February 2 – Deliver Us Mars (PS5/PS4/Xbox Series X|S/Xbox One/PC)
February 2 – Cuddly Forest Friends (Switch)
February 2 – The Pathless (Xbox Series X|S/Xbox One)
February 9 – Arcadia Fallen (PS5/PS4)
February 10 – Hogwarts Legacy (PS5/Xbox Series X|S/PC)
February 14 – Blanc (Switch/PC)
February 14 – Journey to the Savage Planet (PS5/Xbox Series X|S)
February 14 – Wanted: Dead (PS5/PS4/Xbox Series X|S/Xbox One/PC)
February 15 – Returnal (PC)
February 16 – Theatrhythm: Final Bar Line (PS4/Switch)
February 16 – Wild Hearts (PS5/Xbox Series X|S/PC)
February 16 – Elderand (Switch/PC)
February 17 – Rooftop Renegade (PS5/PS4/Xbox Series X|S/Xbox One/PC)
February 17 – Tales of Symphonia Remastered (PS4/Xbox One/Switch)
February 21 – Atomic Heart (PS5/PS4/Xbox Series X|S/Xbox One/PC)
February 21 – Like a Dragon: Ishin! (PS5/PS4/Xbox Series X|S/Xbox One/PC)
February 22 – Moss: Book II (PS5)
February 22 – Digimon World: Next Order (Switch/PC)
February 22 – Thumper (PS5)
February 22 – Rez Infinite (PS5)
February 22 – Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge (PS5)
February 22 – After the Fall (PS5)
February 22 – Horizon: Call of the Mountain (PS5)
February 23 – Company of Heroes 3 (PC)
February 23 – Sons of the Forest (PC)
February 24 – Octopath Traveller 2 (PS5/PS4/Switch/PC)
February 24 – Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe (Switch)
February 24 – Kerbal Space Program 2 (PC)
February 27 – Scar’s Above (PS5/PS4/Xbox Series X|S/Xbox One/PC)
February 28 – Destiny 2: Lightfall (PS5/PS4/Xbox Series X|S/Xbox One/PC)
February, my sweet summer child, why must you swamp me so? This month, the WellPlayed crew battles through the sweat and slick of the fading new year heat to amass a staggering collection of games, each and every one making our jorts even less comfortable than the last. So peel yourself off that pleather chair, down your bevy of choice and gather round as we take you through our most anticipated games of the month.
Jordan
January was pretty light on interesting releases for me; Dead Space was more or less it. But February is looking to bring the heat more than this ungodly hot and humid summer that I am experiencing at the time of writing. Following this is Returnal, which I am so thankful for. I’m all for sci-fi games so any from that ilk are right up my alley, so I’m thankful we’re getting Returnal and Deliver Us Mars this month. I love the PS5 but I hate how stupidly fragile the DualSense is, so being able to play it on PC, with mouse and keyboard, will be incredible.
As a Monster Hunter fan, Wild Hearts is incredibly interesting to me. The idea of another game of this style that isn’t Capcom’s 19-year-old franchise is awesome, and I really hope that it turns out well. Atomic Heart just looks like a grand time and I need more single-player experiences in an increasingly live-service era of gaming. Speaking of live services, my love-hate relationship with Destiny 2 is currently on the up, and just in time for the Lightfall expansion. I’ve been grinding the game pretty hard to make sure I get all I can out of the current seasonal content before it gets removed with the release of Lightfall. My weapon arsenal, and jorts, look pretty set up for the Day One raid race.
Nathan
I am not remotely ready for February. Don’t get me wrong, it is a terrific month where summer demonstrates its peaks and troughs but it simply feels too close to the October/November onslaught. As such, my radar is beeping out with tangos– otherwise known as incoming “Good times”. Here are a whopping 18 games coming in February that have me tickled, and a brief vibe check on why I care.
Let’s start with the big guns. Destiny 2 Lightfall. The end of an era, and this MMO-shooter hybrid’s impenetrably dense story arc. Also, the neon-soaked direction looks hot. Atomic Heart had me cautiously optimistic with the media conversation around it suggesting an experience in the vein of Bioshock, a very hard act to follow. And yet the tantalising previews from January suggest this is going to be a hell of a debut title for Mundfish. Like A Dragon: Ishin! is a dream come true for those of us pining for Ryū ga Gotoku to localise their period piece spin-offs. Here’s hoping the older gameplay systems haven’t aged too poorly.
