Ninjas fight demons, Diablo fights Hades, and children fight ants this week in gaming

That image up there? Yeah, that’s me pep talking myself this week. The War Within dropped patch 11.2 this week, so attention for other games might be a bit divided. With that said, if you’ve managed to finish the campaign (for this week, anyhow) and hit renown 8 annnd filled your vault with shiny loot for next week but now need something to do, well, I’ve got you. This week, we’ve got a new ninja (Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound), the mafia (Mafia: The Old Country), Greek Diablo (Titan Quest 2), and shrunken children with weapons fighting insects (Grounded 2).

Retro Reboot: NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound

Ninja Gaiden is back, baby! Not the one from the Xbox, no no no, the original, retro ninja has returned. Well, kinda. Helmed this time by the studio who made Soulslike Blasphemous, we’ve returned to the side scrolling retro art style of the past, but built like a more modern game. Surprisingly, you don’t play as Ryu but as another ninja from his village that he’s been training, Kenji Mozu. Having headed to America per his father’s last wishes, Ryu head overseas; of course, this is when the barrier between the demon world and our own breaks and the demons attack Hayabusa village. Even with the new cast, this just feels right, so it’s certainly worth a look. Oh, and the birds are still there.

Get NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound for $25 on Steam. 

Take the Cannoli: Mafia: The Old Country

The original Mafia game was touted as “Grand Theft Auto but in the mobster era” and while it certainly had some charm, it never really felt like it was just there. It seems like it should be easy: an open world, Grand Theft Auto-style third person action game, where you play as a mobster — yet it feels like every time a studio has taken a shot, they’ve missed. Enter Mafia: The Old Country, taking us back to where it all begins, Godfather 2 style. You’re Enzo Favara, and you will do anything for a better life, including swearing yourself to the Torrisi crime family. Know this is more story driven than open world, but all of the early reviews are talking about the excellence of the writing and the cast.

Get Mafia: The Old Country for $50 on Steam.

Hades Yeah: Titan Quest 2

Note: This title has released in Early Access. Take that how you will.

While we wait to see if Blizzard announces anything new related to Diablo 4 at Gamescom, why not kick back and relax with a new action RPG? The original Titan Quest was Diablo 2 but with Greek Mythology, and Titan Quest 2 seems to be taking the road more like Grim Dawn and less like Diablo 4. Characters are created as a single basic “mastery” (think class) and later can pick up a second mastery, allowing for some mixing and matching to create your own class. The previously mentioned Grim Dawn does this for character creation too and it’s always a joy to create something new, so I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what Titan Quest 2 has in store for us.

Get Titan Quest 2 for $24 on Steam.

Dearest, I Minimized the Children: Grounded 2

Note: This has also just released in Early Access.

The base building, backyard crawling, ohgodthatsaspiderhelpmeplease Grounded has returned, as… pretty much what it says on the tin, actually. Grounded 2 is really just the sequel to Grounded; you’re still building bases, making sure to eat and drink, crossing the yard, fighting ants, etc. but just shinier, and that’s okay! Obsidian has added in some changes that should be noted: combat has been expanded and insects can now block your attacks, there’s now an omni-tool so you no longer need to carry multiple tools at once, and they also added in transportation to make getting around faster. As it’s an early access title, expect things to change as development continues, but so far it’s looking very strong.

Get Grounded 2 for $30 on Steam. (Or just check it out on GamePass if you can)