Our favorite thing about Zau might surprise you. Or, it might be the first thing you noticed. In a recent Discord Q+A (viewable below), ZAU Creative Director Abubakar Salim throws the deceptively simple question to Lead Artist Ackeem Durrant and Lead Designer Zi Peters: what's your favorite thing about our main character? Since our reveal in December, we've been completely floored by how many of you took the leap to pre-order ZAU. We worked hard to give the game a fair price—and a 10% discount to everyone who buys before launch day - plus carefully crafted in-game content that feels special while not detracting from our central vision for the game. We're incredibly grateful for your support. Thank you.

Wield the dance of the shaman. Reclaim your father's spirit
A grieving boy begins to read a Bantu tale written by his late father. Adventure into the beautiful and treacherous lands of Kenzera as Zau, a young shaman who bargains with the God of death to bring his Baba back from darkness. With your cosmic powers and untried courage, you advance into unknown mythological lands. Once bursting with life, Kenzera is now rife with lost ancestral spirits. As Zau advances toward his goal, 3 mighty beings lie in wait, fearsome in their strength yet somehow strangely familiar. Will you embrace the dance of the shaman?

The Lee family is reuniting once again to rid the streets of crime as Billy and Jimmy Lee's cousin, Sonny Lee, is joining Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons on April 4. An unconventional fighter, Sonny thrashes his enemies with a flurry of punches and kicks to prove he's just as powerful as his cousins. First appearing in Double Dragon 3: The Rosetta Stone, Sonny Lee joins Double Dragon Gaiden as part of the free Sacred Reunion DLC coming to PC and consoles. Sonny is the lazy, distant cousin of the Lee brothers, but just like Billy and Jimmy, he has practiced the art of Sōsetsuken since he was young. However, Sonny has a hard time keeping up. He opts to give the ancient technique his own creative spin and now wanders the streets to test the might of his new moves.

Also joining Sonny in the Sacred Reunion DLC is the secret assassin Ranzou and one additional mystery fighter. Ranzou is a mysterious young ninja from a secret organization, known as The Secret Society of Ninjas. He has no stake in the fate of New York, but he is sent here by his organization as a test of his abilities. Along with the new characters, the Sacred Reunion DLC will include Survival mode, Versus mode and online co-op. As a fighter, Sonny distinguishes himself as a rushdown/offensive warrior. He executes an action attack similar to a quick breakdance maneuver that travels a short distance and covers threats from all directions. Despite his Sōsetsuken roots, we wanted to ensure that Sonny is his own character, and he is designed to play differently from Billy and Jimmy with much more eccentric moves. His role as the familial outcast significantly influences his fighting style, resulting in a blend of showboating and non-traditional stances. Sonny's distinctive approach to combat reflects his individuality within the family dynamic, which gives him more depth and personality, allowing him to shine brighter in the game.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is beckoning players back to Mount Qaf starting on March 20, when a free content update will bring new modes and other content to the critically acclaimed, Metroidvania-inspired action-adventure. More updates will follow in spring, summer, and beyond, introducing more modes, challenges, and paid story-driven DLC.

The March 20 update, titled Warrior's Path, will add speedrun and permadeath modes, as well as four new outfits for Sargon. Later this spring, it'll be followed by the Boss Attack update, which adds a boss rush challenge in addition to more outfits. The Divine Trials update will follow this summer, adding new combat, platform, and puzzle challenges, along with new Amulets, outfits, and more. The new storyline will debut later this year as paid DLC, and will introduce new environments and enemies for Sargon to confront.

Pixel Chest and Hooded Horse are excited to share that their upcoming action/base-building hybrid Sons of Valhalla will release on PC next month on April 5th, 2024. Pixel Chest Games' unique Viking-themed adventure will set players on a perilous journey as they cut a swathe through England, all in a bid to reclaim what was lost. Sons of Valhalla combines side-scrolling combat with base-building strategy in a beautiful pixel-art Viking Age world. Players assume the guise of Thorald Olavson, a warrior hell-bent on tracking down the Jarl who burned down his home and kidnapped his beloved. Backed by Odin himself, players must build fortresses, gather resources, and lay siege to enemy strongholds, challenging key leaders in single combat as they conquer their way across England.

