Great games this week: Soulcalibur VI, Thronebreaker, and more

This week, we cross swords with legendary fighters, defend the land from an evil empire, swipe right on Daenerys, and take “Dark Souls” for a walk in the park.

Soulcalibur VI

“Soulcalibur VI” is a return to form for Bandai Namco’s beloved fighting game series.

It comes with two hefty single-player campaigns. The first, Libra of Souls, is an RPG-style adventure where you take your custom-created character around the world, completing quests and fighting a huge variety of warriors along the way.

The second, Souls Chronicle, retells the series’ core narrative through the perspectives of various “Soulcalibur VI” characters. In addition, the mode lets you play character-specific mini-campaigns that flesh out each fighter’s motivations.

The latest addition to the fighting mechanics is the counterattack Reversal Edge, which is triggered by a single button press, activating a cinematic face-off where the two combatants attempt to overwhelm each other with a single attack. This rock-paper-scissors-style sequence introduces the element of luck into the match, which works to keep fighters on their toes.

As for the fighting itself, it’s easy to pick up but tough to become proficient with. Newcomers will be performing fantastic, devastating attacks within minutes, while hardcore gamers will take weeks, perhaps months of training to master a single character’s rich arsenal of moves and combos.

To top it off, every character boasts a unique play style; even guest character Geralt from “The Witcher” games, with his deadly sword attacks and magic Signs, plays like no one else. It’s unfortunate “Soulcalibur VI” has a relatively slim roster of 21 fighters, but this is something DLC can fix.

All in all, “Soulcalibur VI” is a solid fighting game that’s as accessible as it is deep and complex. Whether you’re a newbie or a series veteran, there’s a lot to love about it.

Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales

Love “The Witcher”? Enjoy Gwent? Then “Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales” will bring you pleasure!

In “Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales,” you are Queen Meve as she attempts to fend off the Nilfgaardian invasion. You’ll journey across the land, forming alliances and raising an army to stand against the invaders. But things aren't that easy.

There are spies in your ranks and people whose survival will depend on your words and actions. Needless to say, there will be some difficult choices ahead. The consequences to some of these can change the world in drastic ways, so it pays to be extra cautious before committing to a decision.

Of course, you can’t enhance your military forces without resources. You’ll therefore be recruiting soldiers and scouring various environments for wood and gold. Building and improving your war camp will unlock stronger units, new regions to explore littered with collectible treasures, and loads of optional missions, some of which will even have you slaying mighty dragons.

Each battle is essentially a game of Gwent. But the card game isn’t what it used to be. There are tons of new cards, many of them boasting spectacular abilities that can be combo-ed with others to create powerful attacks. And you’ll unlock even more cards with every person you meet, area you discover, and quest you complete.

In addition to all that, “Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales” also features beautiful art, wonderful voice acting, and strong writing. Did you expect any less from CD Projekt Red?

Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

Reigns: Game of Thrones

Why swipe right on someone who’ll probably never make great partner material when you could be swiping to decide the fate of Westeros?

“Reigns: Game of Thrones” combines the familiar swiping mechanic with HBO’s phenomenal show to create a game that’s as simple to play as it is fun to explore.

Playing as any of several characters from the series, the game sits you on the Iron Throne and tasks you with governing Westeros. Of course, to survive as ruler, you’ll need to make difficult decisions. Will you attack a city, or leave it in peace? Destroy the followers of the Red God, or show them mercy? Ally yourself with Daenerys, or shun her? Be prepared for a lot of swiping!

The icons at the top of the screen represent the four factions whose favor you can win or lose with every choice you make. The game ends prematurely if you completely fill up or empty any of the icons, so you’ll need to play a clever balancing game.

The longer you rule, the more secrets you’ll uncover, events you’ll unlock, and people you’ll meet. Every new discovery will give you additional things to do, including battles to fight, festivities to enjoy, lands to explore, deals to make, families to bribe, backs to stab, and more. As you gather more intelligence, you’ll find your perspectives shifting, so that as your decisions shape the world, the consequences of your actions shape you as a ruler, as well.

A palm-sized experience packed with tough choices and shocking consequences, “Reigns: Game of Thrones” will please gamers and fans of the show.

Platforms: PC, Android, iOS

Dark Souls Remastered

“Dark Souls Remastered” is finally available on the Nintendo Switch, complete with the core game, the excellent “Artorias of the Abyss” DLC, and numerous graphical upgrades from improved textures to enhanced lighting and particle effects.

The Switch version’s TV resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, handheld resolution of 1280 x 820 pixels, and 30fps frame rate may not be as impressive as the 4k and 60fps on PlayStation 4 Pro and Xbox One X. The game nevertheless looks good, not to mention there’s something compelling about playing “Dark Souls” on the go.

On the downside, there isn’t much else that’s new in Dark Souls Remastered. It’s very much the same game as the 2011 release; it doesn’t even include conveniences introduced in the sequels, such as the ability to teleport between bonfires from the get-go.

Still, “Dark Souls” remains an extraordinarily rewarding experience. As the best version of the game ever produced, “Dark Souls Remastered” is a welcome addition to your library if you’re a diehard “Soulsborne” fan, and an excellent jumping-off point for those eager to experience the series for the first time.

Platforms: Switch (also PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC)

— LA, GMA News