Video game releases: The Bard's Tale 4, CrossCode, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 – Torna

Cross Code sends players on a memory-hunting mission in a game within a game. — AFP Relaxnews

Two distinct styles of eagerly awaited retro-inspired role-playing adventures launch in The Bard's Tale IV and CrossCode on PC, with room for an expansive Xenoblade Chronicles 2 – Torna on Nintendo Switch and remake Steins;Gate Elite across PlayStation 4, Vita and Switch, while Mutant Football League gets its Switch debut and two-title Scribblenauts Mega Pack lands on Xbox One as well as the PlayStation and Nintendo consoles.

The Bard's Tale IV
For Windows PC, Mac OS X, Linux from Sept 18; PlayStation 4 and Xbox One editions to follow

Harking back to a trio of mid-to-late 1980s fantasy role-playing games rather than the 2004 satire – though still with a good dose of humour – this modern version of the classic dungeon crawler format brings story, combat, and a visual overhaul to the genre.

Mutant Football League
For Nintendo Switch from Sept 18

American football meets a pantheon of fantasy creatures and powers in a concoction that is neither NFL nor Blood Bowl but freed to be its own idiosyncratic best. Previously released on PS4, XBO and PC.

Scribblenauts Mega Pack
For PS4, XBO, Nintendo Switch from Sept 18

From a franchise that lets players get themselves out of a range of tricky situations by creating anything they can simply spell out, Scribblenauts Unlimited and DC Comics license Scribblenauts Unmasked are here packaged together, both expanded and revised.

CrossCode
For Windows, Mac and Linux from Sept 20

A wonderfully received demo for this retro-infused adventure was released in 2015 and a final release draws near at last, inviting players to set off on a sci-fi blend of story, pacy action, equipment collection and puzzle-solving.

Steins;Gate Elite
For PS4, Nintendo Switch, Vita from Sept 20 (Japan,) early 2019 (International, and on PC)

Making use of footage from 2011 animated series Steins;Gate, itself based on the original game, this remakes the classic, branching time-travel sci-fi visual novel. Spin-off Steins;Gate: Linear Bounded Phenogram is included in the PlayStation and PC release, with the new retro-style Steins;Gate 8-bit.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Torna – The Golden Country
For Nintendo Switch from Sept 21 (since Sept 14 via download)

While at one point it could have been the main storyline for 2017's well=received action role-playing game Xenoblade Chronicles 2, this prequel expansion can be played independently of the main game's ownership yet, true to its origins, targets a similarly impressive scope and scale. – AFP Relaxnews