There are three large quadrants to investigate as players fight across rooftops, streets, and sewers before facing the Automaton Queen. Various changes include refined structure rotation and placement (with the option to swap pieces out for different styles) and defensive structures. You can also acquire Tier 5 weapons and tools in the city, though a new currency is required.

These can be equipped with two Charms, with Tier 5 Fabled Charms also available. The latter bring “fantastic changes” to weapons and tools alongside their powers. While you can also buy them with the new currency, they can also drop as rewards.

Check out the full patch notes below. Nightingale is available for PC via Steam Early Access.

Nightingale City Update

Feature Highlights

• Alongside the City, there have been improvements to our building system, as well as, new Gear and Fabled Charms!

Enhanced Building & Customization

• Structure rotation and placement has been refined with more options
• Structure pieces can now be swapped to different styles in build mode
• Outfits, and Furniture: The update adds a Western-themed Frontier Tileset, Wrangler Outfit, and new furniture sets for the Crude and Tudor tilesets.
• Defensive structures can be obtained in the city.

New Furniture available

Powerful Gear & Fabled Charms

• Tier 5 weapons and tools can be purchased with a new currency you can earn in Nightingale City. These weapons and tools have new components and recipes to allow for greater parametric crafting power.
• Tier 5 weapons and tools can now receive 2 charms
• Tier 5 weapons have unique visual treatment options both in crafting and in glamour
• Tier 5 Fabled Charms can be purchased with the new currency.
• Fabled charms will make fantastic changes to the behaviours and powers associated with your weapons and tools. You can earn these as rewards in Nightingale City.

Live Bug Fixes

• Fixed an issue in online mode where the incorrect tier of dye was sometimes applied.
• Fixed Tudor Shelf to allow object placement on its shelves.
• Fixed an issue preventing the Porter Pistol from appearing in the glamour station for customization.
• Fixed the Red Cross Knight’s Cuirass Gear to include a customizable shell region.
• Fixed a quest issue where party members retained “Build transept” after passing through another player’s transept to NGC.
• Fixed an issue preventing Boss Rush quest completion when in a party.
• Boosted comfort values for beds.
• Fixed dye previews to ensure consistency with their final appearance.
• Fixed an issue where LB/RB were double-bound on crafting stations.
• Fixed an issue allowing players to use the map to travel to a loadstar.
• Fixed wood harvested from stumps initially appearing with a default texture before correcting itself.
• Fixed the party screen not updating immediately when a player joins.
• Fixed the issue where Immolation and Blast Miners Trap shared the same icons.
• Fixed missing health bars above fish.
• Adjusted aim-down-sights for the Mystic Slingbow to align with projectile trajectory.
• Ensured font styles now meet Steam Deck requirements.
• Added gamepad support for the Essence Trader shop screen.
• Improved gamepad navigation on the map.
• Fixed issues with the consumable radial menu when using a gamepad.
• Fixed an issue where changing Make Up color after using the ‘Reset’ button did not apply the change.
• Fixed an issue where resetting EYES>DETAILS did not reset SCALE and DETAIL sliders properly.
• Fixed defense encounters being startable while the Extraction Device was destroyed.
• Fixed Eyelash Extensions resetting back to 66% regardless of user input.
• Fixed Focal Shards incorrectly being usable in the same slots as cut gems, and Hybrid Stone replacing stone blocks.
• Fixed the Reset button in the Hair Colour menu not functioning correctly.
• Fixed “Reset All” button altering the displayed hair color incorrectly.
• Fixed Eyelash Tip Colour changing unexpectedly after editing in the Appearance menu.

Perhaps the most significant change is the campaign. Players can now explore Storied Realms, which are handcrafted and have unique backgrounds. There are six new bosses to fight and revamped Sites of Power dungeons to explore. Procedurally generated maps are now called Untamed Realms, with new encounters and points of interest to discover.

Players can also use new weapon types like shortbows and longbows, new Dauntless and Mystic weapons, ten new Charms, seven new Minor Cards, eight new pet types, and even transmog. Several gameplay changes, like setting your Respite Point to any Realm and replaying boss encounters by resting, also sound promising.

Nightingale is available for PC via Steam Early Access. Check out our review of the launch version here.

After a short intro by community manager Steph Herdman, the video kicks things off with a message from Flynn, where he talks about not being satisfied with the current state of the game.

