This Week’s New Releases + Game News: August 29, 2016

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vgl-pickThe Video Game Librarian Pick of the Week is a tie between Madden NFL 17 and Deus Ex: Mankind Divided.

The release of Madden NFL 17 on the PS4, Xbox One, PS3, and Xbox 360 means that it’s time for FOOTBALL, and for this year’s entry in their annual sports franchise, EA Sports focused on improving Madden’s famed Franchise Mode. That should make the hardcore statheads very happy, but Madden appeals to almost everybody, so most patrons will be happy to see it on the shelves.

Many gamers are excited for Deus Ex: Mankind Divided as well, though it’s a very different kind of game… a science fiction story that has many parallels to our world including civil rights, terrorism, and government surveillance. Its heady themes make it one of the smarter games out there, and one that many PC, PS4, and Xbox One owners are very interested in.

Also of note this week is The King of Fighters XIV, a one-on-one fighter for the PS4. Players familiar with the long-running King of Fighters franchise will want to check it out, as will fans of one-on-one fighting games like Street Fighter V and Mortal Kombat X.

All Links in “This Week’s New Releases + Game News” are Provided by Warp Zoned.

New Release Round-Up

Warp Zoned’s Weekly Warp-Up
Have you seen the hamster run through Level 1-1 from Super Mario Bros.? If not, drop everything you’re doing and watch it right now. And after you’re done, dial up the video of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe getting an Olympic-sized assist from Mario during the Closing Ceremony.

Nintendo stayed in the news a lot this week by releasing a series of mini-trailers for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Each clip is under a minute, but Link has been able to display his prowess with the Woodcutter’s Axe, a variety of magical Runes, a razor-sharp sword, and a bunch of arrows.

Elsewhere on Warp Zoned this week, we reviewed Keiji Inafune’s Mighty No. 9 and it got a “Mega Meh.”

New Game Announcements

  • Lara Croft Will Return… Art Director for Dead Space joins Crystal Dynamics as Game Director of Tomb Raider franchise.
  • Mortal Kombat XL is coming to PC after all… and you can play the Open Beta now.
  • A SteamWorld Collection will package together Dig and Heist on a single disc this October
  • The Witness will be released for the Xbox One on September 13.

Pre-Launch Updates and Release Date Announcements

  • The Nintendo eShop’s Nindies Summer Jam kicks off on September 1.
  • A Closed Beta for The Behemoth’s Pit People will begin on September 15
  • Allison Road got un-canceled by developer Christian Kesler.
  • See Goldberg’s ring entrance and 27 more wrestlers that’ll be part of WWE 2K17.
  • Snowcastle will launch Earthlock: Festival of Magic on the Xbox One for free (through the Games With Gold program) and for the PC on September 1.

Other Game News

Etcetera

  • The Dark Souls comic miniseries will be collected in a graphic novel on December 6.
  • Dark Horse will publish The Legend of Zelda: Art & Artifacts in February 2017, a sequel to Hyrule Historia.
  • The making of Tetris will be chronicled in a new graphic novel this October.

Rumor Has It