But Thorald isn't a demi-god, nor is he a one-man army. Players must ensure they build up their position and recruit a large enough warband to tackle the menagerie of foes that await them—each one requiring specific tactics to defeat. Siege engines will be needed to overcome defensive walls, and runes can be collected to further augment Thorald and his warriors' skills. These runes can also be offered up as a sacrifice should players find themselves in front of Odin again…

As we enter the second week of March, we have a packed week of new releases for you and the big release this coming week is an open world third-person action adventure shooter. This is followed by a game in Vegas, a classic style run-'n'-gun side scroller, a trippy llama related game, a classic collection Sci-Fi game and the 25th release of a sports title. Sorry, no strategy game this week either.

Outcast - A New Beginning / This week's major release / Friday 15 March
20 years after the award-winning action adventure hit, Outcast, pioneered the genre of non-linear open-world games, the long-awaited sequel sees Cutter Slade return to the spectacular alien world of Adelpha. Resurrected by the almighty Yods, he has returned to find the Talans enslaved, the world stripped of its natural resources, and his own past intertwining with the invading robot forces. It's up to him to go on a mission and save the planet again. Steam Link

As we enter the end of the month of February and transition into March, we have a somewhat slower week, with a pair of remakes of a couple of classics being the headline titles and both are released on the same day. The rest of the games this coming week consists of a rather bizarre mix between a beat 'em up and tower defence game, a bunch of Greek things, a slightly different take on the zombie game genre and finally a rather good side scroller on an alien planet. In other words, no big releases, but hopefully something interesting nonetheless.

STAR WARS: Dark Forces Remaster / This week's first remake / Wednesday 28 February
The evil Empire is currently creating a doomsday army behind a veil of secrecy. However, they are no match for the Rebel Alliance's covert operations division. Your mission is to infiltrate the Empire and put an end to their plans for terror and domination.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a fast-paced action-adventure that challenges players with a wide variety of lethal monsters and traps, most of which take speed and precision to conquer—which means that smooth, responsive performance is especially important. To that end, Sargon's adventure through Mount Qaf will target at least 60 frames per second on all platforms when it launches on January 18 (or on January 15 for Ubisoft+ subscribers and owners of the Digital Deluxe Edition), whether you're playing on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, or Amazon Luna. First, let's take a look at the PC specs below.

The Story of Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Sargon, trained as a weapon to serve Persia, is on a mission to save its heir to the throne, Prince Ghassan. This perilous journey is sending him to Mount Qaf, where time no longer flows swift and sure in one direction. Sargon along with the other Immortals head to Mount Qaf to save the Prince, but it doesn't take long before he finds himself splitting paths, with some of the Immortals on a conflicting trajectory. Maybe that's because time seems to be mysteriously intertwined here and sometimes the past can happen after the present. No matter the cost, Sargon continues to strive when all odds are against him, gaining strength along the way.

The story of the MSX platform, as it celebrates its 40th anniversary, is one of the games industries remarkable journeys that has left a powerful imprint on the world of technology and entertainment. Born in June 1983, the MSX, an acronym for "Machines with Software eXchangeability", emerged as a pioneering force that not only connected continents but also people through the magic of computing.

The birth of the MSX was a momentous event, an ambitious undertaking that materialized through the visionary partnership of Microsoft and ASCII Corporation. Their shared vision was clear: to create a standardized computing platform that would foster compatibility and ease of software development across a myriad of hardware manufacturers. What began as an idea soon evolved into a global phenomenon, revolutionizing the way people interacted with computers and forever altering the course of gaming history.