“We’ve been spending a lot of our time reading your impressions online, going through Discord, watching your streams and building our plans for the next phase of the game,” Flynn said in the video. “Now that being said, there are some things we are not happy with about the game. Whether it’s network disconnects, some missing quality-of-life improvements that we want to get done, or other things in the game that are missing or not quite where we want them to be, we’re working hard to address those things right now and to make sure that you get the best playable experience possible.”

Flynn goes on to talk about the next patch planned for the game, with which the studio hopes to address what it considers to be one of its biggest concerns—network disconnects. Flynn wraps things up by thanking the player base for its feedback on the current state of Nightingale.

The rest of the video talks about the upcoming update, and then goes on to discuss the planned update cadence for Nightingale. With a daily patch release cadence not being feasible, the studio has instead opted to spread out its patches. This means that, moving forward, Nightingale will instead plan around releasing bigger patches that address more problems with the game rather than smaller updates focusing on only a few fixes.

The studio has also shared details about Nightingale‘s content roadmap. While Inflexion Games is currently focused on releasing patches that fix issues that players are be facing, once the most egregious of these issues have been fixed, the studio will start working on updates with bigger features.

In the medium term, Inflexion is going to work on more advanced features, such as additional weapon types, NPC features, building structure limits, and improvements to creature and monster AI. The studio plans on releasing an offline mode for Nightingale. In the long term, meanwhile, there will be new experiences, biomes, and creatures added to the game over time.

Nightingale was released as an early access title on PC back in February. For more details, check out our review.

“Failed to connect to Nightingale server.”

"With all the established gateways collapsed, you must embrace the Realmwalker life, traveling between worlds and interacting with other survivors while also dealing with the manipulative Puck to reach it."

Try again, and the message says, “A network error occurred.” After trying yet again, it loaded into the instant before I walked through the portal. Granted, I could now venture into this new Realm, but the hype was significantly lessened. Sadly, I was used to these server issues by now, and with Nightingale being online-only, simply traveling between Realms became a coin toss.

Inflexion is aware of the same and will add an offline mode, but it doesn’t make the best first impression, especially when so many of its competitors have it from the get-go. However, even with it, Nightingale isn’t necessarily about wowing you in the first hour (or even the second).

It’s somewhat on the slower side, which works pretty well given the aura of mystery and intrigue surrounding its plot and lore. Unfortunately, as you spend more time hopping through Realms, the various systems responsible for suspending your disbelief start to show cracks.

The story outlines how humanity, now in the Victorian Era, forged a relationship with the Fae. Harnessing their magic has allowed for incredible feats, but unfortunately, it also seemingly attracted the attention of The Pale, who launches a sudden attack. As an Earthen survivor, you take a risk and dive into a Realm Portal, eventually learning about the fabled city of Nightingale. With all the established gateways collapsed, you must embrace the Realmwalker life, traveling between worlds and interacting with other survivors while also dealing with the manipulative Puck to reach it.

"Your overarching goal is to find a way to Nightingale, with several smaller steps necessary to achieve the same, as with any survival crafting game."

The city isn’t currently in early access, so whether it’s truly a haven remains to be seen. Overall, the story starts interesting, as you eventually transition from a fleeing refugee and shaken survivor to a capable Realmwalker. You meet characters like Wilhelmina Sasse, a newspaper reporter with different gossip, and Bass Reeves, a Lawman pursuing a thief across the realms.

Each has made this life their own in different ways, like embracing the joy of wandering or the thrill of adventure. It’s not a large cast, but they’re all distinct (despite the utter lack of facial animations). Of course, in terms of voice acting, Marc Warren is undoubtedly the star as Puck. His poetic words belie a borderline-duplicitous personality, but his delivery and tone are consistently excellent.

The plot can take a bit to get going as you learn the basics of gathering, hunting, crafting, building and venturing to other realms. There are three biomes in early access – Swamp, Desert and Forest. Your overarching goal is to find a way to Nightingale, with several smaller steps necessary to achieve the same, as with any survival crafting game. It can feel a bit restrictive initially, but once you gain more Realm Cards and can craft portals, things start to fall into place.

Realm Cards are essentially a way to craft different realms. You select a biome and then modify it with a Major Card. The Abeyance Card provides a realm with minimal danger and sets a Respite Point, which is where you can teleport back to at any time, even in another realm. It makes the world suitable for building an Estate, but because of its low power level, you’ll need to venture into other more dangerous realms to gather higher-tier Essences and become stronger. Thus begins the journey for an Antiquarian Card, then an Astrolabe Card, followed by a Provisioner Card and finally, a Herbarium Card, each paired with specific biomes depending on the story quest.

