Video Game News Round Up February 2023

Welcome back weary traveller to another video game news round-up. I hope your road through February was paved with love and pancakes (arguably the same thing). I’ll keep things short as, unlike January, February brought plenty of good news to get through and March is bringing a whole host of games with it for us to enjoy. So without further ado, let’s get cracking.

I’m currently playing: On Switch I’m enjoying Octopath Traveller II. While on PlayStation 5 I’ve split my time between Dead Space, Hogwarts Legacy and Outriders.

I’m currently hyped for: Advance Wars 1+2 on Switch. While on PlayStation 5 the Resident Evil 4 REmake still tickles my pickle. [Editor's note, this made me laugh my head off just saying]

New Games

February gave us Hogwarts Legacy (PS5), Wanted: Dead (PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S), Theatrhythm Final Bar Line (Switch, PS4, PS5). Pause for breath after that one! The second half of the month saw the release of Wild Hearts (PS5), Like a Dragon! Ishin! (PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S), Atomic Heart (PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S), Chef Life (all platforms), and Truck Driver (all platforms). Towards the end of the month heavy-hitter Octopath Traveller II came out as did Clive ‘n’ Wrench (PS4, PS5, Swtich) and Scars Above (PS5).

March isn’t messing around and is bringing out the big guns from the off with Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty (PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S) and Metroid Prime Remaster (Switch) hitting shelves on the 3rd. The 7th will see the release of Little Witch Nobeta (Switch, PS4) and my spellchecker’s worst enemy - void* tRrLM2(); //Void Terrarium 2 (Switch, PS4). Train Life: A Railway Simulator - Orient Express Edition (Switch) follows quickly behind on the 8th along with Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters (PS4, PS5) and Tiny Troopers Global Ops (Switch) on the 9th. Eiyuden Chronicle Rising (PS4, PS5, Switch) finally comes out on the 10th. Then there’s a bit of a gap so everyone can get through their every-growing back catalogue until the 16th, which sees the release of Alice Gear Aegis CS: Concerto of Simulatrix (Switch). Then, on the 17th, we get eagerly anticipated WWE 2K23 and its many versions (PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S). On the same day we’re getting Peppa Pig World Adventures (Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S) and Windstorm: An Unexpected Arrival (Switch, PS4). On the 24th we’re getting treated to another big release - Resident Evil 4 REmake (PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S). And if you’re not a fan of horror games then how about JRPG Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key (Switch, PS4) instead? No? What about Mortal Shell Definitive Edition (PS4, PS5, Switch)? Ooooh you’re a fussy one you are.

Announcements

Nintendo started off the month with a wonder Nintedo Direct, which showered us with details and trailers for many titles. Pikmin 4, which looks as lovely and cute as you’d hope, comes out on 21st July. March 6th will see the release of the Dead Cells Return to Castlevania DLC. Capcom’s murder mystery series Ghost Trick returns with a remaster of the first game. Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective comes out this summer. We got to see more of Platinum’s Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon, which is due out 17th March. The Splatoon 3 Expansion Pass includes two waves of content. The first wave features Inkopolis, and launches this spring. Wave 2, dubbed Side Order, launches at some point later. Bandai Namco announced We Love Katamari Reroll+ Royal Reverie, due out 2nd June. Disney Illusion Island, a nice-looking platformer featuring Mickey Mouse and co. will launch on 28th July. Nintendo finally announced a release date for the delayed Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp: 21st April. Remasters of GameCube RPGs Baten Kaitos 1 and 2 are coming to Nintendo Switch this summer. It’s collectively called Baten Kaitos I&II HD Remaster. There’s also a new Professor Layton on the way! It’s called Professor Layton and The New World of Steam, and... that’s pretty much all we know. Nintendo saved the best for last, a good look at The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. And yes, it looks amazing. It’s out 12th May.

Not to be outdone, Sony treated us all to the first State of Play of 2023, which gave us more information and trailers for, among others, Street Fighter 6, Resident Evil 4 REMake (a demo is on the way!) and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.

Speaking of Sony, God of War Ragnarok won big at the DICE Awards (not to be confused with EA’s DICE studio) and bagged Outstanding Achievement in Animation, Outstanding Achievement in Art Director, Outstanding Achievement in Character, Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition, Outstanding Achievement in Audio Design, Adventure Game of the Year, and Outstanding Achievement in Story. While Elden Ring (which has now sold over 20 million copies) won Elden Ring, however, won Outstanding Achievement in Story, Outstanding Technical Achievement, Outstanding Achievement in Game Design, Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction, and Game of the Year.

As if that wasn’t enough good news for Elden Ring fans, FromSoftware have confirmed that an Elden Ring expansion is on the way. It’ll be called Shadow of the Erdtree, there’s no release date yet but knowing it’s in development is still great news. Staying with the theme of DLC, Nintendo have also announced that Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will be receiving a two part expansion, the first called The Teal Mask, will come out in the autumn, while The Indigo Disk will come out “at a later date”.

Luminous Studios, the developers behind Forspoken, have been merged into Square Enix. What this means for a Forspoken sequel is unknown, but with mediocre reviews it never looked likely to start with.

And That’s, That

Let us know on Zatu’s social media what games you’ll be picking up this month and I’ll see you all again for a March round-up. Look after yourselves.