January Games Release Radar: Gods, legends, and thieves kick off the new year!

2022 is kicking off with some big names in the gaming universe. Find out which games you can look forward to at the beginning of the year with the TAG24 Games Release Radar.

God of War (finally on PC)

The big, bad, angry dad/warrior/god Kratos is bringing his family to PC!
The big, bad, angry dad/warrior/god Kratos is bringing his family to PC!  © Santa Monica Studio/Playstation

Facts:

  • Genre: Action role-playing game
  • Platform: PC
  • ESRB Rating: M for Mature
  • Release Date: January 14

The God of War, Kratos, is finally coming to PC after Sony decided to unshackle one of its most iconic characters from PlayStation exclusivity.

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After the events of the first three games – where Kratos takes on the Olympic gods and becomes the God of War – he is now a mortal in the realm of the Norse gods and a father struggling to raise his son while not losing his cool.

This tale is a more mature take on the iconic angry warrior, and also adds a coming of age story for his teenage son, as the two take on the Norse gods and navigate their own relationship.

Moving God of War to PC opens the door for more games to get their own PC release in the future, which would be a massive move – giving players a chance to try some of the best games that are exclusive to PlayStation.

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Extraction

Tactical approach: Up to three players can go parasite hunting in co-op mode, but the campaign can also be played solo.
Tactical approach: Up to three players can go parasite hunting in co-op mode, but the campaign can also be played solo.  © Ubisoft

Facts:

  • Genre: Tactical Shooter
  • Platform: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series
  • ESRB Rating: M for Mature
  • Release date: January 20

The tactical co-op first-person shooter drops in mid-January for PC and all major consoles – except Nintendo Switch – and pits you against a vicious enemy: deadly alien parasites called Archaea.

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The maps feature several locations in the US, where up to three players can fight the parasitic creatures while carrying out objectives, upgrading gear and weapons, and even giving you the option to compete with other squads and players for high scores.

According to developer Ubisoft, strategic action is of the utmost importance. In the single-player mode, certain crew members can be selected and prepared for the upcoming confrontation. Of course, there are plenty of weapons and equipment at your disposal, and Ubisoft wants you to know that there are 800 possible squad combinations available to you.

The slick tactical shooter gameplay from Rainbow Six: Siege should work nicely in a co-op missions-based game. So if you like that style of FPS, January's highlight will certainly be Rainbow Six Extraction.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus

Pokémon in a Zelda-style open world? It's about time.
Pokémon in a Zelda-style open world? It's about time.  © Nintendo

Facts:

  • Genre: RPG-Adventure
  • Platform: Nintendo Switch
  • ESRB Rating: E for Everyone
  • Release Date: January 28

On January 28th, fans of the Pokémon series will finally get what they've been longing for with Pokémon Legends: Arceus.

The newest addition to the Pokémon franchise aims to give you a large, open world with free-roaming critters for you to discover and catch.

Unfortunately, this game is not shaping up to be as pretty-looking as other open-world titles from Nintendo. But it may be even more exciting because it's a game that finally lets fans of the series wander around and snag Pokémon without feeling like they are stuck in the early 2000s.

For now, the open world doesn't look super exciting in its trailer, but its graphics should take a backseat to exploring the beginning of the era where humans and Pokémon lived side-by-side.

This will be a new look at the weird world of Pokémon, and in the immortal words of Ash Ketchum, "You gotta catch 'em all!"

Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection

"Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection" looks outstanding.
"Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection" looks outstanding.  © Naughty Dog/Sony

Facts:

  • Genre: Action-Adventure
  • Platform: PC, PS5
  • ESRB Rating: T for Teen
  • Release Date: January 28

At the end of January, Sony and developer Naughty Dog will launch their flagship adventures Uncharted 4: A Thief's End and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy in remastered versions for the Playstation 5. A PC version will follow later in 2022.

The two award-winning games already looked outstanding on the previous console and are now set to take Sony's flagship to new graphic heights.

In addition to gorgeous visuals, new 3D audio and better performance – as well as the adaptive triggers of the controller – add to the remastered games' polish. It's something that other remakes for the Playstation 5 have already capitalized on.

Despite updated graphics, the content of the games will not change, so these remastered gems will make the most sense for players who haven't played Uncharted yet.

New games for Playstation Plus and Xbox Games with Gold

To top it all off, here are the free games Sony will make available for the PS Plus service in January:

  • DIRT 5
  • Deep Rock Galactic
  • Persona 5 Strikers

Microsoft's Games with Gold will also give you these free games in January:

  • NeuroVoid
  • Aground
  • Radiant Silvergun
  • Space Invaders: Infinity Gene

2022 is definitely shaping up to be an exciting year for the gaming world, so start playing!

Cover photo: Collage: Ubisoft, Nintendo, Naughty Dog/Sony, Santa Monica Studio/Playstation

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