Judging by the slew of upcoming fantasy games scheduled to come out in March, this month is set to be a good one for gamers who enjoy RPGs (role-playing games) – as well as those who appreciate a bit of celeb voice acting.
In addition to the ultra-scary horror remake Alone in the Dark (featuring the voice acting talents of Jodie Comer and David Harbour, no less), March promises gamers a vast open-world Japan to explore in Rise Of The RÅnin, which has been billed as a crossover between Ghost of Tsushima and Assassin’s Creed, the monster-slaying Dragon’s Dogma II and even a bit of Mario action in the form of Princess Peach: Showtime!
Later in the month, beloved indie studio Annapurna (aka the creators of hit dystopian game Stray) are back with Open Roads, their latest title, starring none other than The Diplomat’s Keri Russell. And to round things off, why not embrace a little bit of chaos with the truly bonkers sounding Unicorn Overlord. Will the unicorns take us all over? With a bit of tactical turn-based fighting, the odds are (probably) in your favour.
With all that on the horizon, things are looking good: here’s our pick of the best titles set to come out this month.
Unicorn Overlord
Hats off to the best-named game of the lot. A classic turn-based RPG fantasy in the mould of the original Final Fantasy games, Unicorn Overlord is the brainchild of Japanese studio Vanillaware, who are once again bringing their signature 2D-style artwork to this project.
The unicorn in question is a mythical ring belonging to Alain, a prince of Cornia who is forced to flee his home after the nation’s General Valmore starts a rebellion against the royal family. Fast forward a couple of years and Alain is all grown up and ready to take back control – via a series of intense pixellated battles.
Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, out March 8
Alone in the Dark
Anybody who was gaming in the 1990s (remember them?) will know Alone in the Dark. A survival horror game, it made the most of the era’s limited technology to create some fantastically creepy levels set to an equally creepy soundtrack. Now, it’s been fully reinvented with cutting-edge graphics and some top-notch voice acting courtesy of Jodie Comer and David Harbour, but the lurking feeling of dread remains.
The pair play Emily and Edward, protagonists (the player can choose which one) on a mission to uncover the secrets of Derceto, a creepy 1920s Louisiana mansion hiding its fair share of secrets. Come for the puzzle solving, stay for the guns.
PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S, out March 20
Princess Peach: Showtime!
Stand aside Mario – it’s time for Princess Peach’s long-overdue moment in the spotlight. Finally free of the threat of being endlessly kidnapped by Bowser, Peach is off on an expedition to the local Sparkle Theatre, only for the wicked Grape and the Sour Bunch to swing by and ruin everything. Will she ever catch a break?
And so now Peach must play the leading role in a range of theatre productions in order to save the play, and the day. Expect lashings of puzzle solving, cute combat and costumes with unique abilities to complete within the time limit – and if the concept is a tad Barbie in terms of the outfit changes, well at least Barbie is cool now.
Nintendo Switch, out March 22
Dragon's Dogma II
More dragons! More (presumably) dogma! This hotly-anticipated sequel has been in the works for a while now (it was announced in 2022), so it’s exciting to see it finally hit consoles. It’s also very ambitious: the map is four times the size of its 2012 predecessor, with complex combat and character mechanics.
The player takes on the role of the Arisen, a hero destined to defeat a malicious dragon. But going straight there would be no fun at all, of course, so much of the game will be taken up with taking on quests, fighting monsters and helping solve the geopolitical conflict between rival kingdoms Vermund and Battahl. It’s all high fantasy catnip – and the game also features a bizarre NPC mechanic whereby you can recruit friendly “Pawns” to help out with quests, give advice and have your back in a fight.
PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, out March 22
Rise Of The RÅnin
We simply can’t get enough of Japan as a video game setting, so good job that Rise of the RÅnin is here to scratch that particular itch. Set in 1863, the game tells the story of the moment Japan’s borders finally opened to the west, following the fall of military government Tokugawa Shogunate. Amid the resulting war, disease and political unease, you play as a lone samurai (a rÅnin) whose actions will shape the country’s very future.
If that doesn’t sound exciting enough, the game also promises plenty of developer Team Ninja’s hardcore combat mechanics, as well as gorgeous graphics and a huge open world. Yes please.
PlayStation 5, out March 25
Open Roads
Indie publisher Annapurna – the developers behind everybody’s favourite cat game Stray – is back with a whole new game, and aren’t we excited.
Billed as an “interactive movie mystery-thriller”, it tells the story of single mother Opal (Keri Russell) and daughter Tess (Kaitlyn Dever), who set out on a road trip to uncover some dark family secrets on the Canadian border… and end up getting more than they bargained for. The game promises both “classic road trip vibes” and story-focused, dialogue-heavy gameplay. Plus, the animation is absolutely gorgeous.
