The brand new 12 months is poised to be a wonderful 12 months for video video games. If all goes in accordance with plan, we’ll get a brand new Nintendo console, Grand Theft Auto VI, and different new video games in beloved sequence like Borderlands, Doom, Deadly Fury, Mafia, Metroid Prime, Monster Hunter, and Murderer’s Creed. Whereas the primary month of the 12 months doesn’t have many heavy hitters, January does set up a sense that 2025 will probably be a 12 months stuffed with beloved sequence making comebacks. We’re getting remasters of beloved video games like Freedom Wars and Donkey Kong Nation Returns along with Dynasty Warriors: Origins, which is able to reinvent the Musou formulation.
Whilst you’re most likely nonetheless recovering from working by means of your gaming backlog over the vacation, online game releases aren’t slowing down. That will help you get a greater concept of which specific video games you have to be keeping track of, I’ve rounded up seven of essentially the most tantalizing video games set to launch someday throughout January 2025.
Freedom Wars Remastered (January 10)
Really useful for those who like: Sword Artwork On-line: Deadly Bullet
Freedom Wars has a status for being top-of-the-line video games ever launched for the PlayStation Vita. It’s a cooperative motion sport the place, as a part of serving a 1,000,000-year jail sentence, gamers battle monsters known as Abductors. Freedom Wars’ fascinating tackle a postapocalyptic world and artistic concepts such because the grappling hook-like “Thorn” and programmable cyborg “Equipment” that battle alongside gamers resonated with lots of people, however not a lot has been completed with this IP because the unique sport’s launch on the PS Vita. Now, Dimps and Bandai Namco are attempting to reinvigorate curiosity within the sequence with this remaster, which updates textures, provides 4K assist, and overhauls the sport’s weapon crafting and problem programs.
Freedom Wars Remastered launches for PC, PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Swap on January 10.
Hyper Mild Breaker (January 14)
Really useful for those who like: Photo voltaic Ash
Coronary heart Machine and Arc Video games’ successor to Hyper Mild Drifter is much more formidable. It’s a 3D roguelike motion sport the place gamers discover a procedurally generated open world on the lookout for bosses to battle. If gamers die sufficient, the entire world will reset, and gamers must restart their quest in a spot that appears completely completely different. With that procedural technology system and co-op, it’s actually the largest sport that Coronary heart Machine has made but. The sport enters early entry this month, so it’ll be value keeping track of Hyper Light Breaker’s journey all through the entire 12 months.
Hyper Light Breaker enters early entry on PC on January 14.
Donkey Kong Nation Returns HD (January 16)
Really useful for those who like: Nikoderiko: The Magical World
As we look ahead to Nintendo to announce and launch the successor to the Nintendo Switch, we’re getting some Swap remasters to kick off 2025. The primary is Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, a high-definition port of the Retro Studios platformer. Donkey Kong Nation Returns was initially launched for Wii in 2010 earlier than coming to 3DS with extra ranges in 2023. This Swap launch would be the first console model of the sport to characteristic the 3DS ranges and never require movement controls. On prime of that, a brand new trendy mode will make the journey simpler for first-time gamers. The unique Donkey Kong Nation Returns was top-of-the-line video games on the Wii, so it’s nice {that a} new technology of avid gamers can test it out on Nintendo Swap.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD launches solely for Nintendo Swap on January 16.
Dynasty Warriors: Origins (January 17)
Really useful for those who like: Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
Koei Tecmo’s Musou video games, most of which embody the phrase “Warriors” someplace within the title, are a number of the most exhilarating motion video games on the market. Earlier Dynasty Warriors video games have been all about feeling like an overpowered hero as you hack and slash by means of 1000’s of enemies on an unlimited battlefield. Dynasty Warriors: Origins performs into that formulation, but it surely additionally branches out by incorporating extra parts from character motion video games. Studying easy methods to dodge and parry is extra necessary than ever earlier than, particularly within the powerful boss fights that cap off the sport’s ranges. I extremely advocate checking out the demo for this sport to see for those who benefit from the distinct aptitude of this long-running Koei Tecmo sequence.
