Sony has announced that PlayStation Plus subscribers will receive SOMA, Onrush, and Iconoclasts – among other titles – for free in December. They might not quite be major headliners like last month’s Yakuza Kiwami and Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition, but these are still some quality releases. Check out the video below.

SOMA is available for the PS4, and comes from the development studio behind Amnesia: The Dark Descent. It takes players into a futuristic underwater facility teeming with robots, both friendly and rogue. What’s going on, and how does the player escape? That’s part of the appeal in this atmospheric horror title.

Codemasters’ Onrush comes from the team responsible for DriveClub. Though it wasn’t especially successful, the title’s fast and responsive racing, along with an unorthodox approach to team play, is interesting to try out. Then there’s Iconoclasts for the PlayStation Vita (which has Cross Buy support with PS4), an excellent side-scrolling 2D platformer with a compelling story from the developer of Noitu Love 2: Devolution.

Other titles that you can look forward to include Steredenn and Steins;Gate for the PlayStation 3 and Papers, Please for the PlayStation Vita. All in all, it’s a fairly strong selection across all platforms. Look for them to go live when the PlayStation Store refreshes in December.

To me, the term “indie” developer is equal parts counter-culture and unfettered creative vision. However, they are not on a different level from triple-A studios – really, the only things that separate them are bigger budgets and more marketing. Just like indie games are not by virtue worse than triple-A titles because of the lack of money, so too are they not superior because of their unique ideas (which come down to proper execution at the end of the day). I’m not a fan of the “triple-A” or “indie” moniker when it comes down to great games. Because great games, at the end of the day, are great games. And 2018, for all its typical franchises, has seen a lot of great games.

"Developed by Matt Thorson and friends aka Matt Makes Games that brought us the wildly entertaining multiplayer-centric Towerfall: Ascension, Celeste turned out to be one of the biggest surprises of the year."

Let’s start with January. It was a cold, dark month, punctuated by the impending release of Monster Hunter World. For me, the month was important for two reasons – Cellar Door Games’ Full Metal Furies and Konjak’s Iconoclasts. The former, obviously, is due to the developer’s amazing Rogue Legacy. Full Metal Furies has been in development for a long time and while its beat ’em up mechanics were decent, the overall gameplay and structure felt a bit wanting. It came and went but thankfully, the same didn’t apply to Iconoclasts. This years-in-development action platformer from Joakim Sandberg culminated in a colourful adventure with a deep story, lovable characters and excellent boss fights. It’s coming to Nintendo Switch as well, making it the perfect title to have on the go.

However, between these titles and Unknown Worlds’ Subnautica finally leaving Steam Early Access amid much fanfare (rightly so given how excellently the development was handled), there was Celeste. Developed by Matt Thorson and friends aka Matt Makes Games that brought us the wildly entertaining multiplayer-centric Towerfall: Ascension, Celeste turned out to be one of the biggest surprises of the year. It overtook a number of other indie titles by coming to the Nintendo Switch at launch but otherwise, it was a great game in every aspect regardless of the platform.

Mechanically, the platforming and variety in level design was compelling, fresh and organically challenging at every turn. The music and visuals were suitably retro but embodied a surrealistic flavour that felt unmistakably contemporary. I would give the most credit to composer Lena Raine for the sheer perfection that her soundtrack serves in setting the mood but everyone who worked on the game, from the artists and programmers to Thorson as designer and director, deserves the highest praise.

Even as Monster Hunter World was setting records and stealing many players’ hearts, Celeste was already my personal Game of the Year.

"Even though there wasn’t a ton of competition, the best new indie game of February was undoubtedly Into The Breach."

Surprisingly, February felt uneventful in comparison. Aegis Defenders from GUTS Department had a certain appeal to its gameplay with the mix of tower defense and 2D platforming but ultimately remained a niche title. February was mostly the month that numerous titles like SteamWorld Dig, Owlboy, Night in the Woods, Layers of Fear: Legacy, Outlast and much more released on the Nintendo Switch. The Nindies program was starting to pick up momentum.

