Keeping track of all the games arriving each week on PC, handhelds, consoles and mobile is no easy task, but don’t worry, I’m here to help. Every week in Five Games I separate the wheat from the chaff and pick the titles you need to pay attention to.
We recently freshened up the Five Games format a bit. The Pick of the Week is now listed first, and the rest of the games are filed under headings that will hopefully be more helpful for you. Looking for the latest indie hotness? Check the Steam picks. Want to download something for your Xbox One or PS4 on a Saturday night? Hit up the Console Downloads section. So, without further ado…
Pick of the Week
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elejqNqjuOg
Grow Up (PC, Xbox One & PS4, Aug. 16)
Last year Ubisoft took a break from Assassin’s Creed and Tom Clancy to create Grow Home, an innovative little platformer that tasked players with guiding an adorable robot named BUD up a giant beanstalk. That wasn’t as easy as it sounds, as BUD and the beanstalk were procedurally animated, requiring you to pay a lot of attention to how you climb.
With Grow Up, Ubisoft expands the concept, as you now explore an open world packed with multiple beanstalks and other things to climb. BUD will, of course, have a much greater variety of abilities and tools as well. Will the bigger, more elaborate Grow Up deliver the same charms as Grow Home? It remains to be seen, but the chances appear good.
This Week on Steam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXvx_esLu1Q
Corinne Cross’ Dead & Breakfast (PC, Aug. 18)
And here we have a game about running a bed and breakfast. Wait, where are you going? Did I mention it’s a haunted bed and breakfast? Tend your B&B’s garden, prepare breakfasts and get to know all your ghoulish guests. If you like low-key life sims like Harvest Moon or Stardew Valley, but want just a little more edge, Dead & Breakfast might be worth a look. Here’s the game’s Steam page.
This Week In Handheld Gaming
Metroid Prime: Federation Force (3DS, Aug. 19)
Metroid Prime: Federation Force is a new shooter that lets you and up to three friends tackle various cooperative missions. This game has not been well-received by fans, as it largely excludes traditional Metroid heroine Samus Aran, and features a chunky, cartoony art style, but honestly, the game looks just fine. A good multiplayer shooter is something the 3DS has been missing, and if Federation Force can fill that niche, I don’t really mind that it’s not my ideal Metroid sequel. Ignore the controversy and give it a look.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMd_ZRKcr-k
Style Savvy: Fashion Forward (3DS, Aug. 19)
It’s time to go shoooopping! Try out different outfits, accessories and hairstyles to become your most fabulous self, then manage your own style boutique. I’ll admit, fashion is not my forte, but Style Savvy: Fashion Forward allows you dress up some rude dudes, as well as the ladies, as shown above. This is the third Style Savvy game, so the series must be doing something right.
This Week in Retail Releases
F1 2016 (PC, Xbox One & PS4, Aug. 19)
Okay guys, stop squirming, it’s not all bed and breakfasts, shopping and cute robots this week — we’ve also got cars! Fast cars! Vrooom! F1 2016 should deliver all the beautifully-rendered racing you’d expect, as well as a more detailed career mode than in the past.
A rather eclectic lineup this week (to say the least). Any interesting games that I missed? Feel free to shout ’em out below.