"The structure of Nightingale thus plays out as follows. After establishing your Estate and reaching a specific Gear Score, you go to a higher-level realm and repeat the process."

When venturing to a realm, it’s a good idea to seek out the nearest Fae Tower to earn some quick Essence, have nearby points of interest appear on your map and play some Minor Realm Cards. These grant more localized effects, like dealing more damage or causing the sun to never set.

I often went with low gravity to mitigate fall damage and soar across locations easily, but increasing Essence gain, carrying capacity, and more is also great. It’s not so much a game-changing feature as a means to tailor to your particular need at the time, but I like it, especially since some of the Minor cards can have adverse effects (like taking more damage on top of dealing it).

The structure of Nightingale thus plays out as follows. After establishing your Estate and reaching a specific Gear Score, you go to a higher-level realm and repeat the process. There are Sites of Power where you’re tested before receiving other Major Cards, but otherwise, you complete points of interest and gather Essence. Initially, gear is upgraded with Tier 1 Essence and then enchanted. Then you learn about higher tiers of crafting and refining, as better equipment and weapons also increase your Gear Score.

However, it feels like there’s no payoff to the grind – like you’re grinding out Gear Score just to reach the next step of grinding even more Gear Score. On the one hand, I like this idea of shifting between realms, creating this network of portals and exploring everything they offer. Then, you return to your Estate and add to it with new crafting tools or decorations. Sadly, the Realms themselves lack enough to ground you.

"It’s a shame because the overarching lore and settings are very fascinating. Discovering pieces of Hope and reading cards about other survivors or the Fae’s lore is interesting, and their art looks gorgeous."

This is due to their procedurally generated nature. When you encounter a giant mammoth-like skull with structures to explore, it’s awesome, even if there isn’t much practical use. The same goes for clearing out an Occupation and accessing a portal into a small mini-dungeon, where you find lots of Essence and ammo. Over time, these same points of interest keep cropping up with very little to distinguish them. The same goes for the puzzles, which mostly consist of interacting with cores in a specific order or interacting with glowing writing on the walls.

Again, this is early access, and Inflexion will probably add more over time, but besides the mini-dungeons, everything feels a little too straightforward and simplistic. As pretty as some sights can be, they’re ethereal and inconsequential as you load up another realm to see the same kinds and farm even more Essences to upgrade your gear, purchase materials, etc. Even those with characters important to your progression lack much to distinguish them from your standard biomes in terms of content.

It’s a shame because the overarching lore and settings are very fascinating. Discovering pieces of Hope and reading cards about other survivors or the Fae’s lore is interesting, and their art looks gorgeous. The same goes for discovering mysterious architecture and statues and wanting to learn more about their significance.

Compare this to the overarching plot, which starts slow but doesn’t increase the tension. There’s an air of mystery and magic that could be expanded on further; some secrets or things that provide compelling reasons to explore and tell you more about the world (which I hope is coming down the line). At least you can discover new recipes and Realm Cards.

"Resource management could also be better – certain materials like Ingots can come from different resources and thus occupy separate slots in your inventory and storage."

The building in Nightingale is solid – not super remarkable, but it follows the blueprint approach, where you place an outline of a structure and then insert resources to build it. Copying and removing structures you build is seamless.

There’s plenty to unlock, and several players have already begun creating remarkable-looking Estates. It’s mind-boggling that you can’t upgrade your base over time with better materials. A wooden structure will stay that way until you tear it down and replace it with stone, which feels tedious. At least repairing items is quick, and you can pick up all materials on the ground by holding E.

I also found the Grit system interesting, as resting and eating food are mandatory to keep your maximum health and stamina from depleting. Keeping your crafting and cooking benches in roofed structures is also essential to reducing their timers. As annoying as it can be, it emphasizes the importance of building a proper Estate. When you’re away from it, there are structures throughout the realms where you can take temporary shelter, so I didn’t find it too oppressive.

Resource management could also be better – certain materials like Ingots can come from different resources and thus occupy separate slots in your inventory and storage. They do have an impact when used to craft something, but it can be annoying when you run out of space. It would have also been nice to have an option like Palworld where crafting items also accesses your storage, thus cutting down on questioning whether you have the required material in your storage, on top of the additional busywork of fetching it.

"Unfortunately, fights usually boil down to charging head-on and smacking enemies with melee attacks if you’re not firing from afar."

I didn’t find the crafting too complicated otherwise, but more information on the stats and Gear Score of equipment before you craft it would be nice. Some resource streamlining would also be ideal, like converting surplus Essence into higher Tiers to cut down on grinding them out.

