arcade (digital, $9.99)
Mechanic 8230: Escape From Ilgrot (digital, $14.99)
Monster Menu: The Scavenger’s Cookbook (physical & digital, $49.99)
Murtop (digital, $4.99)
Nightmare Reaper (digital, $29.99)
No One Lives Under the Lighthouse (digital, $11.99)
Puzzle Bobble / Bust-a-Move 16-Bit Console Version (digital, $7.99)
Puzzle Bobble Everybubble! (physical & digital, $39.99)
The Knight Witch (physical, $29.99)
Torinto (digital, $4.99)
Unalive 010 (digital, $4.99)
Undergrave (digital, $4.99)
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun (digital, $21.99)
Winter’s Wish: Spirits of Edo (physical & digital, $49.99)
Woodland Hike (digital, $4.99)

Xbox One
Convergence: A League of Legends Story (digital, $29.99)
Cyber Citizen Shockman (digital, $5.99)
Death, Soul & Robots (digital, $4.99)
Eastern Exorcist (digital, $17.99, Game Pass)
Ghostlore (digital, $19.99, Game Pass)
Infini (digital, $9.99)
Kingdom Rush Origins (digital, $14.99)
No One Lives Under the Lighthouse (digital, $11.99)
Planet of Lana (digital, $TBA)
Star Trek Resurgence (digital, $TBA)
The Knight Witch (physical, $29.99)
Torinto (digital, $4.99)
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun (digital, $19.79)

PC
Adorable Witch5: Lingering ($TBA)
Bread & Fred ($TBA)
Car for Sale Simulator 2023 ($16.19)
Castle of Secrets ($TBA)
Cruise Ship Manager ($TBA)
Dead Ink ($TBA)
Firmament ($31.49)
Glitch Busters: Stuck on You (digital, $17.99)
Inkbound ($TBA)
Kuroinu Redux ($15.99)
Last Holiday ($29.99)
Miasma Chronicles ($TBA)
Mountaincore ($22.49)
Planet of Lana ($TBA)
Pocket Mirror – GoldenerTraum ($14.99)
Rule the Waves 3 ($39.99)
The Outlast Trials ($29.99)
Vividlope ($9.99)
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun ($19.79)

Rob’s Pick: Otomate’s settings often depict sweeping ideological shifts. Birushana: Rising Flower of Genpei depicted the Heiji Rebellion, resulting in the first of four samurai-dominated governments during the feudal era. Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom was set at the end of the Tokugawa period, when the rule of the shogunate was challenged, radically altering Japan’s political and social structures. Even Dairoku: Agents of Sakuratani fictionalized setting described different creatures from folklore on the precipice of provoking interdimensional conflict.

This week’s release of Winter’s Wish: Spirits of Edo is set during a decidedly less turbulent time. Before the conflict that provided Hakuoki with a rich context, there was a span of 250 years of peace and prosperity. Stability might seem like an uninteresting circumstance, but the novel follows Dairoku’s lead by dabbling with the supernatural. Of course, all of this might be irrelevant if you’re here for the artistry. And between Nagaoka’s illustrations, Yuuya’s chibified drawings, and a stirring soundtrack, you don’t have to be a reki-jo to appreciate this one. Lastly, I’m also really curious about Ghostpia Season One. Sure, the look of visual novel isn’t as immediately alluring as say, Nekopara. But I feel the script could be the draw.

Matt R’s pick (editor, Shindig): I usually try to keep across otome news, but it seems I’ve been slacking, because Winter’s Wish: Spirits of Edo has taken me by surprise. Nonetheless, any Otomate game is cause for celebration, and another historically-set one especially. As we’ve seen with the likes of Hakuoki, this is a studio with a particular talent for using the otome format to explore the sociopolitical intricacies of different settings.

Edo is a fascinating one: a time of ostensible peace, as far as civil war goes, but one with plenty of internal conflict. A rigid and deliberately uneven class structure, religious turmoil, and politicking among the samurai class all leave their mark on this slice of Japan’s history. I can’t wait to see how Otomate brings it’s unique touch and unmatched eye for dramatic romance to such a backdrop.

Ryan’s pick: Creating immersive worlds in the early 90’s on PC was quite the feat, but Cyan Worlds was able to do just that with the release of Myst in 1993. I owned the game on my Packard Bell 486DX2 computer, and recall how unique the game was compared to other games in that time period. Perhaps it was my feeble pre-teen brain, but I definitely recall that game stumping me on what to do next. With the success of their recent Kickstarter, I’m interested in trying Firmament, which is this studio’s brand-new game releasing this week. I am expecting the same unique puzzles to get that same feeble brain of mine humming much like in their previous games, but at the same time, I’m curious to see how they’ll make them approachable for newcomers who haven’t played their older games.

One other game coming out that I liked on Steam was Dead Ink. I like its top-down 3D view coupled with the fact that it’s a roguelike. There is something about the environment and the fact that you are descending a massive tower while having to weather melee battles that has me interested. The scale and design of the environment really adds to the game, so if you are into roguelikes please give this a look.

Matt S’ pick (editor, DigitallyDownloaded): Winter’s Wish: Spirits of Edo is otome at its finest. It has the ridiculously pretty boys and all-round gorgeous art work, of course, but it’s also a fascinating historical fantasy and an opportunity to delve into a period of Japan that we don’t often see in games. The era of the Tokugawa Shogunate was one with minimal military conflict and the nation was shut off to the world. While the game is very much a fantasy, that real history context and gives it an authenticity, and gives people that find it interesting something to go and learn more about. And they say games can’t inspire or be educational!

Also, don’t miss out on the chance to play Bunhouse on Switch. It’s been on PC for a while, and it is the most warming, wholesome thing. You get to play as a bunny, growing plants, hopping around, and doing a bit of yoga. It’s a chill, no-pressure, no-violence little piece, with a sweet theme and charming aura. We need more games just like that one.