Meanwhile, EA’s Fe was probably the biggest new indie release of the month simply based on the EA Originals label. Was it really exceptional? Did it push any boundaries, especially after January’s cavalcade of great releases? Not really but it was a solid title from the studio behind Stick It To The Man and the upcoming Ghost Giant. Moss was the other big title, simply due to the pedigree of its developer Polyarc (whose team had worked on titles like Guild Wars 2, Halo: Reach, Red Dead Redemption and Dragon Age).

Whether it was the instantly recognizable protagonist Quill or simply being one of the best VR titles ever made, Moss ably established its presence. There was also Where The Water Tastes Like Wine that sadly was proclaimed as a commercial disaster by the developer. Nevertheless, its gorgeous art-direction and strong cast, intermixed with interactive stories, was a welcome offering. An offering that will hopefully receive more appreciation down the line.

Even though there wasn’t a ton of competition, the best new indie game of February was undoubtedly Into The Breach. FTL: Faster Than Light developer Subset Games took a semi-rogue-like approach into the turn-based strategy genre, evoking an aesthetic similar to Advance Wars with intriguing gameplay and squad possibilities. The procedurally generated nature of maps, scaling difficulty and challenge completion required for new units ensured multiple playthroughs. But it was the deceptively simple yet complex gameplay that cemented it as one of the year’s best. There was just something so sweet about knocking an enemy unit into another while their attack kills a third. The ripple effect that this would have on surrounding buildings and other enemies was also worth watching out for at all times.

"Though ultimately falling back on the “one big twist” style of story-telling and having no single-player option, A Way Out’s characterization and strong mechanics allowed it to sell exceptionally well."

The scene started picking up again with all kinds of releases in March. Evoland developer Shiro Games returned with a completely different offering in Northgard. The strategy title focused on settlement building and exploration, as players managed resources and set out to conquer the immense campaign. Despite the strong critical acclaim, Northgard didn’t get too much appreciation but saw a number of updates to extend its life.

Other standout releases that didn’t get too much attention include Ghost of A Tale, a stealth fantasy game focused on a mouse named Tilo as he explores the history of a strange, anthropomorphic inhabitated kingdom; Q.U.B.E. 2, a puzzler in first person that involves the manipulation of cubes while one navigates an immense maze to survive; and of course, Hazelight Games’ A Way Out. Published under the EA Originals label and hyped up thanks to the antics of creator Josef Fares, A Way Out imbibed the couch co-op experience with a compelling story and gameplay situations. Though ultimately falling back on the “one big twist” style of story-telling and having no single-player option, A Way Out’s characterization and strong mechanics allowed it to sell exceptionally well. It crossed 1 million units sold in just two weeks.

April started earnestly enough with Minit. The game focuses on a mystery but much like Half-Minute Hero, a limited time period is provided to accomplish solve it. In between these sixty-second lives, players gather items that are shared across different lifetimes and advance forward (ideally). Though Minit handled its concept well, it was ultimately overshadowed by Harebrained Schemes’ BattleTech and 11 bit Studios’ Frostpunk, not to mention Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice finally coming to Xbox One.

In terms of heavyweights, that’s a pretty solid list. BattleTech became quite successful and Harebrained was acquired by Paradox Interactive. The developer announced future updates and more content (the recently revealed Flashpoint is the first paid expansion). Frostpunk, meanwhile, has been releasing free updates and quality of life changes besides prepping a new scenario for release later this year. Whether it was a tactical turn-based strategy with mech-building and customization or city-management with survival elements and an aspect of humanity, PC players weren’t wanting for unique experiences in April.

"Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire, despite having a budget that could dwarf other indie titles, presented an old-school approach to computer role-playing games in the vein of Baldur’s Gate and Icewind Dale."

