New Game Releases: January 19th-25th, 2017

Following a meager number of new game releases across the first few weeks of 2017, the flood gates are now beginning to open, with a number of tempting titles hitting store shelves and digital marketplaces this week. For role-playing fans, there’s a quantity of quality offerings, with Kingdom Hearts HD II.8: Final Chapter Prologue extending a compilation of HD remasters, while Tales of Berseria and Yakuza 0 deliver new experiences across each fan-respected franchise. Horror aficionados have it nearly as good with Resident Evil 7 Biohazard scaring the wits out of PS4, Xbox One, and PC owners.

Header Image: Da Capo 3 R, PC

PlayStation 4
Gravity Rush 2 (retail, PSN, $59.99)
Kingdom Hearts HD II.8: Final Chapter Prologue (retail, PSN, $59.99)
Kingdom Hearts HD II.8: Final Chapter Prologue – Limited Edition
Resident Evil 7 Biohazard (retail, PSN, $59.99)
Tales of Berseria (retail, PSN, $59.99)
Tales of Berseria – Collector’s Edition-
Yakuza 0 (retail, PSN, $59.99)

Wii U
Koi DX (eShop, $3.99)
Mega Maze (eShop, $3.99)
Snowball eShop, $3.00)
Star Fox 64 (eShop, Virtual Console, $9.99)
Toby: The Secret Mine (eShop, $9.99)

Xbox One
Resident Evil 7 Biohazard (retail, XGS, $59.99)

3DS
Color Cubes (eShop, $1.49)
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (retail, eShop, $39.99)
Punch Club (eShop, $9.99)

PC (via Steam unless noted)
1979 Invasion Earth ($TBA)
Da Capo 3 R ($TBA)
GoatPunks ($TBA)
Hellenica Tactics ($TBA)
Imperium Galactica ($3.99)
Imperium Galactica II ($7.99)
Lords of New York ($19.99)
Might & Magic Showdown ($19.99)
Nefarious ($TBA)
Pro Basketball Manager 2017 ($17.99)
Queen of Thieves ($TBA)
Resident Evil 7 Biohazard ($59.99)
Stars in Shadow ($18.74)
Super Stone Legacy ($8.99)
Tales of Berseria ($49.99)
The Legend of Dark Witch 2 ($TBA)
Tiny Thor ($TBA)

Robert’s Pick: Regularly, I come across pictures of a bubble-era Japan. These snapshots show a magical time for most, with the Nikkei Index racing and things like capsule hotels, late nights cavorting at private hostess clubs, or salarymen grabbing a bite at an underground food stalls. If I had access to a time machine, late 80s Kabukichō and Golden Gai would definably be very close to the top of my list.

And this week’s release of Yakuza 0 is probably the closest I’ll get to going there, until VR technology becomes both immersive and popular enough to attract Nagoshi-san’s developmental efforts. But beyond the meticulous recreation of historical context, the game has enraptured me for a number of different reasons. It’s storytelling shifts from riotously maniac to poignant, with surreal bits punctuated by exhibitions of gripping underworld chivalry. Of course, there’s the fighting, which is one of the most gratifying with is depictions of heated violence around. As a perk, every punk is a money piñata, dispensing ten thousand yen bills that can be used to upgrade your character. Then there’s the mini-games, with offerings like Fantasy Zone, karaoke, and yes- bikini-clad wrestling. I know 2017 is still young, but this really feels like a game of the year contender.