PCs, handhelds, mobile, console, indies, triple A, free-to-play — the gaming scene gets more diverse and difficult to follow by the day, but thankfully I’m here every week to guide you through what’s happening with games.
As always, I’ll rattle off five games I think you might want to check out this week. Keep in mind, these articles aren’t meant to be comprehensive lists of everything coming out that week so much as a nice rounded tasting menu. So, here are the games you need to know about this week…
This Week’s Episodic Game
Hitman: Episode 2 (PC, Xbox One & PS4, Apr. 26)
Unlike most episodic games that focus on continuing a linear story, each new Hitman episode promises to deliver a new open world to delve into. This time around you get Sapienza, a quaint coastal Italian village, featuring a large mansion and cathedral to explore and, of course, plenty of folks to knock off. The first episode of the new Hitman was fairly well-received, and this should be a solid addition.
This Week’s Other Episodic Game
The Walking Dead: Michonne – Episode 3 (PC, Mac, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3 & PS4, Apr. 26)
Warning: The above trailer contains some spoilers for episodes 1 and 2 of The Walking Dead: Michonne.
Telltale’s latest The Walking Dead series comes to a somewhat abbreviated end after only three episodes. Dealing with heavy decisions both recent and long past, Michonne tries to protect a family while trying to avoid a complete breakdown. The Walking Dead: Michonne has been solid so far, but the emotional bombs should really come hard and fast in this final episode.
This Week’s Adventure Game
Wailing Heights (PC & Mac, Apr. 27)
Wailing Heights is a new point-and-click adventure that hearkens back the genre’s glory days when strange worlds and oddball characters were the norm. In Wailing Heights, you find yourself stranded in a cozy town full of hipster werewolves, vampires and zombies. Thankfully, you soon learn the power of possession, which you’ll use to reunite an undead band and, hopefully, escape Wailing Heights with your life. 90s adventure game fans are going to want to give this one a look. Here’s the game’s Steam page.
This Week’s Touchscreen RPG
Severed (PS Vita, Apr. 26)
Severed is a new adventure from the critically-acclaimed makers of Guacamelee. Like that game, Severed features a super-slick stylized look, but this time around the platforming has been replaced with first-person dungeon crawling and a heavy focus on touchscreen controls. The enemies you encounter are defeated not by menus or traditional controls, but by severing their limbs with deft swipes of your finger. Touchscreen gaming sometimes isn’t great, but Severed looks to deliver a smart take on it.
Pick of the Week
Alienation (PS4, Apr. 26)
Alienation is the latest game from Housemarque, the makers of acclaimed thumb-blistering shoot ’em ups like Super Stardust, Resogun and Dead Nation. Alienation lets players create the own custom character, then team up with up to three other players either locally or online for some non-stop alien-blasting action. Is Alienation the most original game in the world? No, but it looks slick, and fun as hell.
A solid week for episodic stuff, but otherwise a little slow. Any games you’re itching to get your hands on that I failed to mention? Hit the comments and let the world know.