Strategy, Souls-Likes, and Small Rodents

What the report says

It’s been a bit of a journey, but Elden Ring finally lands on Switch 2 this week. Joining it are two decidedly different strategy games, one a bit lesser known than the other one set in a galaxy far, far away. Also, mice! And squirrels. (Look, you try writing these intros every week and see how easy it is to sum up a week with an anime SRPG, pixel rodents, alongside the likes of Star Wars, The Lands Between, and a Peabody Award-winning adventure.)Intro by Mike SalbatoBrigandine Abyss – August 27th (PS5, Switch 2, XBX, Windows)Publisher Happinet returns with a new entry in the cult classic SRPG series, Brigandine Abyss.

Developed by newcomer to the franchise Adglobe, Abyss ditches the unique fantasy art style (designed by Raita Kazama) employed by the previous entry, Legend of Runersia, and instead opts for more familiar modern fantasy anime stylings. The gameplay is still the series’ characteristic blend of Grand Strategy map conquering (think Civilization or Nobunaga’s Ambition) and turn-based tactical RPG combat on hex-grid battlefields. Although I found the game paled in comparison to prior entries, Abyss offers an engaging Mission Mode to test your strategic thinking with a wide variety of objectives, and a lovely, bombastic soundtrack by composer Rei Kondoh.

If training up squads of monster units to conquer a big fantasy map appeals to you, it’s worth a look.by Ben LoveStar Wars Zero Company – August 27th (PS5, XBX, Windows)Four words: “XCOM meets Star Wars.” Sound interesting? Search your feelings, you know it to be true. Star Wars Zero Company is a joint effort between Respawn Entertainment (behind the recent hits Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Jedi: Survivor, as well as Apex Legends) and Bit Reactor, a new studio formed from many transplants from Firaxis Games (the XCOM series, the Civilization series, Marvel’s Midnight Suns).

Key details

In XCOM: Enemy Unknown fashion, Star Wars Zero Company is a turn-based tactics game where you command a customizable squadron of mercenaries made up of droids and various alien species.Despite running parallel with the Clone Wars era, Zero Company features a shady new threat: the Infinite Coil cult, who plan on releasing a dark plague on the galaxy. Building and conversing with your crew seems to be a big focus, which will make it doubly painful when your allies fall prey to the game’s potential permadeath state. Meesa very interested. RPGFan’s Scott Clay wrote a preview and created an extensive hands-on video preview for the game on our YouTube channel. by Matt WardellElden Ring Tarnished Edition – August 28th (Switch 2)At last, the expansive world of The Lands Between, able to fit in your (massive Switch 2-sized) pocket.

Elden Ring Tarnished Edition bundles the jaw-dropping open world Souls-like Elden Ring with its ginormous, imposing expansion Shadow of the Erdtree, along with a small handful of bells and whistles in the form of four new armour sets, three skins for your mount, Torrent, and two new starting classes. (For returning players, these features will be sold separately in a DLC “Tarnished Pack”.)If you’ve yet to try Elden Ring, I’m tempted to call it one of the greatest open-world games and one of the greatest action RPGs of all time, and I don’t think I’m alone in that (Editor’s Interjection: You aren’t alone, Matt; see Jerry’s stellar review!).

Developer FromSoftware took a huge world and packed it wall to wall with challenging bosses, nightmarish horrors, and awe-inducing vistas that somehow feel incredibly bespoke. Elden Ring doesn’t hold your hand so much as it throttles you by the neck, but the adversity it presents will harden you into a powerful adventurer, whether solo or via online co-op. It’s a plunge into an abyss well worth taking.by Matt WardellSpecial: Coming Last WeekSmall Saga – August 14th (Switch)After launching on PC in November 2023, indie RPG Small Saga surprisingly dropped last week on the Nintendo Switch.

More from the announcement

A charming little game that appears heavily influenced by Bryan Jacques’ anthropomorphised animal fantasy series Redwall, you inhabit the role of a mouse and his woodland companions (moles, squirrels, etc.) seeking revenge against the god who stole his tail. The game has a traditional turn-based combat system, though the animal characters use a myriad of repurposed human knick-knacks in battle (a pencil, a lighter, a pocket knife) to get the most out of its diminutive setting. I have to admit this one passed me by on release, but I’m eager to give it a try.by Ben Love1000xRESIST – August 20th (Switch 2)1000xRESIST dropped on Switch 2 in the middle of the week, so we wanted to be sure to include it here.