As for combat, it’s also very straightforward, with ranged and melee weapons available. Wielding a knife lets you hold another item in your off-hand and dodge, thus avoiding attacks by stepping back or to the side. However, weapons like the axe can deal more damage, even as they consume more stamina and use both hands. Different enemies are vulnerable to different types of damage, so while Automatons won’t flinch from an axe strike, a pickaxe to the face can be effective.

The Pale’s foes have a bit of variety, with the blade-wielding type being more acrobatic while the bombardier hangs back and pelts you from afar. Their AI isn’t too complex, and they can bumble around occasionally. Unfortunately, fights usually boil down to charging head-on and smacking enemies with melee attacks if you’re not firing from afar. Controls feel responsive, especially when weapon switching, but combat lacks that “oomph” or visceral quality to really stand out.

"If it wants to be the video game where fun comes in many forms, be it the call to adventure or the pull of narrative mystery – Nightingale needs a lot more time and work."

It would probably help if the bosses also had more to them. I didn’t dive into the current end-game dungeons at The Watch, so I don’t know if they fare any better there. Overall, combat isn’t bad, but it is simple to a fault and becomes repetitive over time, especially with how much of it there is and how mechanically shallow it feels, even with the Augmentations and Infusions thrown in.

Outside of server issues, Nightingale has its share of bugs. Perhaps the worst is a soft lock, which prevents a portal from fully manifesting early and requires making a new character. Others include materials seemingly clipping through the world, enemies getting stuck on objects, weird physics, and whatnot. There weren’t any hard crashes, so I expect the above to be fixed sooner rather than later (hopefully).

As it currently stands, the potential of Nightingale is immense. Its story and setting are intriguing, and if your computer can handle it, the visuals and art style are incredible. The overall structure is also unique with its realm-hopping, and being able to apply different effects depending on your needs is cool. However, as unconventional and intriguing as it is, several fundamental systems need further tuning and improvements, to say nothing of the sheer quality of life features required.

It isn’t a bad experience, though. There’s this intangible element encouraging the exploration of different realms, even if the combat, Gear Score grind and procedurally generated points of interest start to wear on you. Who knows what the next could hold? Nevertheless, if it wants to be the video game where fun comes in many forms, be it the call to adventure or the pull of narrative mystery – Nightingale needs a lot more time and work.

This game was reviewed on PC.

State of Decay 3

Despite not starting life on the best foot forward, State of Decay 2 was able to turn the tides of fate around with a slew of meaningful content updates that have made the game better in more than just one way. State of Decay 3 will most likely build upon those foundations, and hopefully create a sequel that’s bigger and better with updated graphics, new enemy types, and a greater focus on survival. There’s no word on when it will be released, but we know that it will come out for Xbox Series X/S and P

Ark 2: Survival Ascended

The original Ark was a smash hit thanks to a surprisingly addictive gameplay loop and interesting creature design, and those merits seem primed to be taken to the next level with Ark 2: Survival Ascended. The sequel also looks to be placing a bigger focus on the narrative side of things with a star-studded cast that includes but is not limited to Vin Diesel, and all that sounds like a very interesting prospect for the game. It comes out for Xbox Series X/S and PC sometime in the near future.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornoby

GSC Game World is hard at work on S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, which is being built using Unreal Engine 5. Set against the backdrop of the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 thrusts you into a world teeming with all sorts of mutated creatures and soldiers ready to maul you at the smallest of wrong turns. The gameplay and visuals are looking to be of supreme quality, and we are stoked to check it out when it releases on 5 September 2024 for PC and Xbox consoles.

Pacific Drive

Pacific Drive offers a weird but interesting mix of genres. It’s a driving simulator at its core, but it incorporates well-known survival progression mechanics to craft an interesting gameplay loop. It essentially puts you in the driver seat of a station wagon, and you must collect resources and upgrade the vehicle to finally get out of a radioactive zone. Pacific Drive is out now for PS5 and PC.

Road to Vostok

Road to Vostok is all about embarking on a long trek through a war-torn region. It’s a brutal survival game that features realistic shooting mechanics, complex progression trees, and an open world brimming with all sorts of dangers. Add to that permadeath mechanics and the ability to trade items with other players, and Road to Vostok becomes a pretty compelling survival experience for genre fans.

Project Ferocious

OMYOG’s upcoming Project Ferocious feels like the perfect tribute to classic shooters like Turok and Dino Crisis with its focus on hunting dinosaurs and exploring lush jungle environments. The shooting mechanics look fantastic, and the developer promises a dynamic gameplay loop which sounds pretty enticing. It comes out for PC, PS4, and Xbox One sometime in the near future.

