Taking those first steps into September and the traditional glut of games that the autumn brings is always a bit daunting. The coming week sees two gigantic RPGs launching on consoles – Baldur’s Gate 3 on PS5 and Starfield on Xbox (but it’s really already out in early access) – and that’s just for starters, with the next three months absolutely rammed with big releases. And to think we’re still plugging away at the reams of Gamescom coverage!
Speaking of which, let’s catch up on the week in video games, which featured no shortage of previews from Gamescom, and a bunch of other news, trailers and announcements.
In the News This Week
- Sony is hiking PlayStation Plus price by up to 33% next week
- Saints Row studio Volition has been shut down
- Super Mario Bros. Wonder features new power-ups, badges & Yoshi riding Yoshi
- Shadow Tactics developer Mimimi Games is shutting down following Shadow Gambit release
- Elder Scrolls 6 is now in ‘early development’
- Rise of the Angry Earth is New World’s first expansion
- PS Plus Essential September 2023 games announced with Saints Row & more
Games in Review and Featured Articles
Let’s get to the meat and potatoes of this week’s round-up, and tuck into all of our Gamescom 2023 coverage. I shared a first preview of Alan Wake’s gameplay from Alan Wake 2, with an intriguing world rewriting element mixed into the survival horror, before shifting gears and giving hands on impressions of Sega’s extraction shooter Hyenas, and of the car MMO Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown.
Dom’s went from rending Tyranid foes with boltguns and chainswords in Space Marine 2, and pulling off brutal finishers in Mortal Kombat 1’s story mode, to the much more cute storybook adventuring of The Plucky Squire.
Dom also spoke to the developers of new MMORPG Wayfinder, while I delved into the psychedelia of metroidvania Ultros, and explored the vast possibilities in life sim Life By You.
Aran also looked back on the exceptional Rayman Legends for its 10th anniversary and pondered what could be next for the venerable platforming hero.
Even with all of that, we also had a batch of hot games to review:
- Sea of Stars – PS5, XSX|S, PS4, XBO, NSW, PC – 9/10
- Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew – PS5, XSX|S, PC – 8/10
- Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon – PS5, XSX|S, PS4, XBO, PC – 7/10
- TAITO Milestones 2 – NSW – 7/10
Rounding out the week, What We Played included Armored Core 6, Baldur’s Gate 3 and TAITO Milestones 2.
Trailer Park
Get an extended look at Space Marine 2
See some Street Fighter 6 AKI gameplay
Huge C-Smash VRS update will add Infinity mode, co-op, AI, levels & more
Your Achievements
Let’s check in on what you’ve been playing and doing over the past week:
- Andrewww has been slowly getting into Deathloop, having not gelled with it when first trying it last year, but pushing himself to give it another go as it heads out of PS Plus.
- And MrYd’s August ended on one final rubbish note with a thankfully mild case of Covid – get well soon! – but has been enjoying time with Diablo IV and Sea of Stars, even if the latter’s battle system could be better in his opinion.
Have a good weekend and we’ll catch you all soon!
