Home Video Games The biggest video game releases in January 2017

The biggest video game releases in January 2017

December 28, 2016

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2017 is kicking off the right way as some of the most anticipated titles of year are releasing right out of the gate. This month you’ll be able to get your hands on Sony’s gorgeous new Gravity Rush sequel for PS4, one of the most beloved Dragon Quest entries remastered on Nintendo 3DS, and the spine-tingling next chapter in Capcom’s Resident Evil series, among other huge titles available in January. Get ready for tons of thrilling gameplay!

[Note: The below release dates are subject to change at the sole discretion of the game publisher at any time.]

Gravity Rush 2

Release Date: January 20, 2017
Genre: Action-adventure
Platform(s): PlayStation 4
ESRB Rating: T (Teen, 13+)

Announced at Tokyo Game Show 2015, Gravity Rush 2 for PS4 puts you back in control of gravity shifter Kat who continues her journey to reclaim her lost memories. I had a chance to play early demos of the game at Tokyo Game Show, and subsequent events like last year’s E3 and Fan Expo Canada, and each time I walk away extremely impressed with how this new entry is coming along. The original Gravity Rush is still one of PS Vita’s greatest games of all time, and the developers SIE Japan Studio have taken the best parts of that game—such as the breathtaking cel-shaded graphics and innovative gravity shifting gameplay—and expanded on them in the new PS4 game. The floating city in which the game takes place in, Hekseville, is larger, livelier, more colourful, and more dynamic than ever before. Kat also has all-new, powerful gravity attacks to take out the Nevi monsters, and two new gravity styles to master: Lunar, a style that makes Kat lighter and more agile, and Jupiter, a style that adds gravitation weight and makes Kat’s attacks stronger. Gravity Rush 2 also welcomes back Kat’s partner Raven, and together the two can perform devastating tag-team attacks. I can’t wait to play more!

Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King

Release Date: January 20, 2017
Genre: Role-playing
Platform(s): Nintendo 3DS
ESRB Rating: T (Teen, 13+)

Last fall, Square Enix gave us the brilliant remastered version of Dragon Quest VII, and on January 20^th comes the timeless next entry in this legendary role-playing series, Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King, rebuilt from the ground up on Nintendo 3DS. When I think back to my favourite RPGs of all time, Dragon Quest VIII easily is near the top for its amazing art direction, inspired cast of characters, and unforgettable, epic journey to save the world from the twisted magician. This version includes updates to the original, like additional story content, full voice acting, improved graphics, two more playable characters, new side quests, and a new quick save feature. Fans of the classic PS2 original, and those who love expansive, immersive RPGs, will not want to miss out on what’s sure to be an amazing new updated version.

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

Release Date: January 24, 2017
Genre: Action, Survival horror
Platform(s): PlayStation 4, Xbox One
ESRB Rating: M (Mature, 17+)

Old school Resident Evil fans are in for a treat with the newest entry in Capcom’s pulse-pounding survival horror franchise. The original Resident Evil released more than 20 years ago, and gave players plenty of scares with its ominous mansion setting, scarce resources, and terrifying creatures out to get you. In recent years though, the mainline series moved more and more towards the action shooter genre, with more zombies and bigger guns, effectively leaving its horror roots behind.

Resident Evil 7 is out to reverse that trend and bring us full circle back to a spine-chilling, nightmarish setting where every moment could be your last. RE7 places you in the role Ethan Winters, a civilian with no weapons or combat training, who journeys to the fictional town of Dulvey, Louisiana, in search of his wife. Winters’ search takes him to a run-down farmhouse and mansion in Dulvey, and that’s where his horrifying tale begins. In a big departure for the series, RE7 is presented entirely in first-person perspective (instead of a traditional third-person view) to amplify the moment-to-moment shocks and scares. I’ve really enjoyed the Resident Evil 7 “First Hour” demo that’s been available for some time now, and I’m really looking forward to playing more. If you’re brave enough, RE7 is compatible with PlayStation VR to bring the immersion to a whole new level.

Yakuza 0

Release Date: January 24, 2017
Genre: Action
Platform(s): PlayStation 4
ESRB Rating: M (Mature, 17+)

In Sega’s Yakuza 0 you’ll get to travel back to 1980s Japan and dive into the seedy underworld of crime, sin, and opportunity. I’m excited that we’ll finally learn the origin stories of Kazuma Kiryu, the rising Dragon of Dojima, and Goro Majima, before he became known as the Mad Dog of Shimano. For the first time ever in a numbered Yakuza entry Goro Majima is playable, and he possesses his own unique fighting style and abilities. I’m excited to explore the near limitless number of ways to spend, make, or take money in Yakuza 0, from beating it out of rival gang members, to operating Telephone Clubs, to winning Pocket Circuit car races. Just a few weeks away!

Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8: Final Chapter Prologue

Release Date: January 24, 2017
Genre: Role-playing
Platform(s): PlayStation 4
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10+)

While we all wait patiently for Square Enix’s Kingdom Hearts 3, the company is giving us a chance to jump back into this incredible saga with Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8: Final Chapter Prologue. The title sure is a mouthful and for good reason: this special compilation includes three full Kingdom Hearts experiences that no fans should miss. Included is a full-HD remastered version of Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance, originally on Nintendo 3DS and available on home consoles for the very first time. You’ll also get Kingdom Hearts x Back Cover, a new HD movie that retells the events of the mobile title Kingdom Hearts Unchained x. Finally, a completely new playable episode, entitled Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep – A Fragmentary Passage, is included and will directly connect to the story of Kingdom Hearts III. So far I’ve had a chance to play a demo of Dream Drop Distance and A Fragmentary Passage, and both of them look and play incredibly well on PS4. Above all else though, I’m stoked to get a teaser for what’s to come in KH3!