Looking Ahead

Is it already that time again? With the Holidays closing in once more, we know a lot of you are looking for gifts for all the players in your lives, and maybe some things you’d like to get for yourselves too. If you’re not sure what to get, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. From November 3^rd to November 18^th, we’ll be bringing you guides to satisfy every type of player each weekday. Strap in and kiss your wallet goodbye.

Yesterday we highlighted a variety of items for players who might not have any actual video games they want this holiday season, but what if that’s the case but they still kind of want a game? Consider a pre-order. Sure, they won’t actually get to unwrap the game this year, but if they’re looking forward to these big titles of early 2023, then a note that the game is all paid off, or a print-out of the preorder confirmation, may be just what will put a smile on their face. And because we’re not sadistic, all of these games are set to release in the first couple of months of 2023, so your players won’t be waiting long.

Fire Emblem Engage

Planned Release Date: January 20th

Platforms: Switch

It’s hard to believe it’s been over three years since the last main Fire Emblem game was released, but soon there will be a new entry in Nintendo’s increasingly popular strategy RPG series. While these games were once majorly niche in the west, Fire Emblem’s trajectory has been headed up for years now, and Engage looks to continue that by honoring the series’ past while paving the way to the future. We can’t wait to see what the team at Intelligent Systems has cooked up this time.

Forspoken

Planned Release Date: January 24^th

Platforms: PS5, PC

Not only was Forspoken supposed to be out in 2022, it was supposed to be out in early 2022. After multiple delays, though, it looks like this title, which looks like Final Fantasy mixed with a modern take on A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, will finally see release at the start of 2023. While the release timing may be a bit worrying, with early in the year often used as a dumping ground, Square has put too much marketing in energy into this game for us to think that’s likely the issue here. Hopefully, all the extra time the development team have needed will make this worthy of Knighthood when we can finally get our hands on it.

Like a Dragon: Ishin!

Planned Release Date: February 21st

Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

The first game in the series to reflect the name change from Yakuza to Like a Dragon in the west, Ishin is a remake of a 2014 alternate universe take on the series where all the familiar faces, such as Kiryu and Majima are recast as historical figures, playing out a story which mixes their personalities with a story set in the far past. It’s an interesting combination for sure, and the original had a strong reputation, so we can’t wait to see how it will fare with a modern facelift and a full translation.

Theatrhythm Final Bar Line

Planned Release Date: February 16th

Platforms: PS4, Switch

We so rarely get major rhythm games nowadays, so it’s fantastic to see Square Enix pulling out all the stops here, with nearly 400 songs from the Final Fantasy series and tons of music from some of their other popular RPGs as well. With no dual-screen system on the market, there were fears we might have seen the last of the Theatrhythm series, but now that we know Final Bar Line is on the way, we can’t wait to see how the development team have adapted the game to modern systems and control schemes.

Wild Hearts

Planned Release Date: February 16th

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC

While we’ve seen a lot of games try to copy Monster Hunter over the years, rarely have we seen a major publisher like EA throw such a massive effort behind the move. With Monster Hunter finally catching on worldwide, it seems other publishers smell blood in the water and want to capitalize. We can’t wait to see what they’ve come up with when Wild Hearts releases in February.