New Video Games This Week: ‘FIFA 17’, ‘Forza Horizon 3’, ‘XCOM 2’, and More

Fall is here, which means the onset of video game release season is officially upon us.

To keep you apprised of all new video game releases, we’ve begun an ongoing weekly series that previews all the new video games coming out during the upcoming week. This week’s lineup is fairly exciting, as it includes several big 3DS releases, a couple major console ports, and the latest FIFA and Forza games. The best is yet to come, of course, but there are some solid choices to keep players occupied until the most anticipated releases later in the season.

FIFA 17, in particular, has been the subject of some controversy this week due to EA’s decision to exclude Iceland from the game entirely, which resulted from a dispute with the organization over the cost of the rights. As this comes in the wake of the team’s run to the quarter-finals of the European Championship, we’ll see whether that will be enough to prevent anyone from buying it.

Tune in every week for a look at upcoming video game releases and be sure to check Heavy.com for all your gaming news.

Tuesday, September 27

Darkest Dungeon (PS4, Vita): This gothic roguelike RPG, which is the first to explore the psychological effects of dungeon crawling on its heroes, first released for PC in January. In addition to staying alive, you also have to worry about your characters’ stress levels, and they may even become afflicted with various psychological conditions that affect their behavior. This adds an interesting dimension to the strategic turn-based combat as well, because you need to worry about protecting your heroes both physically and mentally.
Dead Rising 2 Remastered (Xbox One, PS4, PC): This open world survival horror beat ’em up game was first released in 2010 for PS3, Xbox 360, and PC and is the second in a series of three remakes leading up to the release of Dead Rising 4 in December.
FIFA 17 (Xbox One, PS4, PS3, 360, PC): The latest installment in the FIFA series includes a new single-player campaign story mode, where you play as the Premier League’s rising star Alex Hunter and experience his story both on and off the pitch. Your performance on the pitch as well as decisions outside it will both influence Alex’s career.
Forza Horizon 3 (Xbox One, PC): The open world racing game is getting rave reviews from critics and players alike (those who purchased the Ultimate Edition were able to start playing last week). It takes place in Australia, where players will direct the famous Horizon Festival. The game features 350 cars, the most ever in a Horizon game, multiplayer co-op for up to four players, and cross-platform play.
Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice (3DS): This action-adventure platformer featuring everyone’s favorite blue hedgehog is the third game in the Sonic Boom spinoff series of Sonic the Hedgehog. This installment seeks to redeem the series after negative receptions of the first two by introducing a new elemental fire and ice mechanic. You don’t need to have played the first two to pick up this one, and it does show some promise. The special abilities of the supporting characters add replayability because they will be able to open areas that Sonic can’t.
XCOM 2 (Xbox One, PS4): PC gamers have been enjoying Firaxis’ latest entry in the XCOM series since February, and this week, the game will head to Xbox One and PS4. XCOM 2 is set 20 years after the events of Enemy Within, when aliens have defeated humanity. Players will yet again take on the role of the Commander who is rescued from alien captivity just in time to launch an attack on an alien convoy to steal its power core. The game has received mostly favorable reviews, and it’s sitting pretty at an 88/100 Metascore.

Thursday, September 29

Unloved (PC): Unloved started out as a Doom 2 mod and it will soon get its own standalone release on Steam, with an all-new game engine and upgraded graphics thanks to the Unreal Engine 4. The game is set in a strange place of twisted reality where demons and abhorrent monsters possess the living to get them to kill you and your teammates. Levels are procedurally generated, so no two experiences will be the same. It’s best played in co-op with three other players, and its fast-paced shooter gameplay does a good job resurrecting the old-school formula.

Friday, September 30

Azure Striker Gunvolt 2 (3DS): Japan’s popular <em>Armed Blue: Gunvolt 2 Sou </em>is getting a release in the west under a different name, <em>Azure Striker Gunvolt 2, </em>which will hit the Nintendo 3DS on September 29th. The main protagonist, Gunvolt, has licked his wounds from the last game, and will set out to defeat a new formidable enemy by the name of Eden, an international organization. The game will now allow players to play as Gunvolt’s rival, Copen, who will be able to use powers gained from defeated bosses in <em>Mega Man </em>fashion.Yo-Kai Watch 2: Bony Spirits/Fleshy Souls (3DS): An all-new <em>Yo-Kai Watch </em>adventure will bring over 350 new and returning Yo-Kai to the 3DS, tasking players with finding and befriending each of them. Players will assemble a team of 6 Yo-kai to battle problematic Yo-kai and end a civil war between competing Yo-kai factions. For the first time ever, Yo-Kai will have an all-new action-based local multiplayer mode that will allow you to challenge your friend’s Yo-kai team.

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