I don’t spend enough time with my PC due to my partner working from home. But if I did, I would be smashed this month. Company of Heroes 3 is the long-awaited sequel in the terrific WW2 real-time strategy franchise that allows genre scrubs like myself to focus on macro strategy and firefights. A survival adventure to rival Subnautica, Sons of the Forest promises to deliver blood-curdling scares while trying to construct a timbre hut to survive the elements. Completing the trifecta is Blood Bowl 3, the Games Workshop Warhammer spin-off focused on crushing orcs and little beasties on the green in the brutal manner of American football.
Each month features a staple of Japanese RPGs that I pick for myself too. Although I did not enjoy the original, I hold out hope that Octopath Traveller 2 has a less repetitive formula, faster battles, and much better writing. I never played Tales of Symphonia but I’ve been told it is a classic and with a remaster arriving this month, now’s the time to finally investigate. Lastly, I had Digimon World: Next Order installed on my PS4 for years but never touched it, hopefully, this updated Switch release will amend this.
Zach is telling me I’ve run out of words, so here is a short list of honourable mentions I will keep a close eye on. The Settlers: New Allies – a revival of the classic settlement management series which could be chill. Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe – easy games have their place. Kerbal Space Program 2 – laughing at 100 failures to escape the earth’s atmosphere. Scars Above – could be a mindlessly enjoyable AA shooter and palate cleanser. Some lesser-known titles with kick-ass gameplay trailers worth a glance: DYSCHRONIA: Chronos Alternative, Lords of Ravage, and Redemption Reapers.
You’ve got no excuse to be bored this month, I posit.
Adam
Do you know what goes well with 30-degree heat? Whacking a VR headset on and sweating out of your eyeballs. Sure, the release of PSVR 2 isn’t kind to us Aussies from a seasonal standpoint, but I’m excited enough that I’ll brave the swampy situation, crack into some Zooper Doopers and transport myself into some virtual worlds.
My Jorts are circulation-cuttingly tight for the tech behind the PSVR 2 and the promise of excellent experiences in the future, but that doesn’t mean the launch line-up is anything to sneeze at. Because I’m a huge mark, Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge will likely be where I first dip my toe, purely because it will make my childhood self lose his mind. After the Fall and The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR won’t be far behind, but playing Gran Turismo 7 and No Man’s Sky in VR will likely be the highlights. Getting behind the wheel of a supercar will be a hell of a ride, but I’m willing to bet my Dyson that the first launch into space in No Man’s Sky will be a goosebump-inducing moment.
Outside of being a sweaty mess, I’ll be heading to the red planet to solve some puzzles with Deliver Us Mars when it finally hits this month. Deliver us the Moon had a great atmosphere, so I’m expecting similar things from the follow-up. Lastly, after what feels like an eternity, I’ll be getting around Atomic Heart. It feels a bit surreal knowing that it’s finally releasing, so let’s hope it manages to live up to some of its hype.
James
God, we love a striking art style, don’t we? Blanc is rocking a black-and-white, hand-drawn aesthetic that I find both deeply nostalgic and somewhat unnerving. Like the kind of kid’s movie I would have watched on VHS but had nightmares about. This co-op adventure follows a wolf-cub and fawn who become lost in a snowstorm and must struggle their way back to find their family. This gorgeous game was fully drawn in 2D before being animated in 3D and is trying to tell its story entirely through gameplay, with no text or dialogue needed. I’m a mark for lost animal narratives so we’ll see how thoroughly Blanc breaks me later this month. Speaking of animal adventures, of a sort, Wild Hearts is about to roar onto the scene with Koei Tecmo’s Omega Force studio and EA Originals’ monster hunting action title breaking up a certain monoploy on the genre. I played a handful of hours of this thing late last year and was thoroughly impressed by its fluidity and combat options, so hopefully, the full release is as exciting, and full of potential, as it can be.
Sons of the Forest, despite breaking my heart with its PC exclusivity, still looks absolutely wild to me. New weather systems, mechanical complexities and monsters that are practically dripping in graphical fidelity make this sequel a must have for me and the lads…when it eventually drops on consoles. On the topic of disgusting monsters that eat everything, Kirby’s back! Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe brings the original Wii game to the Switch with some updated gameplay tweaks and glorious HD. Oh and Destiny 2: Lightfall is about to turn me into a goblin.
Mark
Destiny 2: Lightfall. That’s it. That’s the jort.
