Seemingly out of nowhere, February has rolled around once more, and while the release calendar is still generally a little barren during the second month of the year, it’s also traditionally when things start to ramp up.
In the movie calendar, the February-March period tends to be when big studios start to release their tentpole blockbusters, and while games can’t quite claim the same, there’s plenty to check out this February.
As the winter forges on and a glimmer of spring becomes visible on the horizon, let’s take a look at the best games you’ll be able to get your hands on throughout the rest of this month, shall we?
Dragon Quest VII Reimagined (PC, PS5, Xbox Series, Switch/2 – February 5th)
This will be Square Enix’s second major attempt at remaking the classic 2000 JRPG Dragon Quest VII; the first was released for the 3DS some 13 years after the original.
This isn’t just a port of that remake, though, nor is it a remastered release with a few extra bells and whistles; rather, it’s a fully-fledged, ground-up rework of the PS1 game.
You can expect all the usual JRPG goodness from Dragon Quest VII Reimagined, together with some quality-of-life improvements, better story pacing, and generally superior presentation.
Nioh 3 (PC, PS5 – February 6th)
Team Ninja’s third roll of the samurai Soulslike series promises to be its most complex and intricate yet, so if you’re a fan of the franchise but wish it had more combat options for you, this might be the one for you.
As with previous Nioh games, Nioh 3 will transport you to a land filled with yokai and human enemies to do battle with, as well as a host of formidable bosses you’ll likely need to try several times to conquer.
This latest entry also introduces two combat stances to switch between, one focused around close-quarters combat and the other specialising in “quick movements and special techniques”.
Romeo Is a Dead Man (PC, PS5, Xbox Series – February 11th)
How best to explain Romeo Is a Dead Man? Coming to us from Grasshopper Manufacture, this is an action game in which you will take down “fearsome space-time criminals” using a mixture of swords and guns.
Main character Romeo finds himself “on the brink of life and death” after a serious incident shatters space-time itself, and he’s recruited by the “FBI’s Space-Time Police” to put things right.
As you can probably tell from the synopsis, this is going to be a trip, so make sure to tune in if you’re a fan of Suda51’s work and other titles inspired by it. Suda’s the executive director on this one, so it’s bound to be covered in his fingerprints.
Mario Tennis Fever (Switch 2 – February 12th)
Camelot’s Mario sports games aren’t always the most technically accomplished titles on the market, but they’re almost always good for a laugh or two, and we see no reason to suspect Mario Tennis Fever will break with tradition.
As always, you’ll be taking to the court as a variety of Super Mario characters, each of whom can choose between a variety of tennis rackets with different abilities, and you’ll have to contend with wacky weather conditions and more on the court.
There’s also a single-player adventure mode that sees you relearning the art of tennis after being transformed into a baby. It’s weird, but just go with it, okay?
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties (PC, PlayStation, Xbox Series, Switch 2 – February 12th)
The third game in Sega’s Yakuza Kiwami remake series offers a similar ground-up rework to its predecessors, although this time, it comes complete with a brand new chapter.
Dark Ties focuses on the original game’s antagonist (or one of them, at least), Yoshitaka Mine, and tells the story of his abandonment of his “successful startup” in favour of a life in the shadows among the yakuza.
There’s been some controversy surrounding this one, specifically with regard to its visuals and some of the plot details that may have leaked about its conclusion, but we won’t include them here; we’ll just say it’s best to wait and see.
High on Life 2 (PC, PS5, Xbox Series – February 13th)
Squanch Games’ irreverent shooter returns for another go-around, complete with a new cast of alien weaponry and new levels to shoot and parkour your way through.
This time around, you’ll have dialogue options with your weapons, so you’ll be able to talk back to them rather than letting them have all the fun.
That’s in addition to a brand new skateboard mechanic that can be used both in combat and in puzzle-solving. Thanks to these new toys and more, High on Life 2 sounds like it’s going to be a worthy sequel.
Reanimal (PC, PS5, Xbox Series, Switch 2 – February 13th)
This spooky co-op horror game is being made by Tarsier Studios, the outfit behind the first two Little Nightmares games (with development on the third being handled by The Dark Pictures studio Supermassive).
As such, Reanimal promises to offer a continuation of what made the Little Nightmares series so special, i.e. terrifying imagery and atmosphere, chunky puzzle gameplay, and lots of chase sequences.
If you love Little Nightmares, you’ll almost certainly like this as well, although its co-op focus means you’re probably going to need to find a friend to quiver in fear alongside you.
Resident Evil Requiem (PC, PS5, Xbox Series, Switch 2 – February 27th)
The ninth mainline Resident Evil instalment (although far from the actual ninth game in the series) will see protagonists Grace Ashcroft and Leon S. Kennedy returning to Raccoon City in the aftermath of the apocalyptic events of the franchise thus far.
By the looks of things, Grace’s sections will be more survival horror-focused, while Leon’s parts will take a more actively action-oriented approach, which would make sense given the character’s history.
We’re excited to get our hands on this continuation of a legendary survival horror series, and we can only hope that it’s better than the execrable Resident Evil 6.
