The biggest video game news of the past month has to be the high-profile mergings of video game developers. Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard (Call of Duty, Crash Bandicoot) for $68.7 billion, then Sony acquired Destiny developer Bungie for $3.6 billion. To what degree will these monumental purchases affect the game industry? The jury is still out, but the Microsoft deal is already under antitrust scrutiny.
Release-wise, however, January was relatively quiet for gamers, but February is picking up the pace. From a remastering of a modern classic to a high-budget blockbuster and an indie underdog, there’s literally something for every gamer hitting shelves this month.
While you wait for the February gaming releases to really kick into high gear, here is your monthly video game news roundup for February 2022.
Xbox Games With Gold Free Games for February 2022
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Xbox One
Broken Sword 5: The Serpent’s Curse (February 1-February 31)
This is a point-and-click adventure game, with a heavy emphasis on logical deduction and puzzle-solving. You’re thrust into the midst of a Vatican/Gnostics conspiracy, after the disappearance of artwork in Paris.
Aerial_Knight’s Never Yield (February 16-March 15)
This is a highly stylized experience where you run, jump, and run some more, to escape the law enforcement of a futuristic, cyberpunk Detroit.
Xbox 360 (backwards compatible)
Hydrophobia (February 1-February 15)
In the not-so-distant future, Earth is overburdened by the exponentially increasing human population. You fight against terrorists, who plan to kill people so that there are enough resources for the remaining survivors.
Band of Bugs (February 16-February 28)
You and your AI opponent take turns moving a bug army at each other from across a map. Rely on placement, war tactics, and knowledge of your opponent to gain the upper hand.
Playstation Plus Free Games for February 2022
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Playstation 5
Planet Coaster: Console Edition (February 1)
Build the theme park of your dreams, and keep your growing customer base happy. If you loved Roller Coaster Tycoon back in the day, you’ll love this.
Playstation 4
EA Sports UFC 4: (February 1)
The latest (and thus far, last) UFC simulator features over 200 unique fighters and a revamped submission system.
Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep: A Wonderlands: (February 1)
If you’re hungry for more Borderlands content, try this loot-accumulating spinoff, which trades in 1st person shooter mechanics for tabletop roleplay.
Google Stadia Free Games for February 2022
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Life is Strange Remastered Collection (February 1)
It’s two incredible games—Life is Strange and Life is Strange: Before the Storm—rolled into a single package. You play as Max Caulfield, an aspiring photographer and prep student who discovers she has the power to rewind time.
Other Games (February 1)
Cosmic Star Heroine, Nanotale, Merek’s Market, Phogs, One Hand Clapping
Amazon Prime Gaming for February 2022
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Stellaris (February 1)
It’s Civilization, but on a massive, cosmic scale. Your people have just learned to travel at the speed of light. Will you conquer the galaxy, peacefully cohabitate it, or reduce it to stardust? The choice is yours.
As Far As The Eye (February 1)
Help a nomadic tribe build a mobile village and travel to the center of the world. It’s part sim, part adventure game.
Other Games (February 1)
Ashwalkers: A Survival Journey, Double Kick Heroes, Golazo Soccer League
'Life is Strange Remastered Collection' (February 2)
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Obviously, if you have Google Stadia (see above), save your money. But otherwise, consider playing the definitive versions of Life is Strange and its prequel Before the Storm if you haven’t before. These games are all about emotions, and how these characters project their inner lives on screen. And with the updated animations and lighting effects, the characters will be able to do this better than ever before.
'Dying Light 2 Stay Human' (February 4)
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The new Dying Light 2 is set decades after the first one and stars Aiden Caldwell, a parkour master and survivor of the zombie apocalypse. Plodding during the day and savage by night, the zombies inhabit a massive, open-world City, which Aiden must navigate in search of his family.
'OlliOlli World' (February 8)
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A 2D platforming, skateboarding game, you trick and grind your way across the city of Ratalandia. Highly stylized with a hand-drawn aesthetic, this game is pleasing to look at and play.
'Sifu' (February 8)
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With its steep learning curve and ultra-detailed hand-to-hand combat, Sifu casts you in the role of a kung fu master, who fights hordes of bad guys down narrow hallways. Think Oldboy, but with more technical prowess and less hammer.
'The King of Fighters XV' (February 17)
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The latest installment of the long-running King of Fighters franchise is extremely technical but leaves the door slightly ajar for ambitious newcomers. Returning from the prior game is the Rush mechanic, which allows you to easily pull off combos without the high input demands the series is known for. The game launches with 40 characters, with 12 more on the way via DLC.
'Horizon Forbidden West' (February 18)
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This post-apocalyptic action game takes place in the ruins of the Western United States, which are now overrun by both hostile humans and monstrous machines. You star as Aloy, a huntress who survives through a combination of high-tech surveillance technology and low-tech weapons. Based on the trailer, this game is a visual feast, and will explore the breadth of what the PS5 console is capable of.
'Elden Ring' (February 25)
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From Hidetaka Miyazaki, the creator of the Souls games–and George R.R. Martin, author of the Song of Ice and Fire series–comes Elden Ring, a fantasy epic now five years in the making. You must reunite the broken shards of the eponymous Elden Ring and fulfill your destiny by becoming the Elden Lord of the realm. Expect strategy-based, difficult gameplay, and expect to die a whole lot, if Sekiro and Dark Souls are any indication.