Of course, there was also Pizza Titan Ultra, an action platformer which featured giant mechs rampaging through cities to deliver pizzas. Why? Because of course, the mech owners ran a pizzeria! It’s crazy and bizarre but combines the over-top style of Crazy Taxi with the destructible landscape of Blast Corps. It’s nuts and yet extremely endearing.

In May, the flow of indies picked up. Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire, despite having a budget that could dwarf other indie titles, presented an old-school approach to computer role-playing games in the vein of Baldur’s Gate and Icewind Dale. The addition of piracy, ship combat and exploration made it a fun romp even if, like the first game, the writing could be less than quaint. Titles like Omensight and Wizard of Legend also rose to prominence. The former was developed by Spearhead Games of Stories: The Path of Destinies fame. It saw players reliving the same day in Urralia, attempting to solve a murder to reverse the land’s destruction. Time manipulation, hack and slash combat and the ability to influence key characters all created a unique experience (plus the art-style was pretty good looking).

Wizard of Legend took a more straightforward rogue-like approach. Players explored a fixed number of dungeons with procedurally generated elements but the real hook was developing and combining magical spells together. Combat was fast, and the number of spells and items helped provide enough variety for a few repeat playthroughs.

Then there was Moonlighter, a much-anticipated pixel-art dungeon crawler that combined the combat of Zelda with the item shop management of Recettear. While its shopkeeping elements didn’t feel as dynamic, Moonlighter still had an enjoyable loop of combat, upgrading, dungeon looting and selling that was insanely addictive. Did we also mention the art looks simply gorgeous? It’s since been updated with over a hundred new rooms, various quality of life improvements and more interesting twists to the item store.

"July belonged to two major releases – The Banner Saga 3, the climactic conclusion to Stoic’s excellent trilogy, and No Man’s Sky NEXT."

Other titles that stood out in May include City of Brass, a first person rogue-like themed on Arabian Nights where players must venture into a dangerous city for the promise of treasure; FAR: Lone Sails, a linear adventure game where players embark on a sea-faring adventure of mystery, braving hazards and attempting to keep their ship going; and Yoku’s Island Express, a charming side-scrolling platformer that incorporates pinball into its core gameplay. Seriously though, if nothing else, try out Yoku’s Island Express. It’s a ball (I know, I’m sorry).

June and July were relatively quiet, though E3 2018 saw a number of titles either announced or outright released. Unravel Two debuted at EA Play 2018 and while it wasn’t as intriguing as Sea of Solitude (which is out in 2019), the sheer charm of the first game was unique. Plus, there was co-op this time. EA further surprised us by releasing the game as soon as it was announced because…well, why not? Nintendo followed suit. It released the Switch port of Team Cherry’s acclaimed Hollow Knight during its Direct presentation. Hollow Knight has since gone on to fame and fortune, selling over 1 million copies since first launching for PC last year.

Dontnod’s Vampyr was the other big indie release for June. While it seemingly flew under the radar, only slightly buoyed by reviews that praised the story but criticized for its combat, it managed to sell 450,000 units in a manner of weeks. July’s releases were pretty straightforward – This is the Police 2 released and alienated a few fans, though its shift towards a more XCOM-style tactical game wasn’t terrible. Chasm finally released after years in development and while it wasn’t bad, it did average slightly higher than “okay”. At least its 2D art maintained its appeal after so many years.

Honestly, though, July belonged to two major releases – The Banner Saga 3, the climactic conclusion to Stoic’s excellent trilogy, and No Man’s Sky NEXT. The latter technically wasn’t a new game but a large update, overhauling a number of features, adding new ones like co-op multiplayer (and PvP for the more violent-minded folk), and significantly improving the visuals. It did mark the game’s debut for Xbox One but perhaps the most significant development was Hello Games co-founder Sean Murray finally speaking out and admitting to the numerous problems at launch. The commitment to keep improving the game, especially with weekly events, continues.

"Perhaps what impresses me most about this year thus far is how many indie titles seemingly came out of left field and proved to be compelling experiences."

