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

This week, the power of four, kidnapped sisters and the return of a legendary ninja.

Re-Releases and Ports

Nintendo’s latest Switch 2 upgrade game arrives this week. Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed World is a combination of Kirby’s excellent 3D platformer debut and a whole new expansion that’s been added exclusively for the Switch 2 version. Good time to jump in if you never played the original game.

Forget the console wars, this week sees a console cultural exchange, as Sony’s Helldivers II releases on Xbox and Microsoft’s Gears of War comes to PS5 as Gears of War: Reloaded (and also PC and Xbox itself). Helldivers II is a port of the hugely popular third-person co-op horde shooter dripping in Starship Troopers style satire, while Gears of War: Reloaded is a reworked version of the first game in the third-person shooter series about large men with dinner plate nipples on their armour and chainsaws on their guns. Fanboys are in shambles right now.

It may be a remake, but it’s so faithful to the original it may be a remaster. Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater (PC, PS5, Xbox X/S) brings Metal Gear Solid 3 to modern systems with a fresh new coat of paint, rebuilt in Unreal Engine. Still an absolute classic, although it’s not clear why Konami gave this the full remake treatment when a remaster would have done the job just fine.

Early Access

Releasing in Early Access from Krafton and developer Jofsoft, Pizza Bandit is a bizarre mix of Overcooked and a third-person shooter. You and your friends are chefs attempting to create the greatest pizzeria, but enemies simply won’t stop attacking your kitchen.

Another Early Access release, this time from Gambrinous with funding from Blumhouse, Eyes of Hellfire is a multiplayer horror game where you must work together to uncover the secrets of the legendary Hellfire Club while trapped inside an old lodge. However, each player has their own secret objectives that means you can’t fully trust each other.

New Releases

Particle Hearts (PC, PS5, Switch 1, Xbox X/S) is set in a world made of visible particles. Advancing through this adventure will require you solving puzzles by manipulating those particles to your advantage. Developed by Underwater Fire and published by First Break Labs.

I love a good 3D platformer, and this one has a shield you can slide around on, so hell yes. The Knightling (PC, PS5, Xbox X/S) is about a knight in training who must save their mentor. It’s a story about unexpected heroes built around some rad platforming challenges and a weapon that works as a sled and glider all at the same time. Developed by Twirlbound (Pine) and published by Saber Interactive.

If you like big mecha anime or even just gunpla (hi Ryan), the latest in Bandai Namco’s Super Robot Wars crossover franchise is here to meet your needs. Super Robot Wars Y (PC, PS5, Switch 1) brings together Macross, Code Geass and multiple eras of Gundam, with all their mecha available for smashing together in epic fights. Even Godzilla shows up (hi Keith). This latest game also adds the Assist Link system, allowing you to bring a sidekick along to help you out.

Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar (PC, Switch) is a remake of Harvest Moon: Grand Bazaar on the DS. It’s pretty much exactly what you expect from Marvelous’ long-running farm series by this point, with this game’s gimmick built around the titular market where you can sell your wares.

After Ninja Gaiden made its glorious return to 2D a few weeks ago, it’s time for another classic ninja sidescroller to make its return. Shinobi: Art of Vengeance (PC, PlayStation, Switch 1, Xbox) is a new entry in Sega’s Shinobi series from Streets of Rage 4 developer Lizardcube. Adopting a stylish ukiyo-e appearance, you control Joe Musashi as he defends his village from an invading force. Expect side-scrolling battle stages and chase levels as Musashi rides his noble wolf Yamato through dangerous scenarios.

The latest game in Sony’s major investment in games across China and South Korea arrives this week. Lost Soul Aside (PC, PS5) is a stylish action game inspired by games like Devil May Cry, where you play as a rebel whose sister has been taken. The only way to save her is to descend into a new dimension and fight off the strange creatures within. Expect big flashy combos, tons of weapon options and some cool traversal moves along the way. Developed by Ultizero Games.

Game of the Week

Game of the Week is Quartet (PC), which is best described as indie Octopath Traveler.

As the name suggests, Quartet tells the tales of four heroes with their own origins and motivations, all brought together under unlikely circumstances. A train robber uncovers government conspiracies. A girl witnesses another world through a deck of cards. A soldier witnesses a fleet of deadly airships carve up the land. And finally, a chef accidentally becomes a mage.

I played the demo of this one and immediately impressed. It only let you see the soldier’s story, but there was a moment of horrifying realisation during this short sequence that made me realise the writing in this one is going to be extremely good. The battle system was also great, with a regenerating AP bar and the ability to swap reserve characters in at any time (ie. the best mechanic from Final Fantasy X and not enough RPGs use it). Plus the full game has a playable hippo as one of the “sidekick” characters. Developed by Something Classic Games.