Adventure through the mystical Northstar Islands in this all-new take on classic 2D Sonic high-speed action platforming. Play as Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy and harness all-new Emerald powers to move and attack in dynamic new ways. Navigate gorgeous, never-before-seen environments solo or with up to 3 other players and stop Dr. Eggman, Fang, and a mysterious new adversary from converting the islands' giant animals into Badniks before it's too late!

A new Spin on a Classic
The 2D Sonic high-speed sidescrolling action platforming you know and love, reimagined with fully 3D graphics, new powers and abilities, an all-new setting, and new ways to play! You've never played classic Sonic like this before!

Hotel Barcelona is the long-awaited collaboration between game design legends Swery65 and Suda51, and our Xbox Digital Broadcast brought us a never-before-seen gameplay trailer from the self-styled "2.5D slasher film parodic action" game. Drawing influences from across horror's history, you'll be pitted against everything from alien entities to AI-enhanced sharks, all while stuck in an endless time loop filled with serial killers - and only your deceased past selves to help you.

Both Swery and Suda appeared in the show to discuss the game. Swery discussed the game's unusual beginnings - with Suda asking him to announce a collaboration on the fly, with no prior discussion - and his inspirations from Stanley Kubrick's 'The Shining'. Suda explained that he and Swery worked on the initial concept together - "Then, all of a sudden, Swery completed tons of work on the development, and Hotel Barcelona materialized. Most of the time, when someone does lip service like that, the project never materializes… But Swery made this project a reality in order to deliver something to the fans."

Blasphemous set itself apart in 2019's crowded indie scene thanks to a firm belief in its roots. Developed in Spain, it was clear from the beginning that The Game Kitchen would have to adapt itself to an international audience—but even if the game released with an English demographic in mind, the art direction and overall tone were uniquely Spanish.

With the sequel, the team was adamant that they preserve that identity in the writing as well, regardless of which language you choose to play in. For Enrique Cabeza, Creative Director at The Game Kitchen, the development of Blasphemous 2 felt sentient. It continued to shift and morph of its own volition, almost as if providing guidance to the team about where to go next. "You have to make mistakes and realize when it's time to change course to avoid paths you shouldn't take," he said.

A few new releases from last week flew under the radar with the meteoric response to Starfield's early access, especially since the Xbox Wire crew was all-hands on deck to support the launch. But there was one new title I knew I wanted to bump to the top of my playlist, as I've adored all the previous games in the series. Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy will take Amadeus the Wizard, Zoya the Thief, and Pontius the Knight on their most action-packed journey yet! With their reputations tarnished, loved ones in danger, and their own magical powers at stake, the Heroes of Trine must reunite to push back a fearsome Clockwork army and bring peace and justice to the land! I've always been bewildered by the Trine series. It's not fair to call a game with five releases - each one a bit bigger and better than its predecessor - a hidden gem. Perhaps, "rare gem" is more befitting. But it is a true treasure indeed - a fun, feature-filled series with a rich story, vibrant characters, and epic adventure.

Once Upon a Time…
The Trine series is a collection of fantasy action-adventure games with equal shares of platforming and puzzle elements sprinkled in about three heroes: a knight, a thief, and a wizard. The heroes are bound together by a magical artifact called the Trine and must work together using their unique skills to solve puzzles, fight enemies, and explore breathtaking environments.

Gargoyles Remastered is now available for pre-order on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Steam and GOG! Launching October 19th, Gargoyles Remastered is an artfully crafted revival of the 1990s classic 16-bit side-scrolling platform adventure. Relive the epic journey of Goliath and the Gargoyles featuring enhanced visuals, animations, and SFX, all inspired by the acclaimed animated series. The world of Gargoyles comes to life with a level of detail that will thrill fans of the animated series and retro gaming enthusiasts alike. Experience classic gameplay that stays authentic to its predecessor while including new features such as achievements, gameplay rewind, and more!

A true blast from the past! In 1995, Disney Software and Buena Vista Interactive teamed up to bring Gargoyles for the Sega Genesis. This platformer was based on Disney's animated TV series with the same title, which was known for its dark and mature themes, complex characters, and engaging storytelling. The game quickly became an absolute gem thanks to its faithfulness to the source material and fun-packed gameplay.