Sons of the Forest 1.0

Sons of the Forest serves as an excellent sequel to The Forest, and the bevy of gameplay improvements has made this game better than the original in almost every conceivable way. Sons of the Forest has had some great critical and commercial reception since its release in early access, and version 1.0 is now available on PC. Endlight Games has stated that this release will have plenty of new changes, and while the details of those improvements are shrouded in mystery – it’s definitely worth looking forward to nevertheless.

Frostpunk 2

The original Frostpunk managed to win over the hearts of many survival game fans with its brutal simulation mechanics and tough choices, and those strengths will most likely be taken to the next level with the sequel. In Frostpunk 2, players will have to make tough choices to ensure the city stays warm and safe. You will have to craft controversial laws, keep a check on the several factions that reside within the city, and keep tabs on a ton of other variables to ensure a smooth flow of operations. It all sounds pretty captivating, and we will be checking it out when it comes out sometime in 2024.

The Alters

The Alters tasks you to make your way out of a distant planet after crash landing on its surface, and while that might sound like a generic narrative setup for a survival game – developer 11-bit Studios has quite a bit of tricks up its sleeve that makes this game a lot more interesting than its contemporaries. For starters, you can make clones of yourself and delegate tasks to them which is a pretty interesting concept with a ton of potential. Furthermore, there are elements of decision-making and crafting that all come together to make The Alters a game that’s worth looking out for. It comes out for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S sometime this year.

Light No Fire

Hello Games is no stranger to survival elements, as evidenced by No Man’s Sky, but Light No Fire offers a much larger scale. Announced as the first “real” open world with an Earth-sized planet to explore, players can create buildings and form towns, explore various biomes, uncover resources, explore its origins and maybe tame some wild creatures like dragons to serve as mounts. While the fight for survival is “constant,” there are no restrictions on where you can go. Climb underwater, go deep sea diving or sailing, and much more.

While some may want to jokingly proclaim it as “No Man’s Earth” (somehow missing the slam dunk of “No Man’s Land”), Light No Fire is incredibly ambitious, offering all of these with role-playing elements, various fantasy races, and co-op. There’s no release date, but it’s in development for PC.

ALOFT

Aloft is an upcoming survival sandbox game that takes place on floating islands in the sky. Players can dive in solo or co-op with their friends, and explore the endless skies to take control of the many islands peppered throughout its massive world while fighting the enemies that lie in your way. In addition to exploration, you can majestically fly through the air, collect various resources, and discover ancient ruins in this cozy-looking survival game. Aloft is scheduled to be released in 2024 on PC.

Once Human

Developed by Starry Studio, Once Human puts you on the path to uncovering a massive secret behind a dark corrupting force known as the Stardust. Set in a post-apocalyptic world inhabited by fierce monsters and hordes of undead, Once Human’s gameplay revolves around exploring these desolate ruins and fighting gargantuan bosses while working on building out your character with strong weapons and high-level gear. Once Human also offers co-op options to join forces with friends, which should make it a pretty fun time for survival game enthusiasts. It comes out for PC in Q3 2024.

Rooted

Built using Unreal Engine 5, Rooted promises brutal survival mechanics in a post-apocalyptic world brimming with all manner of dangers like ferocious undead creatures and scarcity of important resources. It presents its post-apocalyptic world in great detail thanks to Unreal Engine 5’s impressive feature set, and that combined with the systemic game design makes it a compelling experience. It comes out for PC sometime in the near future.

Outbreak Island

Outbreak Island is all about a detective who has been stranded on an island and must now solve an overarching mystery surrounding the mystical land. The gameplay juggles between resource gathering, investigating clues scattered throughout the island, and shooting down enemies with a wide array of weapons – all of which sounds like a lot of fun. It will be released for PC sometime in the near future.

Derelicts

Developed by Romain, DERELICTS is set in a future where Earth has been covered by strange radiation – and you must embark on a grand adventure to get to the bottom of this mystery. It’s a simple narrative setup, but DERELICTS manages to impress with its intricate crafting systems that let you come up with all sorts of interesting ideas to delegate tasks like resource building and crafting to custom-built machines. It looks like a game that will be worth sinking your teeth into, and it releases for PC sometime in the near future.

