This week packs quite a punch as the last week for major new releases before the holiday shopping season really begins. It certainly has some games releasing that will squeeze their ways onto kids’ Christmas lists just in time for Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.
Let’s check out what video games are hitting stores this week.
Battlefield 2042 (11/19)
Battlefield 2042 hasn’t even fully released yet and it’s already off to a rocky start. The game won’t launch with voice chat, which is an especially glaring omission for a multiplayer-heavy game, and DICE already has to rename an unlockable skin after “unintentionally” referencing Russia’s occupation of Ukraine in 2014 and angering Ukrainian players. Maybe most disappointing of all are reports that Battlefield 2042 is crashing players’ Xbox consoles as they play (or attempt to) during the game’s early access period. It’s been getting a mixed reception so far, from players and critics alike, but like some of EA’s other franchises (*cough* Madden), I’m sure the sales won’t reflect this.
Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One (11/16)
Sherlock Holmes has been a fixture in media for over 130 years, whether he’s in a new television series, film franchise, or even comic books. In recent years he’s starred in games from Frogwares, with two being released during the last console generation, Sherlock Holmes: Crime & Punishments and Sherlock Holmes: The Devil’s Daughter. The detective returns this week in a new game, Sherlock Holmes Chapter One. It looks to do something a little different with the character than previous games, however. Chapter One features a young Sherlock early in his career, takes the detective out of England and into the Mediterranean, and makes the case personal as Sherlock Holmes investigates his mother’s death. It looks to be another strong entry in the detective’s gaming franchise.
Pokemon Shining Pearl & Brilliant Diamond (11/19)
Nintendo continues its trend of targeting your nostalgia for your favorite childhood Pokemon generations with the releases of Pokemon Shining Pearl and Pokemon Brilliant Diamond this week for the Switch. They’ll transport players back to the Sinnoh region to catch everyone’s favorite lil’ monsters out in the wild, take on gym leaders, beat the Elite Four, and tame legendary Pokemon. The games have been remade with 3D models and improved lighting and textures, though the chibi art style may take fans a bit to get used to. Super Contests, The Underground, and the smartwatch-like Poketech all return in the remake while the endgame content gets a boost in the form of being able to catch legendaries from all generations. In short — if you’re a fan of the franchise, you know what to expect, and you expect to have fun, which Shining Pearl and Brilliant Diamond look to deliver. At the very least, these remakes will tide fans over until Pokemon Legends: Arceus drops next year,
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