Consoles, PCs, handhelds, Facebook, smartphones — the world of gaming is becoming increasingly confusing and fragmented, but don’t worry, we’re here to simplify things for you. Each week 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, let’s get to it…
This Week’s DLC
Shadowrun: Dragonfall (PC, Mac & Linux, Feb. 27th)
Crowdfunding success story Shadowrun Returns gets it’s first major chunk of DLC this week. Shadowrun: Dragonfall includes a new campaign, a new city to explore (Berlin) and of course new weapons, upgrades and enemies. Also, I’m assuming a dragon of some sort just might be included!
This Week’s Handheld Game
Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy (3DS, Feb. 28th)
At long last, North America gets the final entry in the second Professor Layton trilogy. Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy won’t be the last Professor Layton title, but developer Level 5 is promising the next game in the series will star a different main character, and play quite differently, so this may be the last time you get to solve brain teasers with your favorite top-hatted gentleman.
This Week’s JRPG
Tales of Symphonia Chronicles (PS3, Feb. 25th)
The Tales series continues to chug along, turning out games with increasingly ridiculous names at a steady pace, but few Tales games really stand the test of time. Tales of Symphonia is an exception, and now Namco-Bandai is releasing a new HD remaster of Tales of Symphonia (and it’s far inferior sequel, Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World). If you’re a Tales fan, you probably already have this pre-ordered, and if you’re not, well, you might want to check this out if you’re in the market for a solid, perfectly pleasant RPG experience.
This Week’s Dracula Game
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 (PC, Xbox 360 & PS3, Feb. 25th)
After a rather lengthy wait, Konami’s updated take on Castlevania returns. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 looks to be a more traditional, adventure flavored take on the series (the first LoS was more of a straight-ahead action game) — whether or not this is a good move for the series will soon be seen.
Pick of the Week
Thief (PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3 & PS4, Feb. 25th)
The reviews for the latest Thief game are a bit all over the map, but the general consensus seems to be that it’s a solid, if not particularly groundbreaking, game that’s a bit rough around the edges. That may not sound like a ringing endorsement, but honestly “solid but a bit rough around the edges” is about as good as next-gen games get at this point. Thief still looks worth stealing to me.
A good week that could have been a great week if some of the games had been better reviewed. Ah well. Any games you’re itching to get your hands on that I failed to mention? Hit the comments and let the world know.