The Games of January 2020
Happy New Year! 2020 is here and that means a new year in gaming is just about to begin, but what the end of the year will bring, with two new consoles expected, is unknown at this point. What we do know are the first few months of the year are already packed with games, here are the ones you can look forward to in the month of January, just note, these lists are not everything, just the big ones.
It is summer in Australia and that means that the Tennis is rolling across the country, but the highlight each year is the Australian Open. Last year developer Big Ant released AO Tennis to mostly mixed reviews and while the game was improved post release, this next installment should be a grand slam out of the gate.
Combine the ability to create a character, with the option to build your very own Tennis mecha and the game is going to give you a lot to do, I for one am hoping I can lower the volume on the grunts and groans.
This RPG series from Koei Tecmo has been quietly making progress in gaining fans for years now, with the first entry releasing back in 2012 for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita. The series has been released individually on current platforms, but this Deluxe Trilogy pack means you will get all three titles in one go.
Expect refinements and improvements, like being able to run faster across fields, or fast forward through combat, in addition to all the DLC, it is going to be a lot of game for your dollar.
Judgement failed to deliver so people have been hoping that the next title from Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio brings back the fun that players have been missing. Not only does the game move away from the Tokyo setting but Yakuza: Like a Dragon is also the first main game not to have Kazuma Kiryu as its protagonist, introducing the new character Ichiban Kasuga instead.
Perhaps the change that will get people the most is that it is no longer a straight forward beat’em up, but now a four person team based rpg, which honestly sounds like it could be a treat, especially given some of the moves from the latest Japanese trailer.
Ka…. Dragon Ball is a series that has been going far long that most might think, but in that time we have had countless games where you can lay the smack down on characters from the series, but this is the first time where we can experience the complete story of Goku, known as Kakarot to some Saiyans, from flying nimbus days, to gold hair warrior.
There are some RPG elements expected for the game as well, giving you a little more creative licence to your story of Goku, but my hands on with the game at E3 2019, did not leave me with high hopes, but I do enjoy being proven wrong.
Ah the Wii U, a platform that had some cool ideas and even cooler games, just nothing to back up its bark, which is why Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore is the 11th title to make the jump to Switch. This RPG is made by powerhouse Atlus and blends the worlds of Fire Emblem and Shin Megami Tensei in a very unique manner.
The Encore edition is expected to have new songs and more for returning players to enjoy, but I would imagine there are other things we don’t yet know added as well, so get ready to battle out some tunes for this one.
The Oddworld series is one of fun and weirdness, all wrapped up in an ever changing genre, the first two games were sidescrolling platforms, then a 3rd person platformer and then a first person shooter. Stranger’s Wrath originally released on Xbox, the original, but has since come to almost every platform made, including mobile devices and now the Switch is getting in on the action.
The game will make use of the Switch’s unique options, including gyro-aiming, plus expect tighter visuals across the board, series creator Lorne Lanning has said “It plays best on Nintendo Switch“ which is a good thing to hear.
Bonkers, but beautiful is how I feel about Journey to the Savage Planet, the game takes the tropes of exploration and survival, but throws it under a skin of weird and crazy creatures, plants and everything else under the sun, in fact I am not even sure about the sun in the sky in the game.
You are sent to a remote planet, but your ship is damaged upon landing(crashing) so repairing it is critical, but the catch is that you have no idea what materials are around, so scan, shoot and scavenge, whatever you need to do, to survive and complete your mission.
The classic series has been replaced by the behemoth that is World of Warcraft, but as the saying goes, everything old is new again and Blizzard agree. Reforged is not changing anything about the core gameplay, but just giving everything a new coat of paint and tightening up the areas that need it, oh and it comes with the expansion as well.
Perhaps the most amazing feat is that if you already own the original game, but your mate has avoided getting it, cause it looks old, worry not. Both the classic game and the Reforged edition are compatible in multiplayer, so you can play against each other.
They are the highlights coming to the world of gaming in January, do any catch your eye or is one that I haven’t listed something you are more excited for?
