We’re inching further away from E3 now, which means one thing: the amount of games being released each week is starting to ramp up exponentially. But there’s only one big dog coming out this week: the Final Fantasy 12 remaster.
If that’s not your flavour of game, however, there’s plenty else. Antihero is an intriguing strategy game involving street urchins, Minecraft Story Mode is back with a second season, and an Aussie game comes to the Switch in Death Squared. Here’s This Week In Games.
Final Fantasy 12: The Zodiac Age (PS4)
What is it? A HD remaster of Final Fantasy 12.
Should you care? Definitely if Final Fantasy 15 was your introduction to the series.
Serial Cleaner (PC, PS4, XBO)
What is it? A game about professional cleaner set in the 1970’s who has to cover up blood stains and dispose of evidence.
Should you care? This is more of a stealth game with a cool aesthetic. It’s been out in Early Access for a while, and hopefully will get a patch with a ton more levels this week.
Death Squared (Switch)
What is it? An Aussie-made puzzler about controlling and navigating square-sized robots through various levels.
Should you care? It’s nice to see an Aussie game on the Switch – hopefully that’s followed up by lots more.
Antihero (PC)
What is it? A turn-based strategy game about hiring street urchins and thugs to take over a city.
Should you care? It has a real neat look with some good board game vibes. I’m intrigued.
Hunting Simulator (PC, PS4, XBO)
What is it? A game designed to simulate hunting across a variety of areas in single or multiplayer.
Should you care? It came out on PC last month and has been flogged from pillar to post. Wait for it to get patched, if this is your thing.
Black The Fall (PC, PS4, XBO)
What is it? A machinist and a robot try to break their way out of a communist environment.
Should you care? Jason loved what he played at E3 last year, so keep an eye out for it especially if you loved Inside.
Derelict Fleet (PC, PS4)
What is it? A space combat game where you’re tasked with defending a refugee fleet.
Should you care? Looks super dated and sounds garbage. Play Everspace or House of the Dying Sun instead.
The Bellows (PSVR)
What is it? A VR horror experience lasting approximately 15 minutes.
Should you care? The PSVR release is a revamped version that’s supposedly more polished.
Minecraft: Story Mode Season Two (PC, PS4, XBO, iOS, Android)
What is it? The second season of Telltale’s Minecraft adventures.
Should you care? A Minecraft adventure made plenty of sense, when you spun it from the perspective of stories about people playing Minecraft and not the game itself. You don’t get any more freedom than you would in any other Telltale game, mind you, but the first Minecraft: Story Mode season was better than most people expected.
Asdivine Cross (3DS)
What is it? A grand fantasy JRPG with a turn-based combat system.
Should you care? It’s enjoyable enough, although there’s also a very well received mobile port that’s free-to-play.
Ultrawings (Rift, OSVR, Vive)
What is it? Piloting in VR, using virtual hands to guide and navigate your way around the various locations.
Should you care? I’d jump on this if I had VR. It’s like Flight Unlimited in VR, but brighter and cuter.
Fantastic Contraption (PSVR)
What is it? A VR game about building life-sized machines to solve puzzles on the other side of a floating island.
Should you care? This seems like it would be a top, family-friendly party game. Came for Rift and Vive last year, as well.
Iron Crypticle (PS4)
What is it? A top-down local co-op dungeon shooter where you work your way through the bosses and levels.
Should you care? I’ve been wanting a new Gauntlet to play on the couch with Tegan or mates. This looks like it might hit the spot.
Cursed Castilla (3DS)
What is it? A scrolling action platformer with a retro look reminiscent of Ghosts & Goblins.
Should you care? It’s very hard. Be warned.
So that’s the bulk of what’s coming out this week. The E3 lull is starting to fade. Did I miss anything crucial, or did anything above that catch your eye?
Comments
13 responses to “This Week In Games: Final Fantasy 12 Returns”
Pumped for FFXII!
Polygon has a great article on FF12 making of that’s worth a read, for those keen: https://www.polygon.com/features/2017/7/5/15916862/the-making-of-final-fantasy-12
I’m super keen to get back to Ivalice and hang out with bunny ladies and spray on ab dudes. It’s been long enough since I last played (when it first released) that I only have the good memories jangling around my mind now so hopefully the job system and speed options will help preserve them. Hopefully the audio has been improved too so it doesn’t sound like everyone’s talking inside a closet.
His abs have been updated.
Shit, I totally forgot about the closet recording. I too hope it has been improved
Excellent, nothing to tempt me this week…. back to The Witcher 3 I go. I will finish this game one day!
You can do it! It took me more than a year, but it never got dull. Make sure to play the Blood and Wine DLC, as it is awesome (best part of the game IMO).
I’m about half way through the Heart of Stone DLC, looking forward to Blood & Wine.
Serial Cleaner sounds interesting
Gah, I want FFXII so bad :(. Oh well, more Marvel Heroes Omega I suppose.
Once is enough.
It’s nice that FFXII is having a bit of a renaissance. I liked it, but the consensus view was always far less positive. Maybe now that we’ve seen some truly atrocious FF games (FFXIII, FFXV, the mobile shovelware) FFXII is seen as a flawed gem in retrospect.
I suppose it helps that this is, by all accounts I’ve seen, a very good remaster.
I feel as though FFXII was shunned because it was really the first to start the journey away from turn based gameplay we associated with previous FF’s. It also took the nuance and challenge away from the Sphere Grid in 10. It meant that characters lost their “personality” because they could be any job you wanted.
I personally loved it. Sure it wasnt the best FF game in the series, but it was a lot better than many perceived it to be I feel. I agree it is far and away better than corridor simulator (aka FFXIII) and the story of the Japanese backstreet boys (aka FFXV), neither of which I can stand playing for more than 30 minutes without getting bored/frustrated with them…
The story was very weak but the rest of the game was awesome.
Also out is the new game from Edmund McMillan, The End Is Nigh.
Looks like a spiritual successor to Super Meat Boy.
Maybe we don’t count Early Access releases in these parts but I’m most looking forward to Fire Pro World.