Akiba’s Beat is an action RPG developed by Japanese studio Acquire and published by Marvelous USA (XSEED Games) in North America. In this third title from the Akiba series, players take control of Asahi Tachibana, a NEET who becomes trapped in a day-long time loop along with the other main characters. The game puts a fantastical spin on the Tokyo’s Akihabara ward, with real-life landscapes meshing with surreal “Delusionscapes”.

Unlike its predecessors, Akiba’s Beat plays more like a typical JRPG, with a four-member party taking on enemies (“deluseons”) using a variety of physical and magical skills. Characters can also receive passive boosts (such as halved SP consumption) via the in-game trading card system.

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Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue is a Kingdom Hearts series collection which contains a Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance HD remaster, as well as two pieces of brand new content. The first one is a CG movie titled Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover, which focuses on the five Foretellers. The second one is Kingdom Hearts 0.2: Birth by Sleep–A Fragmentary Passage, a short game which takes place after the events in the original Birth by Sleep title, and is told from the perspective of Aqua. Like its predecessors, the game is developed and published by Square Enix.

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Tales of Berseria is the 16th main entry in the Tales JRPG franchise. It is developed and published by Bandai Namco for the Playstation 4 consoles and Windows. The game’s world is shared with that of Tales of Zestiria, although Berseria takes place in the distant past, in a country called the Holy Midgand Empire.

The Linear Motion Battle System makes a return in the upcoming title, with the addition of a new Soul Gauge gameplay mechanic, which affects how many artes a character can chain in a single combo. Souls can also be used to enter the Break Soul mode which grants powerful effects unique to each character.

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Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns is a farming and life simulator developed by Japanese company Marvelous and localized by their American subsidiary. In this installment, players are able to visit the titular three towns, each with their own distinct culture and way of life. This is, of course, in addition to the usual farming and tending to animals which remains at the core of all Story of Seasons (formerly Harvest Moon) games that fans have come to love so much.

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Yakuza 0 is an open-world action-adventure game from Sega. The title is a prequel to the previously released Yakuza games, taking place in fictionalized Tokyo and Osaka areas in 1988. It follows younger Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima in their rise through Japan’s criminal underworld.

New in Yakuza 0 is the ability to switch between three fighting styles on-the-fly, with Kiryu having access to Brawler, Beast, and Rush, whereas Majima has Thug, Slugger, and Breaker. Each style has its own advantages and weaknesses. In addition, players are able to unlock a fourth style for each character by advancing through the game.

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Everspace is a 3D space shooter developed by indie studio Rockfish Games, to whom this is a debut title. The game is said to feature roguelike elements and a non-linear storyline. Running on Unreal Engine 4, it boasts AAA-tier visuals and VR support, with 30 fps at full HD on Xbox One, and the requisite 90 FPS on the Oculus.

Everspace was successfully funded via Kickstarter, reaching a number of the developers’ stretch goals. The game is currently in Early Access phase on Steam, and on the Game Preview program for Xbox One and Windows 10.

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Ride 2 is a motorcycle racing title developed by Milestone S.r.l., a video game studio based in Milan, Italy, and specializing in racing simulators. Like its predecessor, Ride 2 aims to provide a highly realistic experience, with an accurate physics engine and true-to-world graphics. The game features over 230 licensed bikes, all of which are highly customizable using over 1,200 real-world parts and accessories. Even the rider has many options in clothing, riding style, and gear.

American fans were in an unenviable position when the game’s release was delayed in the NA, while going ahead as scheduled in Europe. However, they can take solace in the fact that nine free DLC packs will launch from February to July, and the game will also have a Day One Edition with added bonuses. Square Enix is to publish Ride 2 in the region.

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