Welcome back from the Christmas break everyone. Fingers crossed that you’ve had a good time over the holidays, and you’re well rested heading into the New Year. I wouldn’t know anything about rest right now though, considering this article has been written before Christmas, but by the time you’ve read this, I’ll have probably sunk about 100 hours into Baldur’s Gate 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 over the break.
Before this goes off on a stupid tangent though, let’s talk about the biggest new games of January 2024. Compared to the almost tidal wave of games that was 2023, January 2024 is starting out kind of slow, which means if you’ve got some games to catch up on, those first few weeks of January are going to be vital. Still, the games that are launching in January 2024 are well worth your attention.
New Games of January 2024
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown | January 18th, 2024
What’s going on at Ubisoft right now? In the time it’s taken for Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time’s remake to be announced, delayed and now seemingly disappeared, Ubisoft will have announced and released a whole new Prince of Persia game instead. Thankfully, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown looks like it’s going to be a fantastic homage to the roots of the franchise, while featuring modern Metroidvania and combat elements too.
Controversially, The Lost Crown doesn’t cast players as the titular Prince, as they instead play as the young warrior Sargon, who travels to Mount Qaf in an attempt to rescue a kidnapped prince. A 2D platformer with 3D graphics, and a visual style that’s definitely a lot more eye-catching than whatever the hell Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands was going for, The Lost Crown should be a great start to 2024.
The Last Of Us Part 2 Remastered | January 19th, 2024
Naughty Dog has to be commended for their Earth-conscious approach to game design and releases. Somehow, they’ve managed to turn two games into five separate releases, which is remarkable when you really think about it. Okay, that might be a bit dismissive of the amount of effort that’s been added to the graphics of Part 1 at least, but Part 2 might be a harder sell for even the most devout fan of The Last of Us.
It seems like Naughty Dog are at least aware they’re fighting an uphill battle though, as The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered features some pretty big new features compared to the previous game. This remastered version will come complete with a roguelike mode called No Return, which promises new abilities and characters players have never been able to play as before. It sounds like fun, though this Forbes article does point out the irony of a game about “breaking the cycle of violence” patching in a mode all about perpetuating a cycle of violence.
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy | January 25th, 2024
To say that Phoenix Wright is a genuine mascot for Capcom at this point is an understatement, considering we’ve seen the character drop 50 hit combos on the likes of Iron Man and Captain America in Marvel Vs Capcom 3, but he’s far from the only playable character in the series. Wright already had his own HD trilogy collection, but now’s the time for his protege, Apollo Justice, to get his time in the sun once again.
Like the Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy, Apollo Justice focuses on the next three games in the series. Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney introduced the world to Apollo, and his ability to perceive inconsistencies within witness testimonials, but the trilogy also comes with Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies and Spirit of Justice, which sees both Phoenix and Apollo as playable characters. If you loved the courtroom drama of the first trilogy, this is an easy buy.
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth | January 28th, 2024
Is it an overstatement to say that Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth is possibly Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s biggest and most ambitious game to date? Probably not, considering the sheer amount of modes and side content that’s been announced, along with a story that isn’t going to tug at the heartstrings as it’ll rip them out one by one, but if you’re hoping to start 2024 by digging into a massive RPG, Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth is going to be one hell of a ride.
Following on from the events of Yakuza: Like A Dragon, Infinite Wealth once again follows new protagonist Ichiban Kasuga, as he’s forced to team up with both his old friends and some new ones too. Meanwhile, old protagonist Kazuma Kiryu is also joining Ichiban on his quest, but the Dragon of Dojima is staring down the possible last days of his life as he’s dealing with cancer. Like I said, this one is going to get emotional.
Tekken 8 | January 28th, 2024
Between Street Fighter 6 and Mortal Kombat 1, 2023 was a pretty decent year for fighting games, so 2024 definitely has some big shoes to fill. Bandai Namco are coming out of the gate strong though with Tekken 8, which looks to be the best entry in the series yet. Whether you’re a veteran fan of the The King Of Iron Fist Tournament, or you’re a newcomer looking to rise up the ranks, Tekken 8 should appeal to a wide range of players.
For the casual players, and those who care about the longest running story in all of gaming, Tekken 8’s story mode sees Jin Kazama coming into conflict with his father, Kazuya, amidst a war that threatens to plunge the world into annihilation. If that sounds too heavy for you, there’s also an Arcade Quest mode, where you get to make your own cute avatar, and a suite of training options that should help you improve your skills.
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