This was a good new release week for a fan of narrative games! If you like a game with a story, there’s probably something new for you coming out. There’s also some sports, RPG, and MMO to round things out a bit. Nice way to ease into fall!
Batman The Telltale Series Episode 2: Children of Arkham
Release Date: September 20, 2016
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS3, XBone, X360, Mobile
Does Telltale just make movies now?! There was no gameplay in that trailer. Can’t they just come out and say they’re a movie studio that occasionally makes you press buttons? Really I’m just bitter because I wish they’d go back to making some of my all time favorite point-and-click style adventures that were actually games!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLCR0OMgZaU
The Bunker
Release Date: September 20, 2016
Platforms: PS4, PC
This game also feels like a movie but at least there’s some gameplay in the trailer! The Bunker looks like an old style full motion video adventure more like The 7th Guest or Tex Murphy. It's a psychological horror thriller starring Adam Brown of The Hobbit that was developed in the UK. Check out the trailer below.
NBA 2K17
Release Date: September 20, 2016
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS3, XBone, X360
So I was totally ready to whine about do we really need annual releases of sports games, but then I saw the trailer featuring the 1992 USA Olympic Dream Team. The brief period of my life when I actually gave a crap about sports! Well played 2K, well played!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cunKB_QIqA4
Wheels of Aurelia
Release Date: September 20, 2016
Platforms: PC, PS4, XBone
This narrative racer hits PC this week and consoles in early October. I do love narrative games but I’m not a huge fan of driving games. Simpsons Road Rage is my one exception and this sounds a little like that except with more politics and history lessons instead of exciting trips to the box factory and rides to Moe’s tavern...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Z6pWll6KKM
Zenith
Release Date: September 20, 2016
Platforms: PC, PS4, XBone
This action RPG pokes fun and pays homage to the genre. Looks worth checking out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSat_s22LJo
Firewatch
Release Date: September 21, 2016
Platforms: XBone
When on new releases I usually skip games that have already been out on other platforms but I freakin’ loved Firewatch so if you’ve been waiting for it to come to XBox One go buy it on Wednesday!!! It's a gorgeous first person mystery and this new version also includes an audio tour and free roam mode.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hs4akgAsDnQ
Pankapu
Release Date: September 21, 2016
Platforms: PC
Pankapu is a Kickstarted narrative episodic platform action adventure game. You play as a warrior trying to rid the world of nightmares.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2B2EzO0gS8
Toy Odyssey: The Lost and The Found
Release Date: September 21, 2016
Platforms: XBone
Toy Odyssey: The Lost and The Found is a Metroidvania (a word I’d never heard of and now have used at least twice on new releases this year) style platformer. You explore a randomly generated house and find bosses to battle
http://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/256670224/movie_max.webm?t=1473934614
Virginia
Release Date: September 22, 2016
Platforms: PC
This was a good week to put the adventure game fan on new releases! Virginia is a first person thriller set in the 1990s where you play as a female FBI agent.
http://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/256670035/movie480.webm?t=1473243402
Warhammer 40,000: Eternal Crusade
Release Date: September 22, 2016
Platforms: PC, PS4, XBone
I don’t know much about the Warhammer franchise other than its leaped from tabletop to video game. This game is a Sci Fi MMO launching this week.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oW3Xn4-Vf4s
