Weekend Announcements January 18th-20th: The Legend of Heroes, Metagal and More

By Rebecca Smith,

This last weekend was quite busy for the announcement of new titles. There are 10 new games for you to meet today, some of which are sequels to franchises with which you might be familiar. You can find a bit about each of them below, so take a look at the list and see if there's anything you fancy.

Dick Wilde 2

Platforms: PlayStation 4 (PlayStation VR required)
Release Window: February 2019
The sequel to Bolvërk Games' redneck rail shooter is once again coming to VR platforms courtesy of publisher PlayStack. Wilde has recruited two apprentices to help rid the rivers of the mutated vicious wildlife that lives there after a nearby toxic spillage. There will be a variety of over-the-top weapons, such as gravity guns, mortar strikes, assassin drones, and lightning arrows, to help players complete their task as they travel to some new locations. Up to two players can join forces to eradicate the pests, and that includes recruiting a friend on PC if needs be. New features for the sequel include more difficulty settings, power-ups, and the introduction of boss fights.

DYSMANTLE

Platforms: PlayStation 4
Release Window: Late 2019
10tons' "open world action RPG" draws inspiration from such lofty titles as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Stardew Valley, Subnautica, Steamworld Dig, and Dark Souls. A calamity has thrown a dystopian island into chaos where time seems to have stood still at some point between the 70s and the 90s. Alone on a deserted island, the protagonist emerges from his underground shelter to find supplies, uncover what actually happened, and then find a way off the island. As the title suggests, "over 99%" of the game's objects can be dismantled and their materials used to craft new items, such as "tools, weapons, headgear, outfits, and trinkets". His survival also depends on his ability to fight, hunt, solve puzzles, build a base, and explore.

GIGA WRECKER Alt.

Platforms: PlayStation 4
Release Window: 2019
Game Freak's internal game jam, known as "Gear Project", encourages their developers to brainstorm ideas for a game that the company wouldn't usually make. One of those ideas was this "2D action/adventure" with metroidvania leanings. Reika is looking to find the reasons for an invasion that ruined the world. To do so, she'll need to use her unique ability ARCHE (Arms Creating and Handling Effect) to destroy the world around her and build new items from the debris to navigate the world, solve puzzles and fight against the invaders. The developer has teamed up with Rising Star Games to bring the game to consoles with exclusive content in the form of 20 additional campaign stages, a new companion character, and a challenging Ironman mode.

Goodbye Deponia

Platforms: PlayStation 4
Release Window: January 30th, 2019
Following on from Deponia and Chaos on Deponia, the third title once again puts players in the shoes of Rufus after Goal disappears... again. He's still trying to worm his way into Elysium and escape his fate in the junkyard, and he still views Goal as the key to getting there. Now he thinks he has the perfect plan, but The Organon are planning to destroy Deponia forever, and it wouldn't be an adventure worth playing if everything went to plan, would it?

Intruders: Hide and Seek

Platforms: PlayStation 4 (PlayStation VR compatible)
Release Window: February 13th, 2019
Goodbye Deponia isn't the only title from Daedalic today — they're also publishing Tessera Studios' PlayStation VR hostage situation. Three villains break into a remote countryside holiday home and take the Richter family hostage. The parents have been restrained, but with the aid of his sister, eldest son Ben has managed to evade capture. Now he must find out what the kidnappers want, get help, and free his family, all without being seen. Each of the three kidnappers has their own field of vision that needs to be avoided and it won't be easy.

Metagal

Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita
Release Window: Q1 2019
Ratalaika Games is becoming well known for their ability to port many games to console. RetroRevolution's "2D platformer action game" is no exception. An android girl called Meta has seen her sisters and her creator, Dr Ray, captured by General Creeper, the leader of a rogue army. Her sisters were turned into battle cyborgs that Creeper wants to use in his plan to take over the world, and she must battle against all of them to free them and take on their abilities. Eventually she'll be ready to face Creeper himself and free Dr Ray.

Obey Me

Platforms: PlayStation 4
Release Window: Q3 2019
Error 404 Game Studios' "cooperative holypunk brawler" pits angels and demons against one another in a war that directly impacts the future of humanity. Vanessa Held is a "former human-turned-lesser-demon" who works for the Archduke of Avarice, a demon caught up directly in the conflict. Together with her hellhound Monty, she needs to battle against her enemies and absorb their souls to upgrade her weapons and Monty's powers. If their attacks are successful, they can combine efforts in Fusion Mode to become one avatar with even more deadly attacks. Co-op play will be available where a second player can control Monty directly. The title will be coming to consoles thanks to publisher Blowfish Studios, and it will be accompanied by a series of Obey Me graphic novels beginning in March.

Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid

Platforms: PlayStation 4
Release Window: April 2019
nWay previously created the mobile title Power Rangers: Legacy Wars. Now they're taking to consoles with a fighting game that includes both new and classic Power Rangers and villains. The "streamlined combat system" promises to be welcoming for new players as well as offering depth for more experienced players if they choose. Progress will be shared between Xbox One, Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC platforms. After the game has been released, "more content and game modes" have been promised throughout the year — Season One will include three more characters, their Arcade story lines, and a new skin. Pre-orders (US$19.99) will offer the Green Ranger V2 character skin and a digital art book. Finally, the Digital Collector's Edition ($39.99) will include the game, Season One Pass, and character skins for Lord Drakkon Evo II and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Pink Ranger.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III

Platforms: PlayStation 4
Release Window: Fall 2019
Nihon Falcom Corporation's RPG is coming west thanks to NIS America. The latest in the The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel series takes place nearly 18 months after the end of the Erebonian civil war. Countries have changed their perspectives, the Empire's internal politics have shifted, and protagonist Rean Schwarzer has graduated from Thors Military Academy, becoming an instructor at a newly-opened academy, the Thors Branch Campus. Here he leads and trains New Class VII, the future generation of heroes. However, the Ouroboros organization is still plotting something sinister and there's every chance the continent will be plunged into war again.

Worbital

Platforms: PlayStation 4
Release Window: 2019
Team Jolly Roger's "strategic deep-space artillery game" is the sequel to their PC-only title Interplanetary. Players will control a planet that they can equip with all kinds of futuristic weaponry, from massive guns and lasers to "maniacal doomsday weapons such as the World Rammer", and support structures like shields. The star system battlefield is constantly changing and foes could be anywhere, and the aim is to be the last planet with a surviving civilisation. As well as AI skirmishes, the game offers local and online multiplayer modes.

Written by Rebecca Smith

Rebecca is the Newshound Manager at TrueGaming Network. She has been contributing articles since 2010, especially those that involve intimidatingly long lists. When not writing news, she works in an independent game shop so that she can spend all day talking about games too. She'll occasionally go outside.