Martin closed
I was somewhat naively hoping that with the advent of the new year, the gaming scene might calm down a little – the Christmas season was over after all. Of course, this did not happen, and instead of some rest, we got three very prominent and popular games in January – Fire Emblem Engage, Forspoken and Dead Space. In addition, some very interesting “small” games have been released, the console version of one of the best strategy games of all time has been added to Xbox Game Pass… and so on and so forth. If you imagine that we have already received several February games for review, you will understand that the “Christmas season” is not over at all. I should have learned enough from last year when the situation was very similar. The thing is, most publishers don’t end their fiscal year until after the first quarter, so they’re still trying to push the numbers up at the last minute. Therefore, we will probably not rest until April (or summer).
When we were preparing the traditional review of games for the next month (it will be released along with the survey, as always, at midnight on the first of the month), we were very scared. Although February will be shorter, its 28 days are even more packed with games than January. But in addition to them, the expected new hardware (PlayStation VR2) will also arrive, which is also an extraordinary event. It is very convenient that we already have some games in the editorial office, but it is not so easy to do this, on top of that we have to travel abroad, where we were invited to play several games that will not be released until next months (after February). Well, if the first few months of 2023 are any indication of what this in-game year will be, then it’s going to be one of the busiest. We will try our best to offer you the best service for all these games on Zing and we look forward to meeting you.
Daniel Jaroki
In January, I personally went back to some old games, led by Forza Motorsport 7. Since there was a lot of talk about the upcoming volume eight thanks to Xbox and the Bethesda Developer Direct conference, I reinstalled the old volume seven, which I then spent some time in. I was surprised how good the game looks after more than five years since its release.
The fact that the old part can still keep up with the times quite well today is due, among other things, to a graphical update that was originally intended for the Xbox One X console, but, logically, the version that I tested for the Xbox Series X. also benefits from this. Although I was really looking forward to the remake of the first Dead Space, so, unfortunately, I could not find time for it yet. But after reading different reviews and impressions, I am sure that over time this will definitely change.
When I look at the February title proposal, it looks, without exaggeration, like a belated post-Christmas proposal. In addition to the expected big games led by Hogwarts Legacy, Wild Hearts, Company of Heroes 3, the PC version of Returnal or the new installment of The Settlers series, I’d like to point out the adventure game Deliver Us Mars, which was among the pleasant surprises of last year’s Gamescom, where I could try the game (impressions here). After that, the Atomic Heart event remains in my eyes a big unknown that could turn out in almost any way. In addition to countless exciting games, we also have the release of the PlayStation VR2 headset, so you won’t be bored in February.
Pavlina Nouzova
As I wrote at the end of last year, it happened. The third part of The Witcher with a next-gen update filled me all of January. I visit familiar places again, go through the same ups and downs again, but this time I tried to approach it differently and make the opposite choice (even if sometimes it hurts). I took a bite and the witcher rewarded me. Banish a god from a haunted house? Oddly enough, the best thing a player can do. Go on a bloody quest with Lambert? Refreshing. Choose Yennefer over Triss? On the contrary, not so much. I thought it would be a return for just a few hours, but the beautiful world and polished graphics captured me and did not let go for dozens of hours.
Also, I started the slightly cyberpunk action thriller Wanted: Dead from the creators of Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive. It will be released on Valentine’s Day, when you can also expect a review. Also, in February, I want to dive into Hi-Fi RUSH, a rhythm piece that appeared quite by accident on the Developer_Direct show.
Jan Urbanchik
The first month of 2023 is over and there is already something to talk about. The first weeks were quieter, but a very busy end of the month made up for it. However, I finally finished God of War Ragnarok right at the beginning of January, which I liked, and above all, the story is really strong, but towards the end, I already struggled a bit and played “on duty” and not really enjoyed It. I then revisited the original Dead Space to freshen up on this survival horror before the remake was released. The game is definitely outdated not only graphically, but also in terms of game design. 15 years since release is a long time and the gaming industry has come a long way since then. However, it is still a very high quality title.
As you probably guessed, my next game was a remake of Dead Space. I expected quite a lot from him, and yet I was somewhat surprised, but only in the best sense of the word. Significantly improved storyline, connected Ishimura ship with a great atmosphere, beautiful lighting, great sound, redesigned movement in zero gravity, and much more. This is exactly the type of remake that I like the most, it’s true to the original but adds a lot of new stuff and isn’t afraid to tweak things where needed. You can read the full review here.
The last game I played was Hi-Fi Rush. Few knew that Tango Gameworks would ever create something so different from its traditional genre and that it would be a great game. In a word, it’s light entertainment with unique gameplay, great music and a very nice visual style reminiscent of an animated series.
In February we are waiting for another big batch of games. Personally, I’m most looking forward to the old Kirby on Switch and The Settlers: New Allies strategy, which I hope will finally release after all these delays. We should not forget about the adventure game Sherlock Holmes The Awakened, the release date of which has not yet been confirmed, but if everything goes according to plan, it should be released in February. In the meantime, at least you can read my impressions of a recent demo.
Philip Svoboda
In January, I was mainly doing two sci-fi pieces. First, it’s the arcade game Chorus. It came as a pleasant surprise in the fall of 2021 and was a surprise for me even now. I expected addictive gameplay, even if it can get a little boring after a while. However, suddenly the world of the game captivated me. Developing a story for an entirely new universe in a game where you don’t have to get out of the cockpit of a fighter jet for playable parts is a breeze, and the developers are doing it right.
With the second game, I returned to Earth, although the main characters of both stories have much in common. I’m talking about nothing less than Remedy’s Control. I played the last work of the Finnish studio (except for the campaign for Crossfire-X) for the second time. This time I also had the opportunity to turn on the maximum possible graphics settings, including ray tracing, so in addition to excellent gameplay and an immersive world, I was also pleased with the visual side. Control rightfully tops my list of favorites.
February is the shortest month of the year, but the list of upcoming games doesn’t show much. I’m not a huge Harry Potter fan, but of course I’m very curious about Hogwarts. I’m also interested in the sci-fi duo “Get Us Mars” and “Scars Above”. And I’ll definitely keep an eye on PSVR 2, even though I don’t even consider myself a future customer just yet.
Ondrey Zeman
You can say that I was not particularly bored even in January. It was the opposite. In addition to the news, the start of the year also gave me several opportunities to go back in time, which I enthusiastically took advantage of. Years later, I watched Might & Magic 6 again – Mandate of Heaven, The Legend of Grimrock, or Joan of Arc. Everything had something in common even years after the release. However, I did not avoid the current titles either. I spent most of my time playing SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake, but I experienced a whiff of text adventures in Colossal Cave or a clash of painted animals in Inkulinati. It was really a lot again.
How do I see February? It is already clear that this will be a month full of strategies. Pharaoh: A New Era, The Settlers: New Allies or Company of Heroes 3 will appear on the scene. However, as a big fan of fantasy football, I may be more looking forward to Blood Bowl 3 than these three. not only waiting for the strategy. The real highlight of this month will definitely be the arrival of Returnal on PC, where I don’t expect the game to fail. Well, certainly none of us will be bored in the following days.
Source :Indian TV
