Team Picks: Most Anticipated Games of January

Team Picks is our monthly feature where members of the team get together to tell you about their most anticipated games of the upcoming month. Why not join in? Let us know what you’re most looking forward to in the comments!

TeamPicks-Jan-ShannonCaptain Toad: Treasure Tracker – My pick for this month is Captain Toad. I throughly enjoyed the Captain Toad portions of Super Mario 3D World and can’t wait to see how it expands to an entire game. It looks to be full of classic Nintendo charm. I think it’ll be a fresh of breath air to kick off 2015 in gaming. My main concern with the game is how it’ll extend to a full game but I believe that it’s a great sign for Nintendo, who are looking to take existing franchises to a new level.

TeamPicks-Jan-EwanDying Light – Left 4 Dead, Dead Island and Mirror’s Edge are all fantastic games. Dying Light, a game that seeks to combine all three in a survival first-person parkour shooter mash-up, sounds – and looks – pretty awesome. The Entertainment industry at large (movies, television and video games included) is saturated by zombie apocalypse themes and this slightly different approach taken by Techland ought to be watched closely. With any luck, it will be a game that successfully combines these gameplay mechanics in a high-adrenaline action game.

TeamPicks-Jan-JakeASaints Row IV: Re-Elected – I never got to play the original Saints Row IV when it originally released back in August of 2013. When I didn’t, I literally felt as if I’d shot myself in the foot with a dub-step gun. I just cannot wait to experience all the wub-wub-wubbing and destruction that I missed out on almost two years ago!

TeamPicks-Jan-JamesResident Evil HD Remaster – It was a tough choice between this game and DONTNOD’s new episodic drama game “Life Is Strange”, but in the end I couldn’t kid myself. I just love Resident Evil too much. And what better game for Capcom to give a fresh coat of paint than the original game that started it all?

When I first played the Remake on the Gamecube back in 2002 I was blown away – not only by the game’s unique and still stunning visuals – but at how much of the game had changed from the Playstation original. New areas, new weapons and even new enemies were shuffling aimlessly around the mansion.

I’m keen to see how the game turns out in the transition to the high definition consoles – and whether it still stands up today since it’s been so long since I played it. But it was such a unique experience back then that I’m almost certain I’ll enjoy it for it’s change of pace from today’s games. I’ll also look forward to play those modes my 13 year old self could never hope of attempting like the nightmarish “Real Survival” mode or even the Invisible Enemy mode.

TeamPicks-Jan-JoshuaDying Light – Dying Light looks exactly like what I felt like the original Dead Island should have looked like when it first came out a couple of years ago. The game itself looks amazing, and the pre-release media looks incredibly compelling. It’s just a game that I’m looking forward to sinking a lot of time into.

TeamPicks-Jan-KevinGrand Theft Auto V (PC) – After a less than desirable console experience and the shocking port of IV on PC, all eyes are on whether V will deliver for PC players. I’m dying to revisit Los Santos in hopefully a steady 60fps, high quality graphic settings and most of all, mods. Free online never hurts either.

TeamPicks-Jan-MatthewSaints Row IV: Re-Elected – I loved the hell out of SR3, but the fourth instalment came at a time when there was just so much to play that it slipped me by. I was especially disappointed considering I had lined up to play it at PAX 2013 as it was so controversial.

With a quieter release schedule coming up I feel that this will fill the void and provide all the entertainment of SR3 with the visual boost of the new-generation consoles.

TeamPicks-Jan-MehdiGrand Theft Auto V (PC) – I’m not even excited for the game because of the missions, multiplayer itself, but rather for the applications of the video editor that will be included with the PC version. I’ve seen some amazing material created with Grand Theft Auto IV on PC, and I can’t wait to get my hands on the tools this game will give me to create some cinematic pieces.

Teampicks-Jan-TroyGrim Fandango Remastered – I was originally introduced to Grim Fandango during high school, where a friend introduced me to the opening scenes of the game. I found the dialogue and interaction amazing, and the Día de Muertos theme incredibly appealing. As morbid as that sounds.

I never got to play the game myself, and I never saw much past the opening of the game, so I’m really looking forward to finally getting around to properly finishing the game. I already know I’m going to enjoy it!