An offline mode is in the works, with the developer acknowledging frustrations with the online-only approach. “Our vision for the game since inception was to create an interconnected series of Realms, with the idea of allowing for cooperative exploration in mind – a universe bigger than a single Realm or server. That meant we made a choice early in development between supporting co-op from day one or focusing development on an offline mode.

“Co-operative gameplay associated with having party members across multiple Realms was the more technically challenging problem and therefore, the one we chose to tackle first. Looking back on that decision, we misjudged what some of you were looking for in your experience.”

Inflexion will prioritize the mode and release it as “soon as feasible.” It asked players to watch for updates in the “coming weeks” along with news on “other things we’re working on.” It also clarified that work on other updates, like new content, bug fixes and quality-of-life features, is still ongoing, and there will be more details in “the coming days.”

Nightingale’s early access launch consists of three biomes, multiple items and structures to craft, a progression system and dungeons for players to tackle. The main differentiator from other survival crafting games is the Realm Cards, which allows for procedurally generating different worlds with unique modifiers.

The plan is to remain in early access for nine to 12 months, though that could change. Inflexion will add more biomes, items and Realm Cards over time, so stay tuned.

While it features all the tenets of a survival crafting experience, from mining and harvesting resources to building and amassing an arsenal, Nightingale mixes things up with Realm Cards. These allow players to randomize a realm’s elements, including the biome, conditions (including low gravity) and level of challenge.

The early access version offers three biomes, a progression system encompassing all gameplay aspects and co-op for up to six players. Thankfully, solo players can hire AI partners to share some of the load and assist in various activities. Nightingale will receive new story content and biomes throughout the planned nine to 12 months of early access, so stay tuned for further updates.

As for the reason behind the delay, the developer revealed that it not only allows players to start earlier but provides a “head start in addressing any issues at launch before the busy weekend period.” Given the server issues that other survival crafting titles like Palworld faced (though its explosion in popularity is a different matter), it makes sense for Inflexion to iron out any issues as quickly as possible.

The new launch date follows a recently concluded stress test from last Friday. Retailing for $29.99, Nightingale’s early access release will feature several creature types, three biomes, co-op supporting up to six players, a progression system “spanning all aspects of gameplay”, and more. It will spend nine to 12 months in early access, though Inflexion insists it will leave only “when it’s ready.”

There will be new biomes, story content and the addition of the City of Nightingale during early access, so stay tuned. Head here for more details on the lore, characters and the setting.

Players that have signed up for the Nightingale stress test on Steam will be allowed access to the stress test in waves picked at random by Steam’s own systems. The studio will then monitor how well its servers hold up as players take the game for a spin.

The studio has stated that this stress test won’t be the full game, but rather a tailored version of its early game experience. This version will skip the Nightingale tutorial, and will give players access to upgraded tools and equipment, along with a host of unlocked recipes.

This stress test for Nightingale was first announced back in December, with registrations being open since then on through the game’s Steam page. The game is slated to release as an Early Access title on February 22.

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake

Unexpected but welcome all the same, Avantgarden’s remake of Starbreeze Studios’ Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons still features the same story of two brothers, Naiee and Naia, on a journey to cure their father’s illness. Controlling both characters at once, players must solve puzzles, utilizing their unique skill sets to progress.

The original is acclaimed for its gameplay and story-telling, which the remake modernizes thanks to a graphical overhaul and re-recorded soundtrack. It also touts new secrets and local co-op, which was added to the original in its 2019 Nintendo Switch version. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake launches on February 28th for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden

After the critically acclaimed Jusant, DON’T NOD is back with a somewhat more traditional action RPG in Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden. It focuses on two Banishers, Antea and Red, who help spirits move on. Tragedy quickly strikes in New Eden when Antea dies and remains with Red as a ghost. They must now face a tough decision – sacrifice other people to revive her or continue their work, potentially losing her forever.

As players meet other characters and resolve their crises, their decisions will affect the overall narrative, with five different endings to unlock. Combat is also intriguing since you use Red to unleash bullets and slashes or switch to Antea at any time for her supernatural abilities (which are also good for dealing with crowds). Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden arrives on February 13th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC.

Pacific Drive

A drive through an abandoned zone at night may sound creepy, but as Ironwood Studios’ Pacific Drive reveals, things can be worse. Players start out traveling the Pacific Northwest before randomly being teleported into the Olympic Exclusion Zone, once a site for various experiments and now home to dangerous Anomalies. Upon discovering an aged station wagon, they brief the corrosion and storms to find a garage and characters who could help them escape.

