Madden 25, FFXIV, Killer Is Dead Hit PSN This Week

It's another big week in the world of video game releases as PlayStation platforms gear up for a hired assassin, killing aliens on a frozen planet, gridiron battles and a return to the magical world of Eorzea.

I'm starting to feel like a broken record here but, again, this time of year is typically when games writers complain about a lack of anything worthwhile as we prepare for the typical holiday season flood. Not so this year as, week after week, numerous big games are hitting both the physical and digital markets.

This week's The Drop over on the PlayStation Blog offers just such a list, beginning with four big retail games. Suda 51's newest over-the-top action game, Killer is Dead, slices into retail this week, along with the alien-blasting Lost Planet 3, this time burying the player in a dozen feet of monster-infested snow.

MMORPG fans will finally get their day in the sun on Tuesday as Final Fantasy XIV Online: A Realm Reborn launches, introducing game that's been so far improved in every way imaginable, it's barely recognizable as the botched first attempt that hit Japan just a couple of years ago.

Finally, football fans have this coming Tuesday marked with a big red circle on the ole calendar, as that's when Madden 25 will be available for yet another season of gridiron goodness.

Spelunky finally releases on PlayStation consoles this week, too, offering its tough-as-nails exploration on both the PS3 and Vita as a cross buy, cross play game. The dating sim, Sweet Fuse: At Your Side will also hit the Vita this week, alongside the likes of The HD Adventures of Rotating Octopus Character and Floating Cloud God: Saves the Pilgrims in HD.

Finally in the new game category, Hatsune Miku Project Diva F finally makes an appearance in the States, bringing her unique brand of Japanese pop to the PlayStation 3 with 38 songs to master.

There's also a PlayStation 2 Classic hitting the store this week as RPG fans get a second chance to try out Crimson Sea 2 in all its digital download glory.

Also worth noting is the launch of the Killzone: Mercenary public beta on the PlayStation Vita, opening the doors to everyone interested in experiencing some FPS action on the go.

Also hitting the PlayStation Network this week will be the 2013 PAX Prime Indie Game Sale, offering deep discounts on nearly a dozen games from just about every genre imaginable. Everyone will get up to 65 percent off on these titles with Plus subscribers getting up to 75 percent off until Sept. 2.

You can check out the full list of games by reading up on the sale's official announcement, but a couple of highlights include Retro City Rampage for $4.99 ($3.74 Plus), Skullgirls for $7.49 ($3.75 Plus) and last year's uuber indie hit, Journey for $7.49 ($3.75) Plus.