Depending on your personal preference, February might either be the best or the worst month of the year for you. The nights are still long and the days are still cold, but spring is around the corner, and Easter promises a chocolate binge that will go down as legend. The gaming world is not to be sniffed at when it comes to February, either; plenty of big-name releases arrive in February, with games like Elden Ring and Horizon Forbidden West launching in February 2022, for instance. 2023 looks similarly packed, so here are the best PS5 games coming in February 2023.
Deliver Us Mars (February 2nd)
If you’ve played Deliver Us the Moon, the previous game by Deliver Us Mars studio Keoken, then you’ll know pretty much what to expect. Mars promises a serious sci-fi yarn augmented by some impressive-looking platforming and puzzling; this won’t just be a walking simulator, it seems, but will actually have some gameplay at its core. The story looks dense and intriguing, so we’re looking forward to getting our astronaut mitts on this one.
Hogwarts Legacy (February 10th)
The controversy that surrounds Hogwarts Legacy means that it might be difficult to enjoy for some people, and that’s totally understandable. If you are planning to check this one out, you’ll find a huge open-world Hogwarts to explore, albeit a 19th-century version of the school everyone knows and loves. Still, this action RPG should offer plenty of nooks and crannies to get lost in, as well as some surprises for lovers of the Wizarding World franchise.
Wanted: Dead (February 14th)
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Wanted: Dead is a love letter to the sixth console generation that evokes classics like Ninja Gaiden. Inspired by those very same games, Soleil’s title is a slasher-shooter hybrid that emphasises stylish, skilful combat and dials down the realism. You’re out to uncover a corporate conspiracy that will almost certainly turn out to be ridiculous in a larger-than-life way, but this one’s all about the gameplay, so check it out if you’re nostalgic for the PS2 era.
Wild Hearts (February 17th)
Monster Hunter has been unchallenged on its throne for far too long, and it seems Omega Force and EA agree, because they’re here with a new contender. Set in a world inspired by feudal Japan, Wild Hearts tasks you with taking down a series of massive monsters by studying them, exploiting their weak points, and engaging in vertiginous combat using a variety of tools and weapons. Sound familiar? Yup – if you love Monster Hunter, this’ll definitely be one to watch for you.
Atomic Heart (February 21st)
Now, we make the leap from wild hearts to atomic ones. Atomic Heart is an open-world shooter set in the Soviet Union in an alternate version of 1955, one in which the Soviets made massive technological advances and essentially single-handedly brought down the Nazis in 1941. As protagonist Major Nechaev, also known as P-3, you must hunt down rogue robots and bring them down, using improvised weaponry and your environment to outsmart them as best you can.
Like a Dragon: Ishin! (February 21st)
If you love Yakuza, then you’ll adore this. Like a Dragon: Ishin! is a remake of a Japan-only entry in the series, one which served as a launch title for the PS4 in that country. Now, it’s getting reworked from the ground up, and it’s also getting a full localisation, which is exciting. Unlike Yakuza: Like a Dragon, this one will feature the classic brawler combat for which the series is known, as well as a new historical take on some of your favourite characters and concepts.
PlayStation VR 2 (February 22nd)
It’s almost time for the next iteration in PlayStation VR tech. PSVR 2 arrives on February 22nd, bringing with it a Horizon game, Resident Evil Village, and plenty more. If you weren’t already terrified enough by Village’s dollhouse section, then playing it in VR should do the trick nicely, and it’ll be great to experience Horizon’s gorgeous world up close and personal-style. The price tag may be a touch prohibitive, but if you love VR tech, you’ll want to get your hands on PSVR 2.
Blood Bowl 3 (February 23rd)
The thrilling world of murderous sport returns with Blood Bowl 3. Set in the Warhammer Fantasy universe (or one of its many offshoots, at least), Blood Bowl 3 promises a brutal, fast-paced strategy experience in which cheating and exploiting the rules are par for the course. You must outsmart, outwit, and destroy your opponent using whatever tactics are available to you. Nothing is off the table, so whatever will give you the upper hand is perfectly legitimate.
Octopath Traveler II (February 24th)
If you love the classic era of JRPGs, then Octopath Traveler II is a game you’re going to want to check out. Like its predecessor, Octopath II revolves around eight travellers, each of whom has a different storyline to follow. They’ll interact with one another and offer thoughts on each other’s plight, but for the most part, this is best thought of as a collection of eight individual short stories rather than one grand, overarching novel. Expect plenty of turn-based RPG shenanigans as well.
Scars Above (February 28th)
Now here’s an interesting prospect. Scars Above promises to be a thought-provoking third-person sci-fi shooter with plenty of weighty themes in its narrative, and it’s also aiming at the Soulslike crowd with its emphasis on rewarding difficulty and exploration. Taking cues from games like Returnal, Scars Above revolves around protagonist Kate Ward, who must find her way home and discover what happened to her crew after being stranded on an alien planet by a vast alien construct known as the Metahedron.