It’s easier said than done, as they must venture into the Zone to gather supplies and materials, acquiring Stable Energy and braving the storm to make it back alive. They must then repair and outfit their vehicle, unlock new items via the Fabrication Station, and eventually unravel the mystery of the Zone to escape. With a rogue-lite structure, quirks that can alter your vehicle’s performance (for better or worse) and Anomalies that spice up runs in various harrowing ways, Pacific Drive is truly unique. It’s out on February 22nd for PS5 and PC.

Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League

When the Justice League goes rogue, you call Batman. When Batman also goes rogue (kind of), then you call the Suicide Squad, probably. Regardless, Deadshot, Harley Quinn, King Shark and Captain Boomerang – along with a host of supporting characters – are the only ones who can save Metropolis after Brainiac invades and brainwashes the League. Touted as Rocksteady’s “biggest cinematic experience”, and easily its biggest story, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League also seems to have some multiverse shenanigans going on with Brainiac’s Elseworlds.

Gameplay-wise, it’s a looter shooter with co-op support, skill trees, mods, gear sets (known as Infamy Sets), an end-game and live-service elements like seasons, a Battle Pass and microtransactions. Players can control one of the Squad, while the AI handles the rest, in single-player, kitting out their character with different guns and exploring the vast city with unique traversal skills. For all the mixed receptions, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League has generated some interest. We’ll see if it can deliver a worthwhile experience when it launches on February 1st for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC.

Skull and Bones

What’s better than one live-service title rumored to have been in development for years and seen multiple reboots? How about two? Skull and Bones has had a long journey, reportedly starting development in 2013 and officially announced in 2017. It’s an action-adventure focused on naval combat, set in the Indian Ocean during the Golden Age of Piracy, as players seek to establish themselves as legendary pirates. Before that, they must take on contracts for Pirate Kingpins, raiding convoys and transporting goods while contending with opposing forces.

There are multiple ships, each designed for specific purposes with several weapon and damage types. Even furniture can affect your ship’s performance in various ways. Those not keen on PvE can indulge in PvP modes, from the high-risk, high-reward Helm Wagers to the player bounty-focused Cutthroat Cargo, with leaderboards, Kingpin Ranks and whatnot. Skull and Bones is out on February 16th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC, with a year of post-launch content planned. Whether it saves past that point is anyone’s guess, but we’re relieved it’s coming out.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

The developer is going all out with Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, the second part of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake saga. A massive map with seamless exploration and near-instant fast-travelling, tons of mini-games, new cities and areas not present in the original setting, tons of side quests, new Summons, combat improvements and Synergy Abilities – the list goes on. That’s not even getting into the story side of things, with all kinds of potential revelations teased and characters like Cid and Vincent Valentine making their debut.

It’s almost too much, with 100 hours of gameplay promised, but also oddly fitting for such an iconic part of Cloud and party’s journey, as they venture outside of Midgar to locate Sephiroth. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth launches on February 29th for PS5, shipping on two Blu-ray discs, and already looks like a shoo-in for Game of the Year.

Helldivers 2

Helldivers is back, and despite the third-person perspective, the war to protect the democracy of Super-Earth remains as perilous as ever. If it’s not the massive Bugs and Automations that are out to get you, it’s friendly fire and a poorly placed Stratagem.

Nevertheless, with procedural generation, terrain deformation, stunning visuals and cross-platform play between PS5 and PC, Helldivers 2 promises a much larger scale than the original when it launches on February 8th. That extends to the new Galactic War, as players liberate planets and complete objectives, with the community as a whole progressing the storyline. You can even earn unlocks to outfit and upgrade your destroyer.

Sons of the Forest (1.0 Release)

Almost a year since launching into early access, Endnight Games’ Sons of the Forest is finally set to launch in full on February 22nd for PC. Version 1.0 will expand on the story, with Shawn Ashmore of Quantum Break fame playing a key role, but it’s already grown significantly during its time in early access.

New areas and caves, bosses, items, vehicles, points of interest, and more have been added, along with improvements to building and electricity systems. That’s only scratching the surface, with Cannibals having a wider range of behaviors (and new types); Kelvin having more commands and emotes; and survival gameplay being made tougher (with Hard survival available for those who crave a challenge).

Mario vs. Donkey Kong

The King of Kong is back in the antagonistic role, giving into his consumer urges and swiping a bunch of Mini-Mario toys. As the president of the toy factory, Mario ventures to get them back, traversing multiple stages and eventually defeating Donkey Kong. As a remake of the 2004 Game Boy Advance classic with gorgeous new visuals and cinematics, Mario vs. Donkey Kong incorporates more puzzle solving, as players bypass traps and other hazards to gather keys, progress to the next part of the stage and rescue a Mini-Mario.

