New video game highlights for this week – quick links
Tukoni: Forest Keepers – 17 August
Games Platform(s): PC
‘Tukoni: Forest Keepers is a cute and cosy puzzle adventure made in collaboration with Ukrainian artist Oksana Bula, author and illustrator of the Tukoni books. Play as Traveller, a forest spirit on a special journey, as you explore magical hand-drawn locations, meet charming characters, solve handcrafted puzzles, collect herbs and tea recipes, and help the forest prepare for the coming winter.’
Starsand Island 1.0 release – 18 August
Games Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2
‘Tired of the city grind? Return to the warm embrace of Starsand Island, a radiant jewel adrift in the ocean’s expanse. Enjoy a relaxed, pastoral life: hang out with adorable capybaras, cats, and dogs, celebrate bountiful catches, explore the mysterious Moonlit Forest, or simply soak up the island’s natural beauty. Leave the urban rush behind and rediscover life’s simple pleasures in this seaside paradise.’
The Sinking City 2 – 18 August
Games Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S
‘The Sinking City 2 is a third-person survival horror set in 1920s Arkham. Deliberate, tense, and resource-lean: pressure builds as you push deeper, relief comes in brief refuge, and fear is something you manage. Mind your inventory, take on unnerving puzzles, and double back via unlocked shortcuts for supplies and upgrades.’
‘A roaring 1920s port city buckling under a supernatural flood. Tide-stained avenues and battered Art Deco. Speakeasies gone dark. Districts feel lived-in and water-worn, with routes by foot and skiff, shortcuts behind collapsed seawalls, and secrets tucked in boarded parlours. You’ll navigate a hospital where science hides its face, a fish market where the merchandise bites back, and descend deep below the city to where eldritch horrors stir.’
Twisted Tower – 18 August
Games Platform(s): PC
‘Step right up to the Twisted Tower! Careful though! Our silly mascots may be looking for a hug, and our carnival rides might need some screws tightened… So what do you say, chap? Are you tough enough to make it to the top of the tower and save the love of your life?’
‘Here’s what your ticket will get you upon entering the magical resort: explore an abandoned 1950’s resort reminiscent of BioShock and Disney World, get lost in five hauntingly beautiful levels: the hotel, the waterpark, the clown casino, the carnival forest, and the space station. Punchy, bloody gunplay with corrupted fairy-tale mascots. Immerse yourself in a mysterious and emotional story.’
Last Pirates: Die Together early access – 18 August
Games Platform(s): PC
‘Last Pirates: Die Together is an online co-op horror experience filled with chaos, monsters, and LOTS OF BOOTY! You and your crew will use your unusually stretchy arms to gather as much loot as you can for your captain. Be mindful of your surroundings though. There are others who mean to keep the treasure for themselves. You land lubbers aren’t that tough! You and up to three of your closest mates will work together, communicate, and survive as you try to make your ol’ captain rich and happy!’
Mortal Shell 2 – 20 August
Games Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S
‘Mortal Shell 2 is a standalone sequel to Mortal Shell that significantly expands on the original with unrestricted, adrenaline-charged combat, deeper weapon design with extensive upgrade options, and an emphasis on free exploration. This action-RPG offers an immersive, interconnected open world, expansive yet deliberately compact, designed to unfold its twisted landscapes and hidden structures while respecting the player’s time.’
Frog Island – 20 August
Games Platform(s): PC
‘Waking up on a deserted island, you are greeted by a mysterious woman who asks you to take care of her frogs while she is away. However, she vanishes the next day, leaving you with only a hand-written note and some old tools. With nowhere to go, you have but two simple tasks: escape Frog Island and accept the role of caretaker of Frog Island.’
‘In this spiritual successor to the classic creature collection games like Neko Atsume, build the island of your dreams, as you discover cute and curious frogs, and uncover the island’s many hidden secrets, to try and piece together the past life you’ve somehow forgotten.’
