Best games of February 2023: best games on Switch, PC, Xbox, and PS5 - from Hogwarts Legacy to Deliver Us Mars

Another good-looking month of video games releases
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Another month, another crop of new video games to get excited about. We’re only in February, and 2023’s heavy-hitters haven’t reeeaaally graced us with their presence just yet, but there’s plenty of exciting experiences to wrap your controller around nonetheless.

This month seems to be a big one for sci-fi fans, as well as those who like more charming, cooperative experiences. That could tie in with Valentine’s Day in the middle of the month. Then again, inter-game squabbles can be potential relationship killers...

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Whatever and however you choose to play in February 2023, here are the games NationalWorld is adding to its wishlist. Enjoy!

Deliver Us Mars

(Image: Frontier Foundry)(Image: Frontier Foundry)
(Image: Frontier Foundry)

PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

What is it? This sequel to 2018’s Deliver Us the Moon, Deliver Us Mars is set ten years after the events of that first game, and features a new protagonist - Kathy Johannson, who was mentioned as a child in recordings in the first game.

The game itself is an atmospheric sci-fi adventure taking you on a suspense-fuelled, high-stakes mission to recover the ARK colony ships stolen by the mysterious Outward.

With a highly polished and absorbing narrative told through state-of-the-art motion capture, stunning graphics and real-time ray traced shadows and reflections, this is sure to be a looker as much as it is a gripping sci-fi experience.

When can I play it? 2 February

Hogwarts Legacy

(Image: Warner Bros. Interactive)(Image: Warner Bros. Interactive)
(Image: Warner Bros. Interactive)

PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S

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What is it? How this Harry Potter tie-in has managed to pique the interest of this ardent non-fan still remains a mystery, but Hogwarts Legacy has the potential to be one of the most impressive games of the year.

Strip back the Potter licence and it looks to be a solid and surprisingly deep action-RPG, with lots to do and even more to do it on (riding a broomstick around the grounds of Hogwarts looks like a fun time indeed), and with impressive visuals backing it all up, this could be one to keep an eye on even if you can’t stand the wizarding world.

It’s set years before the films and books too, so you don’t need to be up to speed with the series’ tiresome tales. Always a bonus.

When can I play it? 10 February

Blanc

(Image: Gearbox Publishing)(Image: Gearbox Publishing)
(Image: Gearbox Publishing)

PC, Nintendo Switch

What is it? Creative cooperative adventure Blanc follows the story of a wolf cub and a fawn lost in a wide, snowy wilderness.

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The cub and the fawn must work together in an odd alliance, utilising each other's specialties as they make their way across the icy wilderness in search of their families.

With a hand-drawn poetic and artistic aesthetic, players will become fully immersed in Blanc's world as they adventure through the forest. The game looks set to tug at the heartstrings while focusing on the journey and experience, with a relaxing soundtrack accompanying the game's text-free gameplay.

When can I play it? 14 February

Atomic Heart

(Image: Focus Entertainment)(Image: Focus Entertainment)
(Image: Focus Entertainment)

PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

What is it? Proving that there’s still some experimental life in the first-person genre yet, Atomic Hearts does away with the browns and greys of uber-gruff military shooters like Call of Duty in favour of fantastical superpowers and a steampunk aesthetic.

Sure, the fact that it appears easily comparable to Bioshock’s brand of plasmid-powered combat will spark originality debates for months to come, but we’ll take something that at least dares to be a little different any day.

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It’s also coming to Xbox Game Pass on the day of release, so subscribers can play the entire thing with any financial risk!

When can I play it? 21 February

Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe

(Image: Nintendo)(Image: Nintendo)
(Image: Nintendo)

Nintendo Switch

What is it? One day, a mysterious spaceship crash-lands on Planet Popstar. To help the mysterious Magolor, Kirby and his friends set off on a captivating quest.

Originally released on the Nintendo Wii, this ‘Deluxe’ version makes its Switch debut this year, with support for four-player co-op, enhanced visuals - and the ability to take the game anywhere your console goes, of course.

This could be another Nintendo sleeper hit - with all eyes turned to May’s release of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - and games from the Japanese gaming behemoth are always worth a go. Even if you did already play them over ten years ago.

When can I play it? 24 February

Scars Above

(Image: Prime Matter)(Image: Prime Matter)
(Image: Prime Matter)
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What is it? This sci-fi third-person shooter puts players in the space-boots of Dr Kate Ward, an astronaut and scientist, sent to explore a colossal and enigmatic alien structure - The Metahedron - that appears in Earth’s orbit.

Things don’t go as planned and the Metahedron hauls Kate and her team across space onto a mysterious extrasolar planet where she wakes up alone on a strange and hostile world; determined to survive, she set out to find your crew and unravel the mystery behind what’s happened.

Players need to examine their surroundings, scan and analyse alien fauna and flora of the dangerous extrasolar planet, then use the gained knowledge to create various elemental weapons, gadgets, and consumables.

When can I play it? 28 February

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