Greetings readers. I'm Mårten, the Game Design Director at Hadoque, a collective of creatives in Sweden. I co-created the core concept of the game and oversee the game design. We've been working on Ultros - our first game together - for the past few years, and today, we're thrilled to show you the core gameplay and a new boss.

To recap from our reveal at the PlayStation Showcase earlier in the year, Ultros is a mystical and poetic adventure where you fight dangerous space insects and plant seeds to create an alien garden. Our protagonist, Ouji, wakes up stranded on an overgrown sarcophagus in space. She has no memory of who she is and how she got here. But the world feels familiar, and it seems to react to her - like she has some sort of connection to it. Naturally, this is when you start to explore the depths of the sarcophagus.

The Game Kitchen and Team17 Digital have launched their punishing Metroidvania Blasphemous 2 on Steam and GOG! Following a newly reawakened Penitent One, Blasphemous 2 thrusts players back into an endless cycle of life, death, and resurrection as they face monstrous enemies and inconceivable challenges to halt the prophetic birth of a new Child of the Miracle.

Featuring three unique weapons to acquire and master, and an enhanced skillset to choose from, players will have to use these new tools to survive and explore a land hell bent on sending them back to the grave as they collect scattered pieces of lore, unpick long forgotten secrets, and avoid deaths final embrace.

The hottest heroes of 1991 return for a radical, radioactive romp for a new era, featuring awesome action, crushing combos and more toxic waste than you'll know what to do with! Developer and publisher Retroware has teamed up with Troma Entertainment to bring the Toxic Crusaders back, for an all-new, all-action beat 'em up for one to four players! Grab your mop, tutu and attitude, and get ready to clean up the mean streets of Tromaville, one radioactive goon at a time! The demo version is now available for download on Steam!

From Generic Default to…COLORS EVERYWHERE!
When we began development, we didn't even think about giving each character a unique color for their attacks. At the start, every character just had a generic, dull-looking impact effect that was shared with enemy sprites! But then we realized how much cooler everyone would look if we splashed some color into their punches, kicks, and every other attack! Thus…

As we enter summer, a blizzard from hell is this week's AAA title, a game some of you might already be playing, due to the limited editions coming with early access. Luckily, that's not all we have for you this week, as we also have thunderous gods, side scrollers, lots of horror and some harmony for you. Don't forget to go out in the sunshine and do something in the real world too, summer won't last forever.

Diablo IV / This week's AAA title / Tuesday 6 June
The endless battle between the High Heavens and the Burning Hells rages on as chaos threatens to consume Sanctuary. With ceaseless demons to slaughter, countless Abilities to master, nightmarish Dungeons, and Legendary loot, this vast, open world brings the promise of adventure and devastation. Survive and conquer darkness—or succumb to the shadows.

The Penitent One awakens as Blasphemous 2 joins him once again in an endless struggle against The Miracle. Dive into a perilous new world filled with mysteries and secrets to discover, and tear your way through monstrous foes that stand between you and your quest to end the cycle one and for all. The second scripture in the Blasphemous series portends the return of The Penitent One, with a story that continues from the free Wounds of Eventide DLC for the original game, where The Heart in the sky heralded the return of The Miracle and foretold the birth of a new miracle child.

Awakened in a strange new land, and displaced from his final resting place, The Penitent One is thrust back into the endless cycle of life, death, and resurrection, with no other option than to explore this perilous new world and uncover its long-forgotten secrets. Hordes of grotesque enemies stand in your way, awaiting final judgement by the brutal hand of the Penitent One, with titanic twisted bosses also lurking in the darkness, waiting for their chance to return you to the grave from whence you came. Taking them down won't be easy, but with Blasphemous 2 offering more chances to customize and improve your skill set, along with several new unique weapons to wield with righteous zeal and unending fury, victory might just be within grasp. Ultimately, only one thing is certain… Penance Never Ends