Wallet threat level: cold week, hot releases?

, | Games

Welcome to a cold week of hot new releases! The biggest name this week is Code Vein 2, a sequel to a Souls-like that very few people actually clamored for. The original got fair reviews and a mixed reception [ed. note: Tom really liked it!] The release that people have been highly anticipating is Cairn, a realistic simulation about finding the best holds and placing your hands and feet seamlessly with simple controls. 

Size Five Games, the studio behind Time Gentlemen, Please!, Ben There, Dan That! and Lair of the Clockwork God, is releasing a new game this week. They have a sense of humor that really tickles my funny bone, so I’m looking forward to Earth Must Die, a point-and-click adventure where the protagonist refuses to touch anything, and must therefore solve problems indirectly through conversational coercion.

Also of note, is Highguard. We saw a trailer for it at the end of the Game Awards last month, and then the game wasn’t heard from again. Is it being sent out to die? Or are they hoping word of mouth gets the job done after release as was the case with Apex Legends which was a surprise drop? 

Monday (1/26/26):​

  • Highguard (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC) – “From the creators of Apex Legends and Titanfall, comes Highguard: a PvP raid shooter where players will ride, fight, and raid as Wardens, arcane gunslingers sent to fight for control of a mythical continent.”

Tuesday (1/27/26):​

  • Earth Must Die (PC) – “These moronic Terranoids think they can just roll in here and take over my beautiful Tyrythian kingdom? The kingdom that I built from the ground up with my bare hands, and only sort of inherited from my dear, sweet, extremely dead father? This is complete bullsh*t, and I’m going to make them dead. “
  • Rightfully, Beary Arms (Xbox Series X/S, PC) – “Augment weapons to create unique weapon builds, pick rewards as you explore levels, alter mechanics to your benefit and peril, fight, die, become stronger, and do it all over again.”
  • Underground Garage (PC) – “Welcome to the world of high-stakes tuning and street racing! Welcome to Underground Garage! It’s your playground where you can unleash your creativity and mechanical prowess. Fix cars, tune them up, and hit the road. “

Wednesday (1/28/26):​

  • The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin (PS5, PC, iOS, Android) – “Step into the role of Prince Tristan of Liones and explore an open-world Britannia, as you embark on a journey to restore order to a world thrown into chaos by the collision of time and space.”
  • Core Keeper – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition (Switch 2) – “Explore a vast cavern of creatures, relics and resources in a mining sandbox adventure for 1-8 players. Mine, build, fight, craft and farm to unravel the mystery of the ancient Core. “
  • Dispatch (Switch, Switch 2) – “Dispatch is a superhero workplace comedy where choices matter. Manage a dysfunctional team of misfit heroes and strategize who to send to emergencies around the city, all while balancing office politics, personal relationships, and your own quest to become a hero.”
  • Drop Duchy (Xbox Series X/S) – “Build your duchy piece by piece in this refreshing hybrid rogue-lite game. Use block-dropping mechanics to collect resources, recruit troops to fight against belligerent armies, and let every block shape your realm, leading your path to victory! “

Thursday (01/29/26):​

  • Cairn (PS5, PC) – “Reach a summit never climbed before in this survival-climber from the creators of Furi and Haven. Climb anywhere and plan your route carefully, managing pitons and resources to survive unforgiving Mount Kami. Discover what Aava is willing to sacrifice to achieve the ascent of a lifetime.”
  • I Hate This Place (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC) – “I Hate This Place is an isometric craft-based survival horror game set in a cursed land filled with reality-bending nightmares and terrifying creatures that thrive in the dark.”
  • Space Warlord Baby Trading Simulator (PC) – “Buy low, sell high, and short an entire universe of babies in this arcade stock market sim set in the world of Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator.”
  • Ufophilia (PS5, PC) – “Ufophilia is a first-person psychological horror game where you explore areas marked by alien phenomena. Use specialized equipment to detect, identify, and photograph aliens—but do so at your own risk… They are watching you too.”
  • Kyouran Makaism (PS5, Switch, Switch 2) – “Kyouran Makaism is a brand-new 3D action RPG from an all-star team consisting of director Shunsuke Minowa, character designer Takehito Harada, and composer Tenpei Sato. In this game, players will be able to experience the exhilaration of defeating enemies with overwhelming power that defies convention—unleashing flashy techniques with simple controls, completionist elements like leveling characters up to 9,999 and “reincarnating” them to grow even stronger, and developing overpowered stats that let them deal over a billion damage.”

Friday (01/30/26):​

  • My Tiny Garden (PC) – “My Tiny Garden is a cozy idle game that runs at the bottom of your screen. Plant cute plants, water, fertilize, and prune them. Earn coins to unlock new pots, plants, and stands. Decorate your desktop and relax while working, studying, or browsing.”
  • The 9th Charnel (PC, Xbox Series X/S, PS5) – “The 9th Charnel is a first-person psychological survival horror game set in a world filled with dread and mystery. Blending stealth, combat, and exploration, it builds an atmosphere where every shadow hides a threat and every sound hints at danger waiting to emerge.”
  • Code Vein 2 (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC) – “An epic adventure awaits, where you and your chosen partners explore a post-apocalyptic world, face fierce battles against powerful enemies, and uncover an epic story that transcends time.”
  • Folklore Hunter (PC) – “You’re a world-renowned hunter of supernatural beasts. Track down urban legends from all over the world, set traps, solve disturbing puzzles, and defeat the beasts before you succumb to their otherworldly presence.”
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