We hence come to August which saw the incredible Dead Cells finally leave Steam Early Access and become a fairly big hit with critics. I’ve waxed eloquent about how brilliant the game is, nailing its core gameplay loop thanks to a striking yet organic aesthetic. And really, it’s tons of fun to kill stuff in that game. No joke.

Guacamelee! 2 wasn’t a revolutionary leap over the sequel but it’s still an excellent follow-up, celebrating Mexican culture and folklore while embodying the very best of Metroidvania gameplay. Death’s Gambit, a 2D Souls-like, also released after numerous years in development. While I personally had a few qualms with it, the combat is fun and challenging to engage with as are the boss battles. Overcooked! 2 brought a whole new meaning to hating your friends with its cooking-based missions (and that odd design choice of only the hosting player receiving progress should be fixed by now). Even Donut County, a game where you control a whole that’s swallowing things up and increasing in size, looks bizarrely fun.

Perhaps what impresses me most about this year thus far is how many indie titles seemingly came out of left field and proved to be compelling experiences. For as much hype as there was for Iconoclasts, Celeste simply came out of nowhere and became known as one of the very best games ever made. Likewise, with August coming to an end (as of this time of writing), Sabotage Studio’s The Messenger has released and proven itself to be an excellent homage to the old-school Ninja Gaiden.

Even without the direct comparison, it’s still proven to be a fantastic 2D action platformer. For The King, IronOak Games’ tabletop roguelike RPG, was also pretty good and despite leaving Early Access with very little fanfare, it’s been well-received by both critics and regular fans. The same goes for Event Horizon’s Tower of Time, a more story-centric RPG dungeon crawler with some compelling combat and decent story-telling.

"Not everyone may find success but each title has earned its place in the hearts and minds of its fans, no matter their number."

Though the Fall and Holiday seasons are known for their triple-A releases, there are a few awesome indie games to look forward to. InExile’s The Bard’s Tale 4: Barrows Deep will arrive on September 18th, introducing a new generation to the dungeon crawling, RPG excitement that permeated old-school titles. Secret of Mana-style action RPG CrossCode will also finally release, exiting Steam Early Access on September 20th, and I couldn’t be more excited about finally playing the game through from start to finish. A number of titles like This War of Mine, Hyper Light Drifter, Everspace, Beat Cop, Moonlighter and much more will also be making their way to the Nintendo Switch, which has proven to be a premier destination for indie titles. Just ask anyone still addicted to Dead Cells on the go.

Frozen Synapse 2 is also probably still coming this year. It’s really hard to say at this point.

The industry has seen its ups and downs throughout the years. Whether it’s last year’s hefty push for loot boxes and reinforcing essential gameplay elements with loot boxes, or the constant nagging about the Battle Royale genre this year, there will always be some kind of pervasive cynicism. That doesn’t mean that some great games – even those seemingly “ruined” by microtransactions – aren’t available to indulge in but that’s beside the point. Through all the twists we’ve seen the industry take, the indie development scene continues to push forward. It may not always be easy or lead to returns as exemplified by Zeboyd Games (Cosmic Star Heroine) or Infinite Fall (Night in the Woods). Some developers like Hello Games may be forever marred by their past failures. Others may be defined more by their explosive personalities than their actual work like Josef Fares.

At the end of the day, the market has proven receptive to indie games and fresh experiences in general. Not everyone may find success but each title has earned its place in the hearts and minds of its fans, no matter their number.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

Joakim “Konjak” Sandberg’s latest action platformer Iconoclasts has been available for PC, PlayStation Vita and PlayStation 4 since January 2018. However, with the Nintendo Switch booming and indies receiving widespread attention, exactly when can we expect to see it on the hybrid platform?

According to publisher Dangen Entertainment, Iconoclasts will be out on August 2nd… for Japan, at least. Revealed by Famitsu, the game will hit the Nintendo eShop next week in the region. When will it arrive in the United States and Europe? Hopefully, more information will be provided on that front soon.

