After the year-opening void, games are starting to release again. Titles such as Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection and Bravely Default 2 have come out to greet gamers as they draw closer to spring 2021. March is a big time of the year for gaming, with the PS5 and Xbox Series X releases of Marvel’s Avengers on March 18 and the March 30 release of Evil Genius 2: World Domination coming up. However, between those two lies March 26, a big one in terms of releases.
March 26 is the release date of four noteworthy games, only one of them being a re-release. The games in question are Balan Wonderworld, It Takes Two, Monster Hunter Rise, and the PS5 and Xbox Series X release of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2. All four games are huge releases for their respective publishers and will hopefully kick off the start of 2021’s big releases strongly. They’re all notable for different reasons, so it pays to understand each one, especially if someone plans on buying more than one and wants to know which is more for them.
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It’s been a while since the gaming industry heard anything from Sonic the Hedgehog co-creators Yuji Naka and Naoto Oshima. Naka’s last game was Rodea the Sky Soldier in 2015, a title that intrigued some and left others wanting. However, just last summer, a new project headed by the duo was announced under Square Enix’s banner. Developed by Balan Company and Arzest, Balan Wonderworld is a whimsical 3D platformer reminiscent of Oshima’s old creation NiGHTS. Players take control of a pair of child protagonists, Leo and Emma, and use different magical costumes to solve platforming puzzles and restore balance and happiness.
A Way Out and Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons developer Josef Fares' new game is It Takes Two. Fares has stated that It Takes Two features "uniquely varied gameplay," as well as the studio's signature emotional storytelling, to create something both gripping and exciting to play. His language when discussing the game is often energetic and enigmatic, such as his claim that It Takes Two is a "crazy rollercoaster ride" where the rollercoaster comes off the rails and explodes at the end, sending players flying even further.
The game itself is definitely making an effort to match those claims, as it has defied typical genre conventions in its showings beyond simply “co-op." Players take control of two dolls magically brought to life. These two are either magical mirrors of or the actual transformed bodies of the strained, arguing couple Cody and May. In their quest to learn how to work together, and perhaps even reignite their love, the two engage with a wide variety of gameplay mechanics. The game might not be coming to Switch, but with everything from third-person shooting, to platforming, to chances to roleplay each doll’s emotional state awaits players, and everyone is excited to find out more.
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Coming exclusively to the Nintendo Switch, Rise is the latest in Capcom’s wildly successful Monster Hunter franchise. Hot off the heels of Monster Hunter World, which in a few short months became Capcom’s best-selling game ever, Rise has some big shoes to fill. Fortunately, Capcom made the smart decision to build off of what already worked in World. Monster Hunter Rise adds full vertical movement via wallrunning and grappling to its multiple wide-open maps. It also adds a new support buddy, the Palamute, plenty of new monsters, a new monster-riding system that lets players control monsters, and an engine switch that makes this all possible.
Monster and armor designs are much more “out there” now, and several of the more bizarre monster body types, like Khezu and the various giant bugs, have made a return. Rise’s flagship monster, Magnamalo, personifies this through its vibrant purple and gold appearance, oni mask-like face, propensity for energy blasts, and ability to grapple flying monsters and send them towards the player in a fantastically ridiculous fashion. Monster Hunter Rise is coming in loud, and with more livestreams later this month and a PC port planned for next year, fans are all ears.
And speaking of good sounds, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 rounds out the March 26 releases with its PS5 and Xbox Series X launch. These games and their iconic soundtracks are bound for greatness with the upgrades current-gen systems have to offer. This was announced just at the end of February, and early console adopters were happy to hear that they didn’t need to wait long for the best-looking and best-running versions of these classic skateboarding games. Players can choose between the game running at 60 FPS in native 4K, or a 1080p setting running at 120 FPS, which will no doubt make the game’s slick tricks feel even smoother.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 will also feature spatial audio and new "high-fidelity atmospherics," which will add dynamic shadows, improved reflections, and more. Upgrading to Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2's current-gen versions requires those who already own a standard digital copy to bump up to the "Cross-Gen Deluxe bundle" for an extra $10. This comes with some extra goodies on top of all the technical upgrades, so it should be worth the asking price. There’s no word on what physical owners have to do yet. A Switch port is also in the works, so very soon Tony Hawk’s brand of fast-paced skating action will be available for everyone. It’s a great time to be a Tony Hawk fan — just as long as one of the other games coming out March 26 aren’t a distraction.
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