March Games Roundup: Marching to a very “meh” beat

Pickings are a little slim this month, which is great so we can finally get through our backlog.

by Jeremy Cheong

If you have been aiming to go through the backlog of games that you have accumulated over the last few months, March would be the perfect month to achieve that. There are actually plenty of games being released this month but only a few of them seems to have piqued our interest.

Besides Tchia and the remake of Resident Evil 4 which were announced during Sony’s State of Play last month, these are the other games that have caught our attention.

WWE 2K23

For someone who claims we can’t see him, we can see him very clearly in 2K23. | Visual Concepts

Release Date: March 17
Platform: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S

Last year, when I reviewed WWE 2K22, I was glad that the two-year hiatus allowed the developers to produce a much more polished game. So now that they are back on a yearly release schedule, will WWE 2K23 still maintain that same level of polish and receive more features? Or will Visual Concepts fall harder than Titus O’Neil’s epic Royal Rumble tumble? We can only wait and see for ourselves.

Besides our apprehensions, WWE 2K23 sounds like it will be loads of fun for fans as it will come with several franchise advancements, including a unique new take on the 2K showcase, the inclusion of the WarGames match, and expansions to several game modes.

Character models definitely look top-notch this year. I just hope Bianca Belair’s braid remains non-sentient. | Visual Concepts

Visual Concepts has given the fan-favourite MyGM mode quite a bit of love and work as it now has additional show options, multiple seasons, expanded match cards and the ability to create a custom GM.

This year’s 2K Showcase will feature none other than Mr. “Hustle. Loyalty. Respect.” himself–John Cena. However, instead of playing as Big Match John, you will be stepping into the boots of several of Cena’s toughest competitors with one goal in mind: defeat the man who will “Never Give Up.”

Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon

This game definitely has me hooked on looks alone. | PlatinumGames Inc.

Release Date: March 17
Platform: Switch

Announced during last year’s Game Awards ceremony, Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon is a new take on the Bayonetta series and serves as a prequel which follows the adventures of Cereza, a young apprentice witch before she would come to be known as Bayonetta.

This Switch exclusive looks to be quite a departure from the games that preceded it as it features a striking and distinct storybook-inspired art style and also features a new style of gameplay. In Bayonetta Origins, you control both Cereza and her infernal demon partner, Cheshire, as you explore, fight and solve puzzles as you go deeper into a forbidden forest to save our heroine’s mother.

Since you will be relying quite a bit on Cheshire, I am guessing this game will be a little more SFW? | PlatinumGames Inc.

For those of you who have purchased Bayonetta 3, you can actually access a brief playable teaser for Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon! All you have to do is purchase the Old Picture Book using in-game currency at Rodin’s shop in The Gates of Hell. After unlocking it with three keys, you will be able to access the teaser.

Crime Boss: Rockay City

It is a shame Keanu Reeves isn’t in Rockay City, or not these losers will be in trouble. | INGAME STUDIOS

Release Date: March 28
Platform: PC

Crime Boss: Rockay City is a star-studded co-op organised crime game first-person shooter set in the seedy underbelly of 90’s Florida developed by INGAME STUDIOS and published by 505 Games. Essentially, this is what the PayDay series would be if it was a Hollywood action movie.

The game centres around Travis Baker’s (Michael Madsen’s) attempt to claim the underworld throne of Rockay City through a series of turf wars, robberies and crazy sides stories after the demise of the previous crime boss. As Baker, you will have to carefully pick his crew based on their skills and expertise and claw your way to the top in the single-player campaign.

I am not sure how I feel about working for a crime boss wearing a cowboy hat… | INGAME STUDIOS

Alternatively, you can jump into the PvE co-op multiplayer and execute thrilling hits and heists with up to four players. Fail and you will leave empty-handed, on the flip side, if you succeed, you will find yourself richly rewarded as the city inevitably falls under your control.

As mentioned above, this is a star-studded game and features an all-action, all-star cast of 90’s heroes that include Chuck Norris, Danny Trejo, Kim Basinger, Danny Glover, Michael Rooker, Damion Poiter, and Vanilla Ice.

Dredge

Well this looks nice and relaxing… | Team 17

Release Date: March 30
Platform: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch

Dredge is an adventure horror game that will see you stepping into the boots of a down-on-their-luck fisherman as you explore a collection of remote islands while scouring the depths for a variety of fish and valuable, deep-sea curios. Once your trawler is full, you can then head back to port and sell your spoils while completing quests and unravelling more about each area’s peculiar denizens.

Now while this may sound like a typical fishing game, there is a twist to it. As you research special equipment and upgrade your boat’s capabilities to venture further out to sea and to more secluded areas, you will undoubtedly spend more time trying to net a bigger haul. However, you will want to keep an eye on the time as you might not like what finds you in the dark.

I guess I spoke too soon. I think my seasickness is acting up… | Team 17

Other than upgrading your ship, you will also have to strengthen your mind and use special abilities gifted to you via hidden treasures or after completing quests to survive trips out on the water after dark.

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