If you haven’t played it already, Iconoclasts is certainly worth a look. The story centres on Robin, a mechanic who helps people but operates without a license. When the Agents of One Concern decide to persecute her in the name of “Mother”, Robin has to escape and team up with some unlikely allies to survive.

Why is Ivory in short supply? What’s happening to the Moon? There’s a lot going on throughout the game’s numerous locations (which collectively house over 20 bosses to fight). Stay tuned for more details on the Switch version, which adds a Boss Rush mode and a new difficulty on top of the stellar base game.

Joakim Sandberg’s Iconoclasts, a long-in-development Metroidvania-esque platformer with an awesome art-style, will be heading to Nintendo Switch. Sandberg announced the news on Twitter and also confirmed that there would be a new difficulty mode and Boss Rush feature. Considering the overall number of bosses and their designs, it should be fun to run a gauntlet of them.

It should be noted that the new difficulty setting will be making the game easier for those who just want to experience the story. Whether these features will come to other versions of the game or not hasn’t been confirmed. News on a proper release date will come later though so there is some waiting to do.

Iconoclasts was in development for roughly seven years and focuses on Robin, an unlicensed mechanic who incurs the wrath of the One Concern. While escaping from the One Concern, Robin will meet various allies, solve puzzles and even unravel the secrets of the world. The game is currently available for PS4, PlayStation Vita and PC.

https://twitter.com/konjak/status/983783689359421442

a proper date announcement will come later on

— Joakim 'konjak' Sandberg (@konjak) April 10, 2018

If unclear, the new difficulty setting will make things *easier*, for those that just wanna see where the story goes 🙂

— Joakim 'konjak' Sandberg (@konjak) April 10, 2018

To learn more about the game’s development, GamingBolt spoke to creator Joakim Sandberg. We asked about the game’s journey from Ivory Springs to its current form and the challenges faced along the way.

"Some days I would wonder if I was spending too much time off from making “gameplay” when I had spent hours on a cutscene, for example."

Iconoclasts has been hailed as one of the best game releases of the year so far by fans and critics alike, and some also call it your best effort so far. As a solo developer, did you have a different approach in the creation of this game and did you expect it to be as successful as it is?

My approach was simply an attempt to do a large action-adventure (took a lot longer than intended), and I managed that, which is fun. Success would simply be not starving or being mired in debt as a result, which I also avoided!

Ivory Springs was initially what Iconoclasts was set to be. What changed during development that made you decide that Iconoclasts had more to offer than what was already seen in Ivory Springs?

I don’t specifically recall what made me decide to return to it. I think I was falling out of love with a problematic game engine I had before that and must’ve replayed the Ivory Springs demo and thought “there is probably something to this, and if I will ever make a huge game alone, I should do it now”.

Were there any challenges faced, and what was the experience like in trying to bring the game over to the PS4 and the PS Vita?

In all of dev, motivation was always a challenge, with hiatuses here and there. Some days I would wonder if I was spending too much time off from making “gameplay” when I had spent hours on a cutscene, for example. After the game took several years, the worry that it may not be worth it also creeps up. Porting hasn’t been a challenge because MP2 Games made it so seamless.

Given the success and popularity of the game, are there plans to bring the game over to other platforms such as the Nintendo Switch and the Xbox One?

That would be great!

"Animation is massively key in how it feels to move a character. Just consider how it “feels” when you play a game as one character, then suddenly the controls are handed to a much shorter one."

What were some of the inspirations you drew on to create the game’s complex science-fiction narrative?

Hmm, I don’t think I can point to a specific story. It must be an amalgamation of many things. Fantasy or sci-fi, doesn’t matter. The much more important core was telling a story about characters reaction to a world designed around themes. A fantastical world is very useful for a game setting, too.

The game places great emphasis on its story which a little unusual for games in the Metroidvania genre. How do you approach the process of writing when making a game?