Dynasty Warriors: Origins launches for PC, PS5, and Xbox Collection X/S on January 17.
Everlasting Strands (January 28)
Really useful for those who like: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Many former Bioware devs have tried to spin up their very own studios, however not all of those have succeeded. Fortunately, former Dragon Age director Mike Laidlaw’s Yellow Brick Video games was profitable and is launching its first sport this month. It’s Everlasting Strands, a fantasy motion sport that emphasizes the participant’s magical powers and environmental interactions. Gamers should battle and finally take down fantastical enemies like dragons or big golems utilizing these gameplay programs. Everlasting Stands appears to be like prefer it might dwell as much as Bioware’s legacy by providing up some pure fantasy enjoyable, so I’m excited to verify the sport out later this month.
Eternal Strands launches for PC, PS5, and Xbox Collection X/S on January 28.
Sniper Elite Resistance (January 30)
Really useful for those who like: Sniper: Ghost Warrior Contracts 2
Insurrection has had the Sniper Elite sequence’ formulation nailed down for a very long time, but it surely’s switching some issues up for Sniper Elite Resistance. The wonderful X-ray kill cams and complicated gunplay the sequence is thought for are nonetheless right here, however Resistance stars a Particular Operation Govt agent named Harry Hawker quite than the sequence’ typical protagonist, Karl Fairburne. It’s additionally set in France, as Hawker fights alongside the French Resistance to take down the Nazis. It has notable multiplayer parts, too, as gamers can work collectively to finish missions, invade different gamers’ worlds as Axis troopers, or battle in 16-player PvP battles.
Sniper Elite Resistance launches for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Collection X/S on January 30. It is going to be a part of the Xbox Recreation Move Final catalog from day one.
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector (January 31)
Really useful for those who like: Disco Elysium
The unique Citizen Sleeper was a shock indie hit in 2022. Gamers had been impressed with the way it fused the choice-driven really feel of tabletop RPGs with a dystopic sci-fi fi world. Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector as soon as once more places gamers in charge of a Sleeper who has a synthetic physique, however the thoughts of a human. Gamers are on the run in Starward Vector, so lots of time needs to be spent sustaining a ship, discovering crew members to assist man it, and finishing contracts. After all, dialogue selections and cube rolls will impression the narrative alongside the way in which, which ought to hold issues contemporary even for individuals who’ve performed the unique rather a lot.
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector will probably be launched for PC, PS5, Xbox Collection X/S, and Nintendo Swap on January 31.
Extra new video games in January 2025
- Wuthering Waves for PS5 (January 2)
- Sea Fantasy (January 7)
- Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana (January 7)
- Airborne Empire (January 13)
- Aloft (January 15)
- Assetto Corsa EVO (January 16)
- Blade Chimera (January 16)
- Morkull Ragast’s Rage (January 16)
- Tales of Graces f Remastered (January 17)
- Magic Inn (January 20)
- Closing Fantasy VII Rebirth for PC (January 23)
- Responsible Gear Attempt for Nintendo Swap (January 23)
- Ravenswatch (January 23)
- Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Energy Battles (January 23)
- Synduality: Echo of Ada (January 23)
- Area Engineers 2 (January 27)
- Neptunia Riders vs. Dogoos (January 28)
- Orcs Should Die! Deathtrap (January 28)
- The Stone of Insanity (January 28)
- Tails of Iron II: Whiskers of Winter (January 28)
- Virtua Fighter 5: R.E.V.O. (January 28)
- Warside (January 28)
- Hello Kitty Island Adventure for PC and Nintendo Swap (January 30)
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 for PC (January 30)
- Phantom Courageous: The Misplaced Hero (January 30)
- Genso Manege (January 31)
