After the relatively meagre offerings that hit store shelves in January following a busy release period leading up to Christmas, February is set to bring a number of much anticipated titles that are almost sure to be of high quality. The Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita in particular are due to see a number of hit games made available for them, while there are a number of exclusives that fans have been waiting for over the past few years.
BIG RELEASES
One of the biggest releases coming in February is actually a remake rather than an original title, but it is a game that Nintendo fans have been crying out for over the past 10 years following its release in 2000. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D is a remastering of the hit Zelda title that first released on the Nintendo 64 and acted as a direct sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. It is due to release February 13 worldwide and will include graphical improvements and a variety of new game modes and features, which includes changes to some boss battles and the addition of fishing into the game.
February also sees the release of another much anticipated Nintendo 3DS title in the form of Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate Edition. This enhanced version of Monster Hunter 4 has already been available in Japan since October but will make its way to stores in North America and Europe February 13.
Meanwhile, the highly anticipated multiplayer game Evolve is also set to release this month. Evolve pits a team of four human hunters made up of a variety of classes as they attempt to kill an alien monster controlled by another player. Different games modes pit the monster with having to either kill the humans or complete another objective, with the ability to evolve into a stronger creature by killing smaller organisms. It has been developed by the team responsible for working on the Left 4 Dead franchise and so have much experience in creating a co-operative focused multiplayer title. Evolve will be available from February 10 on PlayStation 4, PC and Xbox One.
Although Nintendo have several important releases for the 3DS in February, they also have a major title coming to their home console the Wii U too. Kirby and the Rainbow Curse is the latest title in the Kirby franchise. The platformer continues on from Canvas Curse, keeping the modelling clay visual style and works by having the player use the Wii U GamePad to draw rainbows on the screen so that Kirby can travel across the world. Early reviews from Famitsu awarded the game 34 out of 40 and players in North America will be able to get their hands on it on February 20, although European customers will have to wait until later in 2015.
In terms of PC gaming, the next entry in the turn-based strategy series Total War is due to launch February 17. Total War: Attila sees the franchise focus on the beginning of the Dark Ages as the player attempts to become the leader of the Huns and become as powerful as Attila the Hun. There are a total of 56 factions that are playable, with some of these being classed as hordes that have no set capital city and are roaming nations.
Another PC strategy game comes in the form of the Homeworld Remastered Collection. The new bundle contains remakes, which focus on a heavy visual upgrade to high definition graphics, of both Homeworld and Homeworld 2. The license to the series was purchased by Gearbox in 2013 and the Borderlands developer set about working on HD remakes shortly after. The RTS games will be available on Steam from February 25.
Finally, the PlayStation 4 has an exclusive game heading its way. The Order 1886 is a Ready at Dawn and Sony developed action-adventure game set in an alternate universe London. The plot revolves around an ancient group of warriors who have to fight half-monster half-human creatures that threaten the world. It will be available worldwide from February 20.
OTHERS
February 3
- Criminal Girls: Invite Only – PS Vita
- Darkest Dungeon – PC
- SpongeBob HeroPants – 360, 3DS, PS Vita
February 4
- Rise of Incarnates – PC
February 10
- Paparazzi – Wii U
February 13
- Ace Combat Assault Horizon Legacy+ – 3DS
February 17
- Dead or Alive 5: Last Round – PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One Xbox 360
February 24
- Dragon Ball: Xenoverse – PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360
- Dynasty Warriors 8 Empires- PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One
- htol#NiQ: The Firefly Diary – PS Vita
- Hypoerdevoultion Noire: Goddess Black Heart – PS Vita
- There Came an Echo – PC
- Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late – PlayStation 3.
February 27
- Dragon Ball Xenoverse – PC
- Dynasty Warriors 8 Empires – PC
- Pokemon Shuffle – 3DS
FREE GAMES
PlayStation users will be able to freely download a number of games across the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 and PS Vita over the next month if they are PlayStation Plus members. PlayStation 4 gamers will have access Transistor, an RPG from the makers of Bastion, and Apotheon , a game set during ancient Greece that tasks players with taking revenge on the Gods by climbing Mount Olympus.
For the PlayStation 3, Thief will be available to download. The 2013 stealth game was a rebooting of the franchise and received a mixed reception upon its original release. It is joined by Yakuza 4, a critically acclaimed action-adventure game set in Tokyo that was first released in 2011 whereas PS Vita users will be able to download the charming adventure platforming game Kick & Fennick. Uniquely, the procedurally generated Rogue-lite title Rogue Legacy will be available across all three platforms throughout the month.
Xbox Live Gold members meanwhile will have the chance to download at no cost a brand new indie title called #IDARB that is available right now on the Xbox One. The two games available for free on the Xbox 360 include the puzzle platformer from 2013 Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons for the first half of February and the tactical shooter Sniper Elite V2 for the second half of the month.
