RIP 2016, you tricky bastard.
While last year may not have been to everyone’s liking, even the most negative of YouTube commenters would have to agree that it was a pretty sublime one for gaming. Sure, there were some total failures and more than a handful of AAAÂ games still being sold half-baked, but there was enough quality to see it through. It says a lot that we were able to pick fifty for our best games of 2016 list and still have plenty that could have easily found a spot.
But that’s in the past. This year promises to be a howitzer for gamers with returning franchises and exciting new ideas to get excited about. Let’s start with the five biggest video game releases of January 2017, which might not be the busiest period, though it has a few that are hard to ignore. Saying that, we are ignoring ports and remasters because bleh.
Rise & Shine – Jan 13th
Developer: Super Mega Awesome Hyperdimensional Team
Publisher: Adult Swim Games
Platforms: Windows, Xbox One
Adult Swim had a superb 2016, so of course they’re starting off the New Year in style by teaming with, take a breath, Super Mega Awesome Hyperdimensional Team to bring yet another slice of quirk. Balancing elements of puzzlers and actioners along with a dash of bullet hell titles that are all the rage these days, Rise & Shine sees you play as Rise, who has a talking gun to help him bring down video games. Yup, it’s definitely Adult Swim.
Gravity Rush 2 – Jan 20th
Developers: SIE Japan Studio, Project Siren
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Available on: PS4
One of the most beloved cult games of the last decade gets a sequel that many might not have expected to happen this month. The biggest change comes in how you’re able to twist gravity and what impact it has on combat. Kat is back, so if you have a few coins spare, pick up the first title before you play this and get on the bandwagon for one of gaming’s dark horses.
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard – Jan 24th
Developers: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Available on: PS4
The biggest horror game of 2017 also happens to drop within its first month. It’s a huge departure from what we’ve seen in the franchise so far, even more so than when Leon took a trip to Spain, which has polarised fans. Switching to first-person and focusing on a new set of characters has divided opinion, though we’re cautiously optimistic about Resident Evil 7.
The Wardrobe – Jan 27th
Developer: C.I.N.I.C. Games
Publisher: Game Venture
Available on: PC, Mac
Owing a lot to classic games in the genre, The Wardrobe is a point and click adventure that was successfully greenlit on Steam early last year. It only took six days for it to make the cut, which is easy to understand how when you look at its unique art style and premise. With lashings of gothic aesthetic, a dark sense of humour, and erm, plums, this could be a sleeper hit.
Double Dragon 4 – Jan 30th
Developers: Arc System Works
Publisher: Arc System Works
Available on: PS4, PC
Take a seat: Double Dragon’s arcade version turns thirty years old this year. As crazy as that is to believe, it’s even crazier that we’re getting a new game in 2017. Better yet, the original team are behind Double Dragon 4, including Takaomi Kaneko, Yoshihisa Kishimoto, Koji Ogata, Kazunaka Yamane, and Kei Oyama. If you want to vent your frustrations from 2016, you couldn’t ask for a better opportunity to do it than with a game about punching bad dudes.
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