This week had some gaming news to process and think about, so join me in looking at some of what’s gone on. This time around I’m covering the gaming releases and gaming news of May 5t to the 11t of 2024. Please note and know I don’t cover all that has gone on since that would take a long time to track down. So, let’s get to what’s gone on.
Game Releases:
Little Kitty, Big City –
You’ve fallen from your nice sun lit perch high up in an apartment complex all the way down to the ground. Now you have to figure out how to get all the way back up with the help of a variety of animals who like to talk. This platforming adventure game came out on May 9th, 2024, from developer/publisher Double Dagger Studio. It was released on Switch, Xbox Series X/S & One, and on PC.
Crow Country –
A survival horror game where you play as special agent Mara Forest. Your job is to investigate the shutdown of the amusement park Crow Country. There is a missing owner and lots of weird events that went on leading to it being shut down two years ago. Developed by SFB Games who also published it on Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. It arrived in stores on May 9th, 2024.
Animal Well –
Hatching from a flower you, a blob, find yourself in a weird wonderful world filled with animals and areas to explore. This is a metroidvania style of game where exploration and repeated visits to areas you’ve already been to is encouraged. The game came out on PS5, PC, and Switch. It came out on May 9th, 2024, from developer Billy Basso and published by Bigmode.
Heading Out –
A journey is about to commence, and the ending location doesn’t matter much, because it is all about getting to wherever you want to go. This game is a driving simulation game that has a lot of visual novel elements to it. Take to the road and find out what lies before you and where the trip is going to take you. The game released on May 7th, 2024, after being developed by Serious Sim and published by Saber Interactive for PC.
Gaming News
Sony has decided that they will not force the matter of signing up for a PlayStation account on the game Helldivers 2. However, the decision to halt sales in countries which do not have PlayStation accounts remains.
So, great but not so great as people are cut off from a game they bought and can no longer play since it isn’t supported on that countries game store anymore. The review bombs mostly worked in this situation but in the end
If you’re looking for something a bit different in the realm of simulator games, you might want to check out the trailer for JudgeSim. It does not have a release date but it will be coming to PC.
This is an interesting concept for a game, a cross between Paper’s Please and something like Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney. I don’t like the graphics though which is killer in this kind of a situation where the look of the game has to do a lot of carrying until you’re hooked on the gameplay. I’m trying to hold out judgment until we see more of it, but right now this is one of those looks cool in concept but not for me type of games.
Over at Microsoft they have decided to close a few studios, namely Tango Gameworks, Arkane Austin, as well as Alpha Dog Games. Developer Roundhouse Studios is being absorbed into ZeniMax Online Studios. To read more on this check out the article from IGN.com for more details.
The continual destruction of developers by publishers continues on from last year into this one. I don’t know when it is going to stop, but hopefully at some point it will. Sadly, for these studios it was a case of new acquisitions by Microsoft, poor sales of games from them, and an environment where profits are pushed hard by the higher ups. The game development environment right now is terrible unless you make a smash hit.
For those eagerly awaiting news on Nintendo’s next console, we won’t be hearing about it for a while. It likely isn’t releasing until the 2025 fiscal year for the company. The next Nintendo Direct will concentrate on games coming out later in 2024 for the Switch.
This is disappointing news since I really did want to see and hear what new thing Nintendo was going to do. All the rumors that come out sound silly, from not being allowed to see it but they can touch it, to that it will only be a bit of an upgrade to what the Switch is. They really should do backwards compatibility though so that there is an already built in library of games for people to play.
A multiplayer project over at Remedy, called Codename Kestrel, has been canceled so that they can concentrate on their already known IP’s. Current projects they’re working on include Control 2, a remake of Max Payne 1 & 2, and a multiplayer game based around Control. This was announced via press release on Remedy’s website as a message to investors.
They do have a lot of things being worked on plus whatever DLC they’re cooking up for Alan Wake 2, so it makes sense to step back from yet another project. And who knows, maybe it will pop up at a later date when they have more time? There is always the chance that some of the work pops up in other games as well, ideas easily float around and if they fit then there is a good chance it might get used.
That appears to be all there is for this week. Thank you for stopping by and reading what I’ve written. Comments, questions and suggestions are welcomed in the comment section below. If you want to get in touch with me, you can do so in the comments or find me on social media under the screen name Snipehockey. You’ll find me on Bluesky, Universeodon on Mastodon, or on Twitter, or if you prefer email, you can send one to Lostvideogamesblog@gmail.com. Please also come check out my little podcast Running Sentences where I narrate stories I’ve written. I’m currently telling the tale of a group of adventurers trying to get home so they can save the day. Check it out on YouTube or on Spotify with new episodes every Thursday at 3 PM EST. Now with all of that said, stay safe out there and goodbye for this week.
Lost Video Games 