There are multiple worlds to explore, with Plus and Expert Levels to overcome, but the remake adds two more for over 130 levels, a new Time Attack Mode, local co-op and Casual Style for less punishing gameplay. Mario vs. Donkey Kong launches on February 16th for Nintendo Switch.

Granblue Fantasy: Relink

Yet another title years in the making and finally primed to launch, Granblue Fantasy: Relink is based on Cygames’ successful free-to-play gacha RPG. Unlike the original, it’s an action RPG that ventures to new lands in the Zegagrande Kingdom. It’s not long before Gran/Djeeta, Lyria and the Grandcypher crew run afoul of trouble involving the Primal Beasts.

Along with Gran and Djeeta, players can play as other characters like Narmaya, Lancelot, Percival, Katalina, Rackam and many more, each with unique abilities and playstyles. Combat is fast-paced, whether building up to Link Time or activating Skybound Arts in tandem to deal massive damage with a Full Burst attack.

Along with an extensive campaign, there are 100 quests in Quest Mode and support for up to four players in co-op. Time will tell if Granblue Fantasy: Relink lives up to the hype, but thankfully, we won’t have to wait long, as it launches on February 1st for PS4, PS5 and PC.

Tomb Raider 1–3 Remastered

Though we’re not anywhere closer to a launch for Aspyr’s Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic – Remake, it does have Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered coming up on February 14th for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC. Utilizing the original’s source code and engine, the remasters feature revamped character models and environments with baked and real-time lighting (though you can switch back to the original look).

Modern controls are available in addition to the Classic option, with boss health bars and Photo Mode also available. Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered could be the blast from the past that we need.

Open Roads

A narrative-focused adventure title with gorgeous animated characters set against 3D environments, Annapurna Interactive’s Open Roads is about Tess and her mother Opal. Venturing on a road trip to learn more about the past, they venture to abandoned properties to uncover long-buried secrets. There are extensive conversations and more than a few emotional moments, with actors Keri Russell and Kaitlyn Dever bringing the duo to life. Open Roads launches on February 22nd for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC and Nintendo Switch, while also available on day one for Game Pass.

Nightingale (Early Access)

Following its announcement in December 2021, Inflexion Games’ Nightingale will finally enter early access for PC on February 22nd. As an open-world survival crafting title, players control the Realmwalker, who ventures to different Fae realms to find the city of Nightingale. It’s easier said than done, with threats like the Bound and Apex creatures out to ruin your fun.

While players can settle down in a realm, building a base and recruiting NPCs, they can also use Realm Cards to shape their next destination, making it more or less dangerous. The early access version will feature three biome types, a progression system “spanning all aspects of gameplay”, various creatures and “comprehensive building and crafting tools, alongside estate management,” as per the Steam listing. Nightingale will remain in early access for nine to 12 months, adding biomes, story and even the city itself, but it should be interesting to see how the base game fares.

Terminator: Dark Fate – Defiance

Originally set to launch in December, Slitherine Ltd.’s Terminator: Dark Fate – Defiance is now out on February 7th for PC. Based on the Dark Fate timeline, the real-time strategy sees humanity going up against the killer robots of Legion and fighting for survival. Commanding the Founders, players navigate the war torn world of the future, recruiting and training new units for battles.

Other factions can join or oppose you during these conflicts, with different missions opening up depending on your actions. Several unit types, from drones to armored vehicles, are available, and players can control the other factions – the Resistance and Legion – in Skirmish and Multiplayer. As far as Terminator titles are concerned, it’s intriguing and could be the best thing to result from Dark Fate.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel 3 and 4

A new age of Falcom’s Kiseki series is due this Summer, with The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak finally launching in the West. Until then, fans can re-experience The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel 3 and 4 on PS5 when both titles launch on February 16th. Originally available in Japan for the PS4 in 2017, Cold Steel 3 follows Rean Schwarzer, now a teacher in Thors Branch Campus, training a new Class VII – composed of Kurt Vander, Juna Crawford and Altina Orion – to conduct Special Operations for the Erebonian Empire.

Musse Egret and Ash Carbide eventually join, but rampant conspiracies could shake the very foundation of the empire. As for Cold Steel 4, well, that’s just getting into spoiler territory. The PS5 versions of both titles feature high-definition visuals and all previously released cosmetic DLC. While it’s far from the most graphically impressive pair of RPGs, they make up for it with their story-telling, world-building and excellent combat.