Game preview January
Which game are you looking forward to the most?
These are the game highlights for February
A medieval simulator, a Hawaiian pirate adventure and spectacular monster hunts are on the agenda in February.
Evolve was the game highlight of February 2015. But it lived a short life unfortunately. Despite the innovative idea of an asynchronous multiplayer, the creators of Left 4 Dead couldn’t build on the success of their award-winning zombie adventure. Fast forward to today, there’s at least one promising title being released this month that has you hunting big monsters.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 – a medieval treat
An open-world role-playing game set in 15th century Bohemia where things move very slowly. Everything takes a little longer here, but that’s precisely what makes the world all the more vivid and believable. Perfect for medieval fans who like to take their time for adventure. You can find my detailed review here.
Release date: 4 February
Where: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Multiplayer: no
Rift of the NecroDancer – bang to the beat
In this rhythm game, you strum the right guitar strings in typical Guitar Hero or Rock Band style and beat up monsters.
Release date: 5 February
Where: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch
Multiplayer: no
While Waiting – patience is a virtue
A game that deals with the topic of waiting in a funny way. Doing nothing is the ultimate strategy. Experience everyday situations such as commercial breaks on TV, sluggish baggage carousels at the airport or traffic jams at the supermarket checkout.
Release date: 5 February
Where: PC, Switch
Multiplayer: no
Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator – let me through, I’m a doctor
Since there’s a simulation for everything, you’ll soon be able to put yourself in the role of the emergency services. Race to the scene of an accident in an ambulance and take detailed care of the injured. You’ll need an equal amount of speed and the right approach in this game.
Release date: 6 February
Where: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Multiplayer: no
Big Helmet Heroes – Castle Crashers sends its regards
It’s admirable how well the heroes in Big Helmet Heroes are protected from injury. The cuddly game characters with oversized heads fight their way through colourful fantasy worlds. It’s reminiscent of cult classic Castle Crashers.
Release date: 6 February
Where: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch
Multiplayer: local coop
Keep Driving – road trip simulator
You travel through a procedurally generated world in enchanting pixel art. You take care of your vehicle, pick up hitchhikers and plan your route to a festival on the other side of the country.
Release date: 6 February
Where: PC
Multiplayer: no
A Game About Digging A Hole – swing the shovel
Always wanted to dig a huge hole in your garden? In this game, you can live out your childhood fantasy to your heart’s content. Dig for all you’re worth, collect resources and sell them to buy better tools to speed up the underground expedition.
Release date: 7 February
Where: PC
Multiplayer: no
Sid Meier’s Civilization VII – try to take over the world
The strategy series returns and lets you write history. Build a huge empire, create architectural wonders and get tangled up in diplomatic squabbles. For the first time, you don’t always play in the same civilisation, but choose a new one for each of the ancient, explorer and modern eras.
Release date: 11 February
Where: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch
Multiplayer: Online PvP
Urban Myth Dissolution Center – on the trail of urban legends
An adventure game in which you work as an investigator for the Urban Myth Dissolution Center. Against a backdrop of psychedelic pixel art, you interview witnesses, collect evidence and scour social media posts to uncover the truth behind the urban legends.
Release date: 12 February
Where: PC, PS5, Switch
Multiplayer: no
Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered – Lara has a new look
The first three parts have already been given a makeover; now it’s the turn of parts four to six. You can switch freely between the classic polygon graphics and the remastered version.
Release date: 14 February
Where: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch
Multiplayer: no
The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak 2 – a fantasy mystery
The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak 2 is a turn-based role-playing game set in the fictional world of Zemuria. It’s your job to try and uncover a conspiracy that threatens to plunge the nation into the abyss. The game promises an in-depth combat system, a captivating storyline, dynamic social interactions and multilayered character development.
Release date: 14 February
Where: PC, PS4, PS5, Switch
Multiplayer: no
Afterlove EP – emotions are high
Set in modern-day Jakarta, this adventure game revolves around self-discovery, loss and love. As young musician Rama, you try to come to terms with the death of your girlfriend. As if that wasn’t hard enough, you also hear her voice in your head. The emotional story is broken up by dating sim and rhythm game elements.
Release date: 14 February
Where: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch
Multiplayer: no
Avowed – the adventure awaits
Obsidian’s fantasy role-playing game lures you into the land of the living, a mysterious island full of adventure and danger. Instead of a class system, the game focuses on autonomy and lets you skill your character as you wish. Like The Outer Worlds, it’s a relatively compact game that aims to entertain you for 30 hours, not 100.
Release date: 18 February
Platform: PC, Xbox Series X/S
Multiplayer: no
Lost Records: Bloom and Rage – an emotionally charged story
The Life is Strange studio has come up with its next emotionally charged story. Here you can experience the magical summer of four high school friends in the 90s, ending with a mysterious event. 27 years later, you’re forced to confront the dark secrets that ended your friendship.
Release date: 18 February
Where: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Multiplayer: no
Stories from Sol: The Gun-Dog – a love letter to 80s anime
The enchanting 16-bit retro graphics and superbly staged cutscenes immediately reveal that you can expect a homage to 80s anime and sci-fi here. As part of the Gun-Dog patrol ship, you’re tasked with investigating a secret signal deep in space. The game is played in classic point-and-click style, in which you can also explore various locations on the ship.
Release date: 20 February
Where: PC, PS4, PS5, Switch
Multiplayer: no
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii – throw the grappling hooks
Goro Majima has lost his memory and reinvents himself as a pirate. The ex-yakuza matures into a feared captain and engages in spectacular battles with swords and cannons.
Release date: 20 February
Where: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Multiplayer: no
Hollywood Animal – blockbuster or arthouse?
You manage a Hollywood studio in the early days of sound film. Whether it develops into a billion-dollar megacorporation that burns for multiverses or whether you prefer to found a boutique studio to conquer film festivals with avant-garde directors is up to you. Hollywood Animal involves you in every step of movie production, from developing the plot to distributing the movie. Just like in real life, wars, social unrest and corruption might have an impact on your business.
Release date: 27 February
Where: PC
Multiplayer: no
Monster Hunter Wilds – the hunt continues
Soon the wild monsters will be at it again. A new world, now separated by fewer loading screens, awaits fresh hunters. New weapons, monsters and a practical mount promise plenty of variety.
Release date: 28 February
Where: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Multiplayer: online co-op
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Philipp Rüegg
Senior Editor
Philipp.Rueegg@digitecgalaxus.chBeing the game and gadget geek that I am, working at digitec and Galaxus makes me feel like a kid in a candy shop – but it does take its toll on my wallet. I enjoy tinkering with my PC in Tim Taylor fashion and talking about games on my podcast http://www.onemorelevel.ch. To satisfy my need for speed, I get on my full suspension mountain bike and set out to find some nice trails. My thirst for culture is quenched by deep conversations over a couple of cold ones at the mostly frustrating games of FC Winterthur.
