Hello! Welcome to the latest Geeky Brummie Games Release Roundup!

This week, time loops, cubes and Tom Nook.

The Games Release Roundup is back for 2026! I did say it was going to return last week but the list was so small and barely worth talking about that I took an extra week off. It’s still relatively quiet (it is still January, after all) but there’s a few notable releases this week, including a new Devolver game, an update to one of Nintendo’s biggest Switch games, a highly anticipated fanmade Minecraft spinoff and the latest in Nihon Falcom’s never-ending Legend of Heroes series.

But that hasn’t stopped a few indies from sneaking their games out this week too, so take a look and see what’s on offer.

Re-Releases and Ports

Animal Crossing: New Horizons comes to Switch 2 this week, alongside a major new update for the game available to all players. The Switch 2 Edition adds features specific to the system, including higher resolutions, GameChat features and the ability to use mouse controls. The update, meanwhile, adds a whole new hotel area to your island and feels like the more substantial inclusion. And that part’s free!

Early Access

Hytale is a long time coming, having begun as a Minecraft server in the early 2010s before being effectively shuttered by Mojang’s policies. This standalone game is essentially Minecraft with stronger RPG elements, but development has been rocky, with Hypixel Studios being acquired by Riot, the game later getting shelved and then re-purchased by the original developer who is determined to complete it. It is in Early Access, and the team admits there is still a long way to completion, but players can now support it directly.

New Releases

Craftlings (PC) is a cross between an automation builder and classic puzzler Lemmings. Your titular Craftlings will wander around haplessly (including off ledges) until they’re assigned jobs, so your task is to make sure they all know what they’re doing. Developed by Ariano Games.

Kotama and Academy Citadel (PC) is an anime Metroidvania where you fight your way through an academy for powerful students. It’s not a game that’s doing a lot of new stuff, but it’s doing so in such a flashy and cool way it’s hard not to find it charming. Developed by Atomstring Games and published by 2P Games.

The latest in a horror series that’s come out of nowhere and already has about 10 games either out or in active development, BrokenLore: Unfollow (PC, PS5) sees you playing as a girl dealing with social media pressure in a nightmare world. Expect about three more games in this series as the year goes on. Developed by Serafini Productions.

Hank: Drowning on Dry Land (PC) is a stealth strategy game set inside the consciousness of an alcoholic Batman expy. Poisoned by an enemy and slowly dying on the floor of a diner, our “hero” must delve into his own mind in search for a solution. Developed by My Next Games.

Big Hops (PC, PS5, Switch 1) is a 3D platformer starring a plucky frog. You get to use tongue mechanics, climb on walls and enjoy fluid parkour, all to help this lil guy find his way home after being transported through the Void. Developed by Luckshot Games.

Quarantine Zone: The Last Check (PC) is a game that puts you in charge of the checkpoint inspectors in a zombie apocalypse. You must scan and assess everyone who attempts to walk through your checkpoint, weighing up the moral implications of turning people away or incinerating the ones that are too far gone. All while managing the general upkeep of your base. Developed by Brigada Games and published by Devolver Digital.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon (PC, PlayStation, Switch) is the latest in Nihon Falcom’s Trails series, and is a big finale episode bringing every Trails arc to its conclusion. Protagonists from the Daybreak, Sky and Cold Steel arcs are all playable in this one as humanity sets out to explore the wider expanse of space.

Game of the Week

The first Game of the Week for 2026 is Kejora (PC, PlayStation, Xbox), a game about children breaking a time loop.

Kejora follows three young children, including the titular Kejora, as they slowly begin to realise their little village is trapped in a time loop. And so they go on an adventure to uncover the secrets, using each kid’s unique abilities to progress in this point-and-click adventure.

It was a tough choice picking a game this week, but I always love a good point-and-click, and the hand drawn visuals won me over here. There’s a touch of Ghibli whimsy to the animation, but thankfully doesn’t seem willing to shy away from some darker, spookier elements along the way.

Developed by Berangin Creative and published by Soft Source. (https://www.softsourcepublishing.com/release/kejora/)