It’s the first month of the new year and we are already set for a lineup of (hopefully) good games coming out. The big releases in January are mostly from Japanese developers, as expected, but interestingly most of them are fighting games.
Here’s a look at some upcoming games in January:
Street Fighter V Arcade Edition (16th January)
The original 2016 release of Street Fighter V was less than ideal. But the game was promised to be fully supported with updated content through 2020. The two seasons we have seen so far has added more characters, stages and some questionable balance changes. The cross-platform online multiplayer, while barely working at launch, has seen a major revamp.
The third season will come as a free update as well as a fresh new retail release (which includes Season 1 and 2’s DLC characters). Arcade Edition will add the much requested Arcade Mode, Team Battles, new UI, limited time events in the form of Exta Battles, more characters for season 3 (including old favourites like Sagat and Sakura) and more gameplay tweaks with the addition of V-Trigger II and balance changes.
Arcade Edition may be worth checking out if you have yet to touch Street Fighter V due to its lack of content early on.
Platform: PS4, PC
The Inpatient (23rd January)
This horror VR game by Until Dawn developers Supermassive Games was first announced for November last year before it got delayed. Taking place in the same universe as Until Dawn 60 years before the game happens, you are thrown into the Blackwood Sanatorium as a patient. This should give some perspective on the events happened in Until Dawn.
Platform: PS VR
Dragon Ball FighterZ (26th January)
It’s a Dragon Ball fighting game by Arc System Works, what more can you expect? Well, you can expect some lovingly recreated animations that recreates manga panels and anime stills, a hectic 3v3 tag team system ala Marvel VS Capcom games, a cute online lobby and a story mode based on an original story for the game.
Don’t worry, despite being a fighting game, Dragon Ball FighterZ is easy enough for a casual gamer to pick up and have fun with it.
Platform: PS4, PC, Xbox One
Monster Hunter: World (26th January)
Two big releases on the same day. Alongside DBFZ, Monster Hunter: World is out on the consoles. Either solo or up to four friends, embark on a monster hunt in exotic locations. Prep meals to gain buffs, track the monsters from their footprints, set traps and finally take them down with an assortment of ludicrous weapons.
Then get crafting materials from the monsters to make even more weapons and gears and hunt monsters all over again. There is significant depth to the combat system, so if you’re itching for an action RPG that rewards you for understanding its many systems, this is worth checking out.
Platform: PS4, Xbox One (PC in Autumn 2018)
Dissidia Final Fantasy NT (30th January)
Dissidia, the franchise that pits the heroes and villains of all the Final Fantasy games as an action-RPG/fighting game, will debut on console for the first time.
Based on the already successful arcade version in Japan, Dissidia Final Fantasy NT adds more characters to choose from and a story mode, as well as a multiplayer suite for 3v3 fights.
The game has a significant push for the fighting game crowd, with demos available at EVO 2017 and a tournament organised with Amazon is set to happen this year. Yet still, this is far from a traditional fighting game. If you are familiar with the PSP games before, you’ll feel right at home.
Platform: PS4