The last big week of releases is behind us, and now the year is winding down, and game releases are winding down with it. However, while there aren’t any marquee releases this week, there are quality games coming to PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch this week, including a long-awaited title from Sega, a Jose Mourinho simulator, some promising indies, and an official Narcos game.
That said, here are the noteworthy releases dropping this week that are, at the very least, worth taking a quick gander at. As always, it’s important to remember this is — by no means — an exhaustive list of new releases. It’s simply a list of notable releases coming to PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch. And sometimes there’s a mobile game or two thrown in. In addition to a rundown of the salient new releases, a round-up of ports — when applicable — is included at the bottom. Further, while expansions, remasters, and remakes are included, simple DLC releases and games launching via Early Access are not.
Pitch: “Play as Ryo Hazuki, an 18-year-old Japanese martial artist hellbent on avenging his father’s death. In this third installment of the epic Shenmue series, Ryo seeks to solve the mystery behind the Phoenix Mirror, an artifact sought after by his father’s killer. His journey takes him to an immersive representation of rural China, brimming with activity and surrounded by beautiful landscapes. Ryo’s adventure leads him to towns and mountain villages where he can further his training, try his hand at gambling, play arcade games, and work part-time jobs while investigating those who know truth behind the Phoenix Mirror.”
Developer: Ys Net
Platforms: PC and PS4
Release Date: November 19
Pitch: “Lost Ember is a third-person exploration adventure title about a wolf who can inhabit all manner of animals, along with their spirit companion. Players will be able to control over a dozen different creatures, such as a hummingbird, a fish, a mountain goat and a parrot. Along the way, your spirit guide will narrate the tale of what happened to the lost human civilizations that once settled in these wild lands.”
Developer: Mooneye Studios
Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One (coming to Nintendo Switch “in the months to come”)
Release Date: November 22
Pitch: “Experience pure sniping gameplay across the harsh terrain of Siberia in a brand new contracts-based system, encouraging strategic thinking within engaging, redeployable missions.”
Developer: CI Games
Platforms: PC, PS4, and Xbox One
Release Date: November 22
Pitch: “You are just arriving at Monument Island. Want to go swimming? Or rather take a dive into the deep sea? Or do you want to visit the amusement arcade, do some shopping, dance at the beach party? Fancy some surfing? Or will you talk with the strange old tourist and listen what he has to say about these ancient mysterious monuments..”
Developer: Shin’en Multimedia
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Release Date: November 21
Pitch: “Run your football club, your way. Every decision counts in Football Manager 2020 with new features and polished game mechanics rewarding planning and progression like never before, empowering managers to develop and refine both your club’s and your own unique identity. Walk down the tunnel to a living, breathing football world with you at the very heart of it. Around here, your opinion matters! This is a world that rewards planning and knowledge but, unlike other games, there’s no pre-defined ending or script to follow – just endless possibilities and opportunities. Every club has a story to tell and it’s down to you to create it.”
Developer: Sports Interactive
Platforms: PC
Release Date: November 18
Pitch: “Narcos: Rise of the Cartels enables players to relive the events of the first season of the Netflix series, taking the side of either the Medellin Cartel or the DEA in two distinct campaigns. In 1980s Colombia, El Patrón’s influence is rapidly expanding, with drugs, corruption and crime spreading out from the Colombian town of Medellin. America is now starting to take notice and it is up to the players to choose their side. They can help the Narcos’ drug empire rise to the top under the watchful eye of El Patrón, or topple the growing criminal enterprise alongside Steve Murphy as the DEA.”
Developer: Kuju Entertainment
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, and Xbox One
Release Date: November 19 (PS4 and PC, November 21 (Switch), November 22 (Xbox One)
Pitch: “Bug Fables is an adventure RPG following three heroes—Vi, Kabbu, and Leif—as they embark on an epic quest in Bugaria in search of treasure and immortality! The game combines colorful platforming with the heroes’ unique abilities as they explore a wide variety of areas in the kingdom. Battles are turn-based and make use of action commands that can enhance attacks.”
Developer: Moonsprout Games
Platforms: PC (coming to Nintendo Switch and PS4)
Release Date: November 21
Pitch: “Originally created by legendary game designer Sid Meier, Civilization is a turn-based strategy game where you attempt to build an empire to stand the test of time. The latest entry in the franchise, Civilization VI, offers new ways to engage with your world: cities now physically expand across the map; your actions help boost technology and civics research; and competing leaders pursue their own agendas based on their historical traits as you race to achieve victory. That’s not all: the Expansion Bundle that includes both Rise & Fall and Gathering Storm adds a host of additional civilizations and leaders, new gameplay systems and depth, and unique challenges to the Civilization VI experience.”
Developer: Firaxis Games
Platforms: PS4 and Xbox One
Release Date: November 22
