February brings big video games — and one big controversy

February has come and gone, leaving massive games and a smoldering controversy in its wake. It’s been my busiest month yet editing NPR’s gaming column.

A troubled legacy

“Hogwarts Legacy” proved to be as big (and contested) a debut as the buzz around its presale numbers suggested it would be. The game earned nearly $1 billion and shipped more than 12 million units in its first two weeks. That fact invites comparison to 2022’s year-defining February release, “Elden Ring,” which also sold 12 million copies in its opening weeks.

But while “Elden Ring” sparked instant acclaim, “Hogwarts Legacy” fueled an ongoing debate over “Harry Potter” creator J. K. Rowling. Even though NPR reviewer Brittany Vincent calls it an “early contender for Game of the Year,” she acknowledges that, “this trip to Hogwarts comes with some heavy baggage.” While “Rowling was not directly involved in the game's production (though her creative agency was), the controversy over statements and actions she's made opposing trans rights has led to ongoing calls for a boycott.”

The culture war surrounding “Hogwarts Legacy” got particularly hot on Twitch, where it became the platform’s most-streamed game ever and where viewers expressed disappointment or outrage with influencers who played it. One channel, “Girlfriend Reviews,” criticized the game and accused it of dealing in anti-semitic imagery, but was hounded off of Reddit for broadcasting it all the same.

‘Wild Hearts’ competes with a popular franchise

While fans and detractors battled over “Hogwarts Legacy,” the month rolled along with other big-budget releases — like Electronic Arts and Koei Tecmo’s “Wild Hearts,” a bold challenge to Capcom’s popular “Monster Hunter” series.

I’ve sunk more than 100 hours into 2020’s “Monster Hunter: Rise,” so “Wild Hearts’” kinder, gentler approach intrigued me. Where “Monster Hunter” requires you to master precise combat and Byzantine systems, “Wild Hearts” offers simpler gear to craft, bigger creatures to fight and crazier contraptions to construct (like a giant mallet that wallops foes).

It’s also easier to play online, which I tried with NPR reviewer Vanessa McGinnis. It only took us a few minutes to set out from camp and track down a hostile boar the size of a hill. While it flung me off a cliff once, we did manage to slash and batter it into submission. Better yet, McGinnis also helped me tame the wilderness — building ziplines and towers that stuck around even after she’d left.

I don’t think it’ll eclipse “Monster Hunter,” but I concur with McGinnis that while it’s “far from perfect, ‘Wild Hearts’ still has the building blocks of a successful franchise.”

History plays

February also brought a 2014 Japanese game to international audiences for the first time. The newly remade “Like a Dragon: Ishin!” follows Sakamoto Ryōma, a samurai who fights against the strict hierarchies of 1860s Japan while he investigates the murder of his mentor, Yoshida Tōyō. Both men are based on real historical figures, as is much of the game’s cast.

That grounding doesn’t stop “Ishin!” from indulging in whimsical humor and ridiculous minigames (ranging from fan dancing to chicken racing to completely anachronistic karaoke). And while characters may be named after real people, their likenesses come from the “Yakuza” series that the game spun off from. “It's almost like watching a historical TV show populated by actors who got famous in a different genre,” writes NPR contributor George Yang.

If you prefer more realistic historical fiction, the new “Company of Heroes 3” may be worth a shot. The World War II strategy game recreates the often-overlooked Mediterranean theater from North Africa to Italy. NPR’s Alex Curley especially loved its multiplayer modes, which he lauds as “sharp, intense and addicting as ever.”

The powerful (and niche) PlayStation VR 2 headset

Sony had already dipped its toes into virtual reality with a 2016 headset. This year, the company dove in with the PS VR2 — praised for its comfort, crisp visuals and immersive controls. If you can swallow the asking price ($550), you’ll be treated to far more detailed experiences than rivals like Meta’s Quest 2 can render.

But here’s the catch: The PS VR2 doesn’t just require an already-expensive PS5 — you have to be physically wired to the console to use it.

NPR’s James Delahoussaye likes the headset, but hit his TV “at least three times” while playing its flagship title, “Horizon Call of the Mountain.”

“I found myself regularly having to pause the game to pull the cable away from my feet, worried I'd yank the PS5 from the media center,” writes Delahoussaye. “And of course, my wife couldn't use the TV or even really relax in the same room lest she risk getting sideswiped while I battled dinobots.”

There also aren’t that many new games for the headset. “Resident Evil Village” and “Gran Turismo 7” both got exclusive VR updates, but besides “Call of the Mountain,” the rest of PS VR2’s catalog can be played on cheaper competing platforms. While some reviewers remain optimistic that its library will expand, it’s unlikely to appeal beyond invested enthusiasts.