Being a solo developer on this, I never had a script. I had notes on moments and set-pieces I knew were necessary, and then let my established characters drive how and why the game reached those points, and what would be said. It somehow worked out. I had a goal, but nothing exact. If you know your characters, they should be able to act out the story for you.

Iconoclasts offers some noticeably wonderful animations which helps add a real sense of flow to movement in the game. Has such detailed animation always been a priority for you when making games?

Animation is massively key in how it feels to move a character. Just consider how it “feels” when you play a game as one character, then suddenly the controls are handed to a much shorter one. You feel a difference, despite it just being visual. A very smooth animation and a very harsh and quick animation are both things necessary for a game. They give different energies.

"Don’t quit any job before you have something working or lose friendships or contacts. None of these are game design tips, but they’ll be of great help for your health."

One of the great things about this game is its mix of great puzzles with some truly memorable boss battles, with no in-between fights feeling like filler content. Are there any games in particular that influenced this design philosophy?

Monster World IV is very similar in structure. Within dungeons, almost every room has something like a light puzzle, and there are several boss battles. There isn’t a deep crafting system, instead there’s a focus on being dynamic with the few abilities you have. So that game is very comparable to Iconoclasts.

What can we expect to see next from you as a game developer? Is there something you already have planned?

Ideas are the easy part for me. I know what I want to try. Much smaller things. I feel I finally learned how to “scale back” and not go crazy with the scope again.

As a solo developer, you’ve worked number of different games over the years. Are there any words of wisdom you would like to pass on to aspiring game developers?

Always that you should not sacrifice anything starting out, so you can remain as happy as possible. I made some of those mistakes, but at least financially I always had the ability to survive and accrued no debt even after 7 years. Don’t quit any job before you have something working or lose friendships or contacts. None of these are game design tips, but they’ll be of great help for your health.

Is there a specific reason why the game was not launched on the Xbox One?

Focus on the couple we chose, just to get it out there. We (me and distribution publisher) were all kind of green behind the ears, and making updates and changes to several platforms was enough work.

"PS4 Pro is a much bigger benefit to 3D games or 2D games with a 3D codebase or shaders. Iconoclasts is always going to look the same, so this wasn’t anything me and the porting guy discussed at lengths."

The Nintendo Switch version is lacking too. Why is that?

That’s just the same answer as the Xbox One.

What resolution and frame will the PS4 and PS4 Pro versions run at?

The game is pixel art, so it only really scales one way, but it should look nice and sharp.

In a recent interview, Mark Cerny, the lead engineer of the PlayStation 4 Pro claimed that converting a base PS4 game to PS4 Pro version is just 0.2 Or 0.3% of the overall effort. What is your take on this? Do you think that the extra work required to develop an additional Pro version is actually bigger than the number quoted?

This really isn’t the game to ask about this stuff, it’s a very simple game with very few shaders. PS4 Pro is a much bigger benefit to 3D games or 2D games with a 3D codebase or shaders. Iconoclasts is always going to look the same, so this wasn’t anything me and the porting guy discussed at lengths.

Is there anything else you want to tell us before we let you go?

I hope you enjoy the game with its many mixtures of gameplay concepts, I suppose that’s all!

Joakim Sandberg has had quite the journey developing Iconoclasts, his latest action adventure platformer. The game’s beautiful sprite-based art-style, story, boss fights and numerous stages took roughly seven years to make. Today, it’s finally available for PS4, PC and PlayStation Vita.

Iconoclasts focuses on Robin, a mechanic who must contend with the One Concern. As a freelancer of sorts, the authority doesn’t allow people like Robin to handle the precious ivory powering its machines. Robin’s do-good nature eventually attracts agents from the One Concern and she must escape before mounting a resistance against it.

Like the classic 2D platformers of yore, Iconoclasts features plenty of puzzles, running and gunning and platforming. Robin’s wrench is the most unique aspect of the experience as it allows you to speed through rails and parry projectiles. We’ll see how that plays out over the course of the experience.

