Ah, January. The cold has set in, the trees are dead, and we have no holidays to look forward to for MONTHS. Time to fight the crushing ennui by distracting ourselves with video games! Now, typically January is a slow month, filled with the dregs of games that developers had no interest in. Otherwise, they would have been released for the holidays. So let’s take a gander and see if that’s still true!

We’re taking a look at the video games coming out this month to let you know what you should be excited for, what you should pass on, and what you might have missed last month.

Games to be hyped about:

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (PS4, Xbox One, Windows)

A return to form for one of the granddaddies of video gaming, Resident Evil 7 looks heckin’ spooky. Eschewing their recent forays into action games as opposed to horror, Capcom is making sure those pants are soiled by the time you’re done with RE7. This return to their previous approach doesn’t mean a lack of innovation for the series however; this is the first one played in first person, making sure those yelps are even louder when a skinless dog crashes through the window at you. (PS Capcom if you’re listening that scene should be in every RE ever, please and thank you.)

JESUS TAKE THE WHEEL

Gravity Rush 2 (PS4)

The core mechanic of this game (utilization and manipulation of gravity) is so unique and intriguing that I couldn’t NOT recommend it. I loved flying all over the gosh dang place in Gravity Rush, and number 2 is more of the same. It still has amazing aesthetics, new gravity types, 3x times the amount of missions from the first game, and a 2.5 times larger map. If you liked the first Gravity Rush, you’re sure to like Gravity Rush 2.

Games to Skip:

Tales of Beseria(PS3, PS4, Windows)

This game is already out overseas, and the reviews are in… this game is fine. No crazy innovations, just more of the same “Tales of” gameplay you’d expect from the 16^th main entry in a series. But Final Fantasy 15 just came out, and is widely considered superior, so just get that. Or don’t. It’s your life, homie. Do you.

to be fair, the main character in FFXV couldn't pull this off... or could he?!

Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony(PS4, PS Vita)

Looking at this month from a layman’s point of view, Danganronpa V3 is THE hot new game to never hear about ever. It’s super Japanese (strike one), the third in a connected series (strike two) and is an adventure visual novel. Sorry Danganronpa, but strike three means you’re out.

Pictured: Japanese high schoolers?

You Might Have Missed:

Last Guardian (PS4)

This game finally came out after much anticipation, but did it reach the level people were hoping for? Could it? For a full review of the Last Guardian, click this here shameless self plug.

Rollercoaster Dreams (PSVR)

This game is not “good” per say, but if you want to try and make yourself sick, you’ve found the right game. It’s like all the good parts of Rollercoaster Tycoon, except some of those parts were made not good. But the “riding the rides” part is neat, albeit stomach turning at times. So, play at your own discretion.