We hope you’ve already cleared your backlog during the New Year holidays and the usual slow start to the year, because the season of major releases is about to pick up again. February brings a strong line-up, including the third instalment of Nioh, a top-down take on PUBG, the sequel to Styx, the next Resident Evil, and plenty more.

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Why it’s interesting: a co-operative fantasy horror game in the spirit of R.E.P.O.

Six minions of an evil sorcerer head to the magical tower of a rival archmage with one simple goal: cause as much trouble as possible. The tower is a multi-storey level filled with rooms, corridors, secret passages, and magical security systems that constantly get in the way of their mission.

The more chaos they create, the closer they get to victory. Points are awarded for damaging property, making a mess of rooms, and pulling off other acts of sabotage. Yes, you can even leave something unpleasant on the castle owner’s favourite carpet.

Combat is built around spells and physics. You can shove and smash objects, create clones to blend in, teleport around the map, and summon monsters to do your dirty work.

The most interesting feature is the use of a microphone to cast spells. Some abilities activate or grow stronger when spoken aloud, and both your volume and pronunciation affect the outcome. This makes stealth harder and adds extra chaos during already tense moments.

MENACE

Why it’s interesting: a new tactical strategy game from the creators of Battle Brothers.

Overhype Studios has built a reputation as a team that understands exactly what serious tactics fans want, so many players are eagerly waiting for MENACE.

Unlike the fantasy setting of Battle Brothers, this new title moves into an equally grim but science fiction world. The story centres on the isolated frontier system of Wayback, where power is split between pirates, corporations, and the fractured governments of local planets. To restore order, a strike force under our command is deployed. What starts as a limited policing operation soon turns into a deadly fight against a new and mysterious enemy.

At first, your squad consists only of professional soldiers. As the campaign progresses, you can recruit members from different factions, including mercenaries and fugitives. Factions and your relationships with them play a major role in MENACE. Decisions about who to support and which distress calls to answer affect your reputation, available resources, and future opportunities.

The campaign is divided into several large-scale operations made up of mission chains. The order you tackle them and the choices you make have lasting consequences. For example, you might weaken the enemy by destroying their air defences, or skip valuable training to rescue hostages.

Combat is turn-based and built around classic tactical mechanics, including cover, suppressive fire, flanking manoeuvres, and other battlefield tactics. You control not only infantry but also vehicles such as tanks, armoured personnel carriers, artillery, and walkers. Losses are permanent, and both officers and regular soldiers can die for good. At the same time, each commander has their own personality and backstory, which influence their unit’s effectiveness and their relationships with others.

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined

Why it’s interesting: another remake of Dragon Quest, this time fully realised in 3D.

Although this re-release has been heavily reworked both technically and structurally, the project remains faithful to the original in terms of content. The story still follows a young fisherman’s son who, together with his friends, discovers that most of the world has been sealed away in the past. After gaining the ability to travel through time, the group journeys to ancient eras, resolving local conflicts in order to restore the lost lands to the present.

The narrative is now presented in a tighter, more streamlined form, without long pauses or unnecessary busywork. The combat system has also been modernised. Battles feel faster and more dynamic, and an auto-battle option helps avoid wasting time on weak enemies.

The main addition in this remake is the “dual class” mechanic, which lets you choose two professions at once and freely combine their skills.

PUBG: BLINDSPOT

Why it’s interesting: PUBG with a top-down view.

BLINDSPOT expands the PUBG universe into a new genre. The gameplay focuses on fast-paced five-versus-five matches shown from a top-down perspective, where map awareness and tight team coordination matter most. Matches follow a classic attack-and-defend structure: one team must hack an objective by installing a decryptor, while the other works to stop them.

The environment is destructible, which adds a strong tactical layer. You can breach walls, block doors, and set up barricades, reshaping the map during the round in a way that feels similar to Rainbow Six Siege. This constant change forces teams to adapt their plans on the fly.

The title is no accident. Vision control is the core mechanic of the shooter. Each player sees not only what their own character can spot, but also everything visible to their teammates. At the same time, every operator has a limited field of view. Because of this, properly spotting enemies and sharing information becomes critical to success.

Every character comes with a unique loadout of weapons and gadgets. The arsenal includes assault rifles, submachine guns, shotguns, sniper rifles, and pistols, including several models familiar to PUBG fans. Tactical tools range from reconnaissance drones to explosives and different types of grenades, giving teams plenty of ways to approach each encounter.

Nioh 3

Why it’s interesting: a new instalment in Team Ninja’s soulslike series.

Nioh 3 is set in an alternate version of Sengoku-period Japan. The country is torn apart by civil war between feudal lords, and alongside real historical conflicts, a dark fantasy story unfolds, filled with magic, yokai, and other supernatural forces.

In this third instalment, the developers have significantly reworked the gameplay structure. Players now have access to two full combat styles that can be switched between freely. The samurai style focuses on direct confrontations, parries, and raw strength, while the ninja style prioritises mobility, evasive movement, back attacks, and aerial manoeuvres. According to Team Ninja, this system encourages players to adapt to different enemies and situations instead of relying on a single universal tactic.

Another major change is the move away from strictly linear missions. Nioh 3 features large, open-ended locations filled with secrets and optional rewards, inviting exploration. Multiplayer includes co-op for up to three players in Expedition mode, and the ally summoning system lets you call for help from other players during the single-player campaign.

Carmageddon: Rogue Shift

Why it’s interesting: a roguelite racing game based on the famous franchise.

Rogue Shift is set in 2050 in a post-apocalyptic world. Humanity has been devastated by a food supplement called MiVis, originally created by corporations to fight hunger after wars and disasters. Long-term use led to severe cellular mutations, turning people into zombie-like creatures known as the Devastated. At night, they roam the streets, while the remaining survivors either hide indoors or take part in deadly races. The prize for winning is a chance to reach the last functioning spaceport and escape the dying planet.

You play as one of the racers. Winning events earns credits and upgrades, gradually transforming your vehicle into a heavily armed combat machine. There are 15 cars to choose from, each with different stats. Armour, weight, suspension, and drive type all affect handling and performance on the track.

Combat is straightforward and aggressive. You can ram opponents at full speed and use 13 classes of weapons along with more than eighty perks. Tracks are procedurally generated, and the difficulty adjusts dynamically. Beyond rival drivers, you will also face hazards like traffic police, who can confiscate your weapons and ammo if you fail to escape, as well as boss encounters. Time of day and weather conditions change during races, further influencing vehicle behaviour.

As a roguelite, the game features persistent progression. After defeat, your attempt to reach the spaceport starts over, but you keep certain permanent upgrades and unlocked content, making each new run a little easier.

The Oily Depths

Why it’s interesting: a horror experience and simulator where you play as a submarine captain forced to extract oil under threat of death.

You take control of a submarine resting on the ocean floor. The main character’s task is simple — extract oil. The reward is just as simple — staying alive. If you fail to meet your quota, your ruthless superiors will literally cut off the oxygen supply.

There is almost no visibility through the portholes, so navigation relies entirely on instruments, sensors, monitors, and the behaviour of the submarine itself. The gameplay centres on physical interaction with the vessel’s systems. You pull levers, patch leaks, pick up tools, stabilise pressure, and handle a constant stream of routine maintenance tasks.

Danger is everywhere. Beyond the pressure of meeting your quota, you have to deal with flooding from hull damage, fires caused by fuel leaks, and strange creatures lurking in the depths. Still, the horror does not depend only on monsters. It comes mainly from the oppressive atmosphere — tight spaces, limited oxygen, hundreds of metres of water above you, and the constant feeling that any mistake could be your last.