You can purchase the game on Steam here – it’s currently in the “Top Sellers” category which should be good news for Sandberg. If you’ve already played it, then share your thoughts in the comments below.

After seven long years in development, Joakim Sandberg’s Iconoclasts is finally ready to release next week. The platforming action adventure title features a mechanic named Robin who gets involved in some pretty heavy circumstances (One Concern agents, Penance, you know the drill).

A new trailer for the game has emerged which highlights some of the features that players can expect. Check it out below. Robin has quite the move set with her wrench capable of traversing platforms and attacking enemies. It can even be used as a zipline across certain sections.

Iconoclasts will feature a fairly hefty campaign with over 20 bosses to battle and three difficulties to play through. Considering Sandberg’s work on Noitu Love 2 Devolution, we expect Iconoclasts to live up to the “emotional rollercoaster” hype line. It releases on January 23^rd for PS4 and PC. Head over to Steam to learn more about it including the (modest) system requirements.

Dissidia Final Fantasy NT

Square Enix’s Dissidia Final Fantasy series has always been very interesting to follow. After all, on paper, a crossover fighting game between Final Fantasy characters should be awesome, right? Dissidia takes a more nuanced approach though and Dissidia Final Fantasy NT is perhaps the most significant addition to the series yet. Ported over from arcades, Dissidia NT focuses on 3 vs. 3 battles with characters split into four classes – Vanguards for attacking, Assassins for their agility, Marksmen for range and Specialists with unique traits.

There’s the new Bravery system for attacking, switching between characters during combat and a revamped story mode which introduces more story information as battles take place. With over 28 characters including series greats like Sephiroth, Cloud, Squall and whatnot along with a number of Summons, there’s a lot of variety to enjoy. Dissidia Final Fantasy NT releases on January 30^th 2018 for PS4.

Kirby Battle Royale

Kirby hasn’t exactly been top-tier in many gamers’ hearts after Kirby’s Epic Yarn. That being said, Kirby: Planet Robobot sold moderately well and received positive critical acclaim. So when you look at Kirby Battle Royale and its premise of battling a bunch of other Kirbies in arena combat from a top-down perspective, it feels…weird. There’s a campaign, co-op, multiplayer and much more. However, it’s been released for Europe already and reviews have been less than positive. Kirby Battle Royale arrives on January 19^th 2018 for the Nintendo 3DS so it’s worth checking gameplay footage before putting down any cash.

Lost Sphear

The next RPG from the studio behind I Am Setsuna, Lost Sphear combines an evolution of the Active Time Based system with a mystical new world. The result is a smaller but more personal experience. The story follows a man who faces a power that could tear reality apart. Using “Memory”, the man must restore lost parts of the world. As you’d expect, there are allies to meet, items to gain and equipment to use as you level up en route to saving the world. Lost Sphear releases on January 23^rd 2018.

The Inpatient

Originally scheduled to launch in November 2017, Supermassive Games’ The Inpatient was delayed to January 23^rd 2018 in North America and January 24^th 2018 in Europe. Developed for the PS4 and PlayStation VR, The Inpatient acts as a prequel to Until Dawn, the narrative-focused horror adventure game. Players will head to Blackwood Sanatorium sixty years prior to Until Dawn and play as an amnesiac trying to recover their memories. Along with NPCs reacting to voice recognition, The Inpatient’s overall story will be influenced by the decisions you make.

Dragon Ball FighterZ

Developed seemingly in response to Capcom’s Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite, Dragon Ball FighterZ has it all. There’s 3v3, fast paced combat and the mechanics resemble that seen in Arc System Works’ Guilty Gear. Dragon Ball fans don’t have to worry though – you can still rush your foes, teleport and smash them against the floor and power up to different Super Saiyan forms. We know that Goku, Trunks, Vegeta, Goku Black and many other heroes will be making an appearance and players can expect a robust story mode divided into three arcs. Dragon Ball FighterZ is out on January 26^th 2018 for Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

Full Metal Furies

Remember Rogue Legacy? If you haven’t played Rogue Legacy, it’s an amazing Metroidvania rogue-lite where each new life sees you playing as a descendant navigating a crazy castle. Its developer Cellar Door Games has been out of the spotlight since its release but that’s because it was prepping something bigger in Full Metal Furies. Touted as the first “true co-op” action RPG experience, Full Metal Furies offers four different characters – Alex the Fighter, Meg the Sniper, Triss the Tank and Erin the Engineer, each with their own abilities and skills.

