New Video Games Out This Week: Concrete Genie, John Wick Hex, and More

PICK OF THE WEEK: CONCRETE GENIE

Pitch: "Concrete Genie follows the heartwarming journey of a bullied teen named Ash, who escapes his troubles by bringing his colorful imagination to life in his sketchbook, while exploring his hometown of Denska – a once bright and bustling seaside town now polluted by Darkness. Ash discovers a mysterious lighthouse, where he finds a magical energy that charges his paintbrush with 'Living Paint' capable of creating magnificent masterpieces that can purify Denska's polluted walls. Ash must harness the magical properties of his powerful paintbrush to eliminate the Darkness polluting Denska with the help of the mischievous Genies he creates along the way. Can Ash overcome his personal struggles and paint his hometown back to life?"

Developer: Pixel Opus

Platforms: PS4

Release Date: October 8

JOHN WICK HEX

Pitch: "John Wick Hex is fight-choreographed chess brought to life as a video game, capturing the series' signature gun fu style while expanding its story universe. Players must make quick decisions and choose every action and attack they make, all the while considering their immediate cost and consequences."

Developer: Bithell Games

Platforms: PC

Release Date: October 8

Indivisible

Pitch: "Indivisible is an action RPG / platformer featuring stunning hand drawn art and animation combined with unique real-time combat mechanics. Immerse yourself in a fantastical world with dozens of playable characters, a rich storytelling experience, gameplay that's easy to learn but difficult to master, and the trademark razor-sharp quality that Lab Zero Games is known for! Our story revolves around Ajna, a fearless girl with a rebellious streak. Raised by her father on the outskirts of their rural town, her life is thrown into chaos when her home is attacked, and a mysterious power awakens within her."

Developer: Lab Zero Games

Platforms: PC, PS4, and Xbox One (Nintendo Switch "coming soon")

Release Date: October 8

Grid

Pitch: "GRID is a racing experience like no other. Offering unrivalled wheel-to-wheel racing, GRID returns with an all-new experience where every race is the chance to choose your own path, create your own story and conquer the world of Motorsport."

Developer: Codemasters

Platforms: PC, PS4, and Xbox One

Release Date: October 10

The Bradwell Conspiracy

Pitch: "The Bradwell Conspiracy places the player as an unnamed museum visitor waking up in the aftermath of an explosion at the Bradwell Stonehenge Museum. To escape the chaos they must work with Amber, a Bradwell employee trapped elsewhere in the collapsing building. Due to an injury, the player's means of communication is sending pictures to Amber via a pair of Bradwell AR Smart Glasses."

Developer: A Brave Plan

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, and Xbox One (coming to Apple Arcade later this year)

Release Date: October 8 (PS4, PC), October 10 (Nintendo Switch), October 11 (Xbox One)

Doraemon Story of Seasons

Pitch: "Embark on a charming farming adventure with Doraemon and friends! Doraemon, the endearing cat-type robot that captured the hearts of millions worldwide, arrives for another adventure in Doraemon Story of Seasons! Dive into a new world that combines relaxing gameplay with a story of farming, friendship, and helping others. Grab a shovel and join the fun!"

Developer: Marvelous

Platforms: Nintendo Switch and PC

Release Date: October 11

Trine 4: The Nightmare Price

Pitch: "The three heroes of the best-selling adventure series are back, sent on a quest to retrieve the troubled young Prince Selius. Amadeus the Wizard, Pontius the Knight, and Zoya the Thief are joined together once again on a thrilling quest through fantastical fairytale landscapes teeming with danger. Prince Selius suffers from intensely dark dreams and due to his magical talents, monstrous nightmares are able to slip into reality and wreak havoc on the waking world. Amadeus, Pontius, and Zoya must find the afflicted prince and resolve the desperate situation before the world is engulfed by the Nightmare Prince's shadows.

Developer: Frozenbyte

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, and Xbox One

Release Date: October 8

Killer Queen Black

Pitch: "Fight for your hive in this strategic team platformer with three ways to win! Hop on the snail, hoard berries, or wipe out the enemy's queen to claim victory."

Developer: Liquid Bit and BumbleBear Gaems

Platforms: Nintendo Switch and PC (coming to Xbox One "later")

Release Date: October 11

A Knight's Quest

Pitch: "A gorgeous action adventure on an epic scale. Play as Rusty—a kind-hearted, but clumsy adventurer who accidentally starts a chain of events which will destroy his world. Solve mind-bending puzzles, fight challenging enemies, defeat huge bosses and platform your way through a fantastic open world in this lavish take on classic action adventure games."

Developer: Sky9 Games

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, and Xbox One

Release Date: October 10 (Switch, PC, PS4), October 11 (Xbox One)

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair

Pitch: "Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is a brand-new platform adventure from some of the key creative talent behind Donkey Kong Country. With their arch-nemesis Capital B up to no good, the buddy duo needs to spring into action once again to save the day. To thwart his evil plan of using a 'Hivemind' device to enslave an entire kingdom of bees, our heroes need to take the fight to Capital B's 'Impossible' Lair. Things look tough, but with the help of Queen Phoebee and her Royal Beetallion , Yooka and Laylee might just have a chance!"

Developer: Playtonic Games

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, and Xbox One

Release Date: October 8

Valfaris

Pitch: "Set in a far corner of space, Valfaris is a heavy metal-infused 2D action platformer and the next game from the team behind Slain: Back From Hell. After mysteriously vanishing from galactic charts, the fortress of Valfaris has suddenly reappeared in the orbit of a dying sun. Once a self-contained paradise, the grandiose citadel now plays host to an ever-growing darkness. Therion, a fearless and proud son of Valfaris, returns to his home to uncover the truth of its doomed fate and to challenge the arcane evil at its very heart."

Developer: Steel Mantis

Platforms: Nintendo Switch and PC (coming to PS4 and Xbox One in November)

Release Date: October 10

Ports Round-Up

CALL OF CTHULHU:

Pitch: "1924. Private Investigator Pierce is sent to look into the tragic death of the Hawkins family on the isolated Darkwater Island. Soon enough, Pierce is pulled into a terrifying world of conspiracies, cultists, and cosmic horrors. Nothing is as it seems. Sanity is an irregular bedfellow, all too often replaced by whisperings in the dark. Strange creatures, weird science, and sinister cults dominate the Cthulhu Mythos, intent on realizing their mad schemes to bring about the end of everything."

Developer: Cyanide Studio

Platforms: Nintendo Switch

Release Date: October 8

*****

FROSTPUNK:

Pitch: "Frostpunk is a society survival game where heat means life and every decision comes at a price. Presenting complex strategic gameplay, demanding challenges and rich story, Frostpunk extends its unmatched survival experience to consoles."

Developer: 11 Bit Studios

Platforms: PS4 and Xbox One

Release Date: October 11

*****

EARTHFALL: ALIEN HORDE:

Pitch: "Earthfall: Alien Horde is a four-player cooperative first-person shooter that challenges players to survive hordes of ruthless alien drones and their inscrutable masters. Experience a battle-tested, upgraded first-person shooter that includes all previous content updates from the original Earthfall at an amazing value. Now featuring a Nintendo Switch exclusive: four-player local wireless co-op wireless play!"

Developer: Nimble

Platforms: Nintendo Switch

Release Date: October 11