This past week, January has been happy to give those of us who live in heat-prone areas a reason to look forward to winter. One look at how things are outside and I am ready to make plans to move to cooler climates (despite being from the east coast, I can’t tolerate anything above about 29 degrees C). But in light of packing my bags and heading to the Arctic, maybe I’ll just play a video game. Or two?
This week we’ve gathered a couple of new games, and a throwback or two. Some of us have even picked two games as, yeah, it’s too damn hot to even think about being anywhere else. So with that, let’s get on with what we’ve picked out this weekend.
Lies of P
Play it on: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Windows (Steam Deck YMMV)
Current goal: Beat the final boss.
While there’s certainly an avalanche of games coming as 2024 gets into full swing, we’re in a bit of a lull period right now. There are games I’m stoked about, such as Tekken 8 (January 26) and Granblue Fantasy: Relink (February 1), but really, I’m saving my money and time for March 22, when both Dragon’s Dogma 2 and Rise of the Ronin come out. So, as I’ve done in previous editions of Kotaku’s weekend guide, I’m going through my backlog. And this time I’m returning to Neowiz Games and Round8 Studio’s Lies of P, one of last year’s best Soulslike games.
Read More: The Best Soulslike Of 2023 Just Got Easier
A hardcore action-adventure RPG based on Carlo Collodi’s 1883 novel The Adventures of Pinnochio, Lies of P had its mechanical strings embedded in me when it launched on September 19, 2023. Not only was the world fascinating, but the combat was satisfying and the characters were intriguing. The narrative was also as terrifying as the boss fights, which were the main culprits for my putting it down; some enemy encounters really took it out of me, so I needed some distance lest I broke a controller in rage. However, now that I’ve had time away, I’m ready to jump back into the macabre world of Krat to finish what I’ve started: killing the final boss. Wish me luck out there, dear readers, I’m seriously going to need it with this one. — Levi Winslow
Sweet! Lies of P comes with Game Pass!
Want to see if this soulslike is for you? If you’re a Game Pass subscriber, you can download Lies of P right now.
The Last of Us Part II Remastered
Play it on: PS5
Current goal: Indulge in the cycle of violence, apparently
The Last of Us Part II Remastered is out this weekend on PS5, and while the original PS4 game is one of my favorites of all-time, the big, headlining draw of the remaster is its the new roguelike mode. I’ve already said my piece on No Return, as I think the mode is one of the most bald-faced examples of a AAA video game that can’t adhere to a single thematic vision, but it’s easy for me to fuck up Infected and transphobic cultists as Ellie in a Pride tank top and say “I’m her.” The Last of Us Part II’s combat has always been underrated in my opinion, and No Return is a pretty good showcase for it. Sometimes it’s satisfying to throw a brick at some asshole then knock him out cold with a lead pipe.
Ultimately, No Return is silly, and feels out of place alongside a game supposedly about the self-destructive nature of violence. But the combat designers at Naughty Dog were cooking in 2020, and it’s at least cool to see those folks get their flowers. — Kenneth Shepard
Earth Defense Force 4.1 The Shadow of New Despair
Play it on: PS5, PS4, PS3, Xbox 360, Windows (Steam Deck YMMV)
Current goal: Pay more attention to weapon stats
Earth Defense Force 4.1 is one hell of a good time. A dear friend gifted me a copy and we’ve been playing together for hours ever since. I suspect this weekend will involve more efforts to prevent the Ravagers and their seemingly unstoppable army of bugs and robots from overtaking the Earth.
EDF as a series has been around for awhile, though it wasn’t until this year that I had the fortune of diving in with the remastered fourth entry. A third-person shooter with different classes to choose from, you set out on missions to kill countless oversized bugs (it’s helping me work through my lifelong struggle with arachnophobia). It might seem a little mindless, especially when you consider the sheer volume of bugs you’ll be squashing with guns, rocket launchers, tanks, energy weapons, helicopters, and so much more, but EDF evolves over the course of its 50+ levels. As you get better guns, the game scales the difficulty of enemies you already fought while also introducing new ones that lead to new combat scenarios.
To be honest, I haven’t been playing very tactfully though. EDF has been my “unwind with buddies” game, much to the dismay of my comrade who probably wishes I’d pay more attention to my Wing Diver’s stats instead of just choosing the gun named “Monster” for the simple, and inefficient, joy of having a gun called such a thing. But omg, the gun is called “Monster” and the gray ants go “pop” when I shoot them with it! — Claire Jackson
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Play it on: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, Windows (Steam Deck N/A)
Current goal: Finish up the sidequests
An action-adventure game by Ubisoft Montpellier, the team behind the Beyond Good & Evil and Rayman franchises, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown tells the story of Sargon, a soldier tracking down the missing crown prince of Persia who was kidnapped and whisked away to the a city stuck in a time loop. I don’t want to spoil too much, considering I’ve reviewed the game, but know that this is as good as Metroidvanias can get. There are interconnected levels with shortcuts, unlockable powers that open new pathways, challenging enemies and difficult boss fights, and plenty of side quests to keep you turning over every stone you come across. The combat is crunchy, the soundtrack is ethereal and ominous, and the acting and writing are superb. I’m really digging this game, and while I’m sad my time with it is rapidly coming to a close, I’m stoked to finally talk to other people about Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown.
Read More: Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown: The Kotaku Review
It’s been almost 14 years since the last Prince of Persia game. There’s a remake of the beloved The Sands of Time currently in the works, but with it changing hands a few times and development completely restarting, The Lost Crown is the only “new” piece of Prince of Persia media we’ve got for now. And since the game is so good, I don’t mind that at all. — Levi Winslow
Final Fantasy VII
Play it on: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch, Windows (Steam Deck YMMV)
Current goal: Prepare for Rebirth in February
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is around the corner. Childhood me is screaming with absolute excitement. But tired adult me is burdened with so many of the trials of daily life that it’s hard to get excited about it in the same way. It’s time to change that.
Read More: Everything We Know About Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
This weekend I’m hoping to spend some late evenings spent with the lights off, the glow of my monitor (which is sadly not a CRT), and the wonderful sounds of FFVII’s timeless soundtrack filling the air around me. Much as though I’ve tried, I never fully got on with the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII. The prequels, sequels, ugh, it all feels so unnecessary. There are some clever ideas, pretty visuals, and great music here and there in the extra games and movies, but the original 1997 entry is just such a complete and perfect tale of misfits brought together to save the world that it’s really all I need. I did enjoy Remake (mostly), so I’m eager to see and play Rebirth, but before I do, I need to sync up with the original once more. It’s time for another New Game of FFVII. — Claire Jackson
Let’s mosey: FFVII is on PS Plus
PS Plus Extra subscribers can download and play Final Fantasy VII with their membership.
And those are our picks! What games are you playing this weekend?
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