You can play with friends or go it solo, choosing two characters and switching between them at will. The sheer range of abilities allows for lots of customization and you’ll engage in boss battles with a number of phases. That’s not counting the massive world broken up into stages filled with secrets, enemies and the odd hidden dimension. Full Metal Furies is out on January 17^th 2018 for Xbox One, Windows 10 PC and Steam.

Iconoclasts

In development for seven years by Joakim Sandberg, Iconoclasts is a nostalgic action platformer full of personality and amazingly detailed locations. It follows the mechanic Robin as she attempts to fix the world and try to understand her role in it as catastrophe strikes. Iconoclasts will feature over 20 boss battles, 10 locations, numerous difficulty settings and a gorgeous art-style that simply speaks to the retro enthusiast in all of us. It arrives for PC on January 23^rd 2018.

Monster Hunter World

The biggest Monster Hunter game till date will be heading to Xbox One and PS4 on January 26th 2018 with Monster Hunter World. Built as a huge sprawling open world with support for online play, Monster Hunter World features ecosystems full of monsters that interact with each other, new movement abilities like the grappling hook, various weapon types and so on. Players can join squads and meet at common hubs or you can go it solo and participate in high ranking hunts that way. Monster Hunter World releases next month for consoles but PC players will have to wait till later in the year.

Street Fighter 5: Arcade Edition

Capcom has been attempting to make up for the sins of Street Fighter 5’s launch with new updates, new stages, new characters and much more. Street Fighter 5: Arcade Edition is probably the game we should have had at first with a new user interface, new V-Triggers that can be selected beforehand, Arcade Mode with six different modes that represent every major Street Fighter released till now with some 200 endings, and much more. The roster from the base game along with Season 1 and 2 of DLC combine for a roster of 28 characters. Street Fighter 5: Arcade Edition is out on January 16^th 2018 for PS4 and PC.

Batman: The Enemy Within Episode 4 – “What Ails You?”

The second season of Telltale Games’ Batman continues to roll on with Episode 4 “What Ails You” arriving in January 2018. Thus far, we’ve seen Batman run into the Riddler, go face to face with the Agency’s Amanda Waller, eventually fighting against Bane and having to deal with a mysterious new group called the Pact. There’s plenty of intrigue as old villains appear, a new villain named John Doe takes centre stage and you’ll have to make some tough decisions in order to succeed.

Those who haven’t played the first game will be able to engage in investigation sequences and it’s possible to approach certain decisions by either playing as Batman or Bruce Wayne. Crowd Play also makes a return, thus allowing a streamer’s audience to determine how the story goes. Batman: The Enemy Within Episode 4 will be out on January 2018 for Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

Not many people are aware of Joakim Sandberg, the extremely talented indie developer who brought us Noitu Love 2: Devolution in 2012, but he’s been busy with his next magnum opus. It now seems that his work has come to fruition as Iconoclasts has been announced to release on January 23rd 2018 for Steam.

Iconoclasts starts a mechanic named Robin who wants to help the world but doesn’t have a license. With the world falling apart, Penance raining from the skies and other forces of conflict after her, Robin has her hands quite full. The game will sport 10 “dense” locations, over 20 bosses, three difficulties with the ability to tweak other settings and plenty of action and puzzles.

Check out the release date trailer to see just how cool the gameplay looks. The system requirements are also quite light with a dual core CPU at 2 GHz, 1 GB of RAM, 512 MB of VRAM and 500 MB of hard drive space required to play it.