The Waylanders

Developer Gato Studio’s recent The Waylanders is an interesting concept with hints of promise here and there, but all of these good aspects come with their own sets of caveats. While the story is interesting on some levels, it’s marred down by unimpressive voice acting and pacing that’s all over the place. Then there’s the gameplay, which is engaging but is plagued with bugs and glitches galore. Taken as a whole, however – it’s recommended that you pass on this game.

Warhammer 40,000: Darktide

Developer Fatshark’s upcoming Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is a co-op survival game set against the backdrop of the Warhammer 40k universe. Assuming the role of Inquisition soldiers, players have to take the charge of defeating waves upon waves of cultists before they shatter the planet of Atoma Prime to pieces. Gameplay primarily revolves around defeating enemies using long-range weaponry, although players will also have the option to get up close and personal with enemies using melee weapons.

Warhammer 40,000: Darktide releases for all major console platforms and PC sometime in 2022.

Dying Light 2 Stay Human

First announced at E3 2018, time has done very little to dull enthusiasm for Dying Light 2 Stay Human. Set 20 years after the first game, civilization has pretty much collapsed and The City is the last major bastion against the virus. As Aiden Caldwell, players enter in search of their sister and become embroiled in the conflict between various Factions while struggling to stave off the infection. Improved parkour mechanics and combat, a larger map with numerous areas to explore, and new Infected enemies to contend with are just a few things one can look forward to. Be careful who you trust and ally with since those decisions can influence the fate of The City. Dying Light 2 Stay Human releases on February 4^th for PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One.

Sifu

Your master is dead and it’s up to you to avenge them. Sifu sees you embark through a series of locations – from an underground fighting ring to an art gallery – in order to defeat the five targets responsible. Along with various Kung Fu techniques and combos, you can use objects from the environment as weapons and takedown foes with brutal efficiency. If you go down, a special talisman allows you to revive but at the cost of aging you, which provides increased damage and the ability to unlock new techniques at the cost of your overall health. Can you progress through the entire game without succumbing to death? We’ll find out when Sifu launches on February 8^th for PS4, PS5 and PC.

CrossfireX

Based on Smilegate’s super-popular free to play tactical shooter, CrossfireX tells the story of Global Risk and Black List, two PMCs constantly at odds. Developed by Remedy Entertainment with the Northlight Engine, it offers two Operations consisting of multiple missions with their own stories that expand on the universe and its characters. Multiplayer has also seen some upgrades with improved visuals, new maps, changes to the Legendary Mercenaries system and much more. All in all, CrossfireX may be worth checking out for its campaign and hanging around for the competitive aspect when it releases on February 10^th for Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S along with Xbox Game Pass.

Dynasty Warriors 9: Empires

Dynasty Warriors 9 had a rather mixed response since it attempted an open world structure (and failed miserably in the process). Dynasty Warriors 9: Empires doesn’t mess with its winning formula though. Smaller, separate stages are back and there’s a focus on castle sieges along with strategy and management. The Affinity system also makes a return with each character having assigned classes which determines the units that follow them. You can also choose to be a kind, benevolent ruler or go wild with tyranny, all backed by a character creation system that’s akin to Nioh 2. Releasing on February 15^th worldwide, Dynasty Warriors 9: Empires will be available for PS4, PS5 and PC.

The King of Fighters 15

The King of Fighters 15 looks to be everything that series’ fans could ever want. It offers 39 characters at launch from returning classics like Terry Bogard, Kyo Kusanagi and Iori Yagami to new additions like Isla, Krohnen and Dolores. Alongside a new Story Mode, there’s a range of online multiplayer options from 1v1 and 3v3 modes to Draft Mode for banning certain characters on the opposing side. Hardcore fans will also get a kick out of the return of Trials and there’s an extensive amount of character art to unlock along with hundreds of songs to listen to from the entire series. The King of Fighters 15 releases on February 17^th for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.

Horizon Forbidden West

The world is in danger once more. A strange plague called the Red Blight is laying waste to all plant and animal life. In order to learn the truth, Aloy ventures to the Forbidden West which consists of the remains of California, Nevada and Utah. New tribes await along with several new, dangerous Machines like the Sunwing, Slitherfang, Rollerback and Tremortusk. New tools like the Shieldwing for gliding and the Pullcaster for quickly grappling and launching off of surroundings help even the odds. But there’s also a new system for crafting and upgrading weapons at workbenches, an extensive new skill tree that caters to six playstyles, Valor Surges and much more to look forward to. Horizon Forbidden West is out on February 18^th for PS4 and PS5, and looks absolutely gorgeous.

Destiny 2: The Witch Queen

Savathun has finally arrived in Destiny 2 and in The Witch Queen expansion, players must venture to her Throne World, the High Coven, to hunt her down. Along with exploring swamps and her palace to unearth mysteries, one must also deal with the Lucent Brood aka Hive Guardians who wield Light subclasses and Supers. Fortunately, there’s a new weapon crafting system, reworks of the Void subclasses to include Aspects and Fragments, and the new Glaive. New story missions and loot, a new Power cap, a new six player activity and much more are coming on February 22^nd for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, PC and Google Stadia while The Witch Queen’s raid launches on March 5^th.

Elden Ring

FromSoftware’s next magnum opus and winner of The Game Awards’ “Most Anticipated Game” award for two years straight, Elden Ring is almost here. Releasing on February 25^th for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5 and PC, it features the Souls-like combat we know and love but with unbridled freedom to customize one’s character with different abilities, Spirits and weapons. Though the main route can be completed in about 30 hours, the open world offers dozens of hours of gameplay, from world bosses like Agheel the dragon to optional dungeons and secrets to uncover. In short, Elden Ring is a massive game that will keep one busy for months to come.

GRID Legends

The second major game from Codemasters following its acquisition by Electronic Arts, GRID Legends looks to be leaps and bounds above its 2019 reboot. It offers a new Story Mode “Driven the Glory” with a deeper narrative focus revolving around the player’s competitive battle against long-time antagonist Nathan McKane. In addition to over 130 tracks and more than 100 vehicles – from trucks to electric cars – there’s also Career Mode which offers hundreds of events and Race Creator for customizing and sharing your own races. GRID Legends releases on February 25^th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC, and includes cross-platform play and free upgrades for previous-to-current gen console owners.

Evil Dead: The Game

Saber Interactive’s co-op survival horror title based on the Evil Dead franchise doesn’t have a solid release date just yet but it’s still slated for February. Characters like Kelly Maxwell, Scotty, Lord Arthur and Pablo Simon Bolivar are present alongside Ash Williams himself (with Bruce Campbell onboard and providing some brand new dialogue). Along with exploring environments and locating items to stop the evil from entering the real world, players can also assume the role of a Kandarian Demon or possess Deadites and the survivors to slay the human side. With over 25 weapons and numerous skills to unlock, it promises to be a groovy time on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, PC and Nintendo Switch.