Welcome to the very first edition of Lovin Games Weekly, where Rory Cashin will be guiding you through the world of video games, talking about the best new releases, the best classics currently going for a steal, and the biggest new in the games industry each week.
2020 was already going to be a landmark year in gaming thanks to the release of not one but TWO new consoles – the Sony PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X, both due to arrive in time for Christmas – but we are also going to be seeing some of the biggest releases of games on the current generation of consoles over the next few weeks and months. And that was all before the pandemic, which forced us to spend more time indoors and, for a lot of us, spend even more time gaming than ever before.
So with that in mind, here is everything you need to know about gaming this week:
GAME OF THE WEEK
Streets Of Rage 4 (PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC)
Over a quarter of century (!) since the last Streets Of Rage game was released on the Sega Mega Drive (!!!), the long-delayed sequel is a call-back to arcade games of old, where the plot amounted to little more than a bad guy wanting to take over a city, and it was up to you and your mates to stop them with kicks to the face.
Obviously with that massive gap in between releases, the latest entry has had a drastic update in terms of graphics, sound, and gameplay, but it still has the old Streets Of Rage DNA in its system. If you want to play solo, then you can effectively go through the entire campaign several times over, each playthrough with a different character and a completely different set of special moves, strengths, and weaknesses. You can also play two-player online, or better yet, four-player locally. Now, we don’t know anyone who actually owns four controllers, but if you happen to be enduring a lockdown with three other people and you all have a controller for your console or PC, then this is the one of the best ways to kill a couple of hours!
Best of all, the game is going for just €25. An absolute must-buy for anyone looking for a massive adrenaline-fuelled hit of nostalgia. Check out the trailer below…
BIG NEWS OF THE WEEK
18 Minutes of Gameplay from Ghosts of Tsushima
While all eyes are understandably looking forward to what big games are set for release at the launch of the new consoles later this year, it is important to remember the both the PS4 and Xbox One have some huge releases still to come before then.
One of the biggest of those is Ghosts Of Tsushima, the latest game from the developers behind the hugely popular InFamous series, and this week Sony released an extra-long State Of Play video for the game, so we got a very in-depth look at what kind of game will be on offer.
Set in 13th century Japan, you will control one of the last samurai on the island of Tsushima as they fight against the first Mongol invasion of the area. Using a combination of stealth, combat, and platforming, you’ll explore the open world of the island, attempting to liberate it from the invaders.
The footage shows some very unique dynamics within the game, such as using the wind to direct you towards your next goal, and communicating with nature to help you perform your tasks. But there is also plenty of swordplay and explosions on display too, likely giving that perfect mix of stealth and action-adventure. We also got a look at a truly incredibly looking old-school cinema filter over the entire game, making it look like you’re playing an interactive version of Seven Samurai!
Ghosts of Tsushima will launch exclusively on PlayStation 4 on Friday July 17 and you can get a glimpse of it below…
DEAL OF THE WEEK
Batman: Arkham Collection
It really can’t be properly put into words just how impactful the 2009 release of Batman: Arkham Asylum actually was. Not only was it one of the best superhero video games of all time (a notoriously difficult genre to get right), but it was actually one of the best video games of all time, full stop. It was followed by 2011’s arguably even better Batman: Arkham City, as well as 2015’s endlessly replayable Batman: Arkham Knight.
Across the trilogy, you control Batman as he initially tries to save Arkham’s infamous asylum after it has been taken over by the Joker, before expanding to the entire city of Arkham for the sequels, and the caped crusader is forced to use his wits and gadgets to face off against pretty much every single one of the iconic comic book villains including Catwoman, The Riddler, Two-Face, The Penguin, Bane, and loads more.
If you’ve never played them (or haven’t replayed them recently), then the Batman: Arkham Collection is here to correct that mistake, currently marked down on the PlayStation store from €59.99 to €19.99. Yep, less than twenty quid for three of the best games of the last few years!
All prices, release dates and platforms are correct from date of publication.
