As the second month of 2015 begins, so starts another cycle of top games to be excited for. Some of these have been teased and previewed for what feels like years while others are fresh out of the gate. Here’s a small sampling of the titles that I’m personally looking forward to playing this February.
The Order: 1886
More than a year and a half since its initial reveal at 2013’s E3, The Order: 1886 will finally be making its PlayStation 4 debut on February 20th. Much of the gameplay was kept a secret for so long, only being teased in cinematic trailers and brief quick-time events. It wasn’t until the past few months that Ready at Dawn Studios and Sony have showcased the game to be a third-person shooter with a strong emphasis on cover mechanics. As a fan of steampunk fiction, I’m curious to see what they can do with the setting and weaponry.
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate
As a G-rank hunter in Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, it will be a sad time to finally let that game go free in the wake of finally getting the latest in the Monster Hunter series released in the West. The series has always given me a new approach to the time-honored tradition of ‘getting good’ and without a doubt, this will be the first title I pick up for my New Nintendo 3DS when it shows up on my doorstep on February 13th.
The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D
I won’t be ashamed to admit that Majora’s Mask is only one of two Nintendo-developed Zelda games that I have not played through to completion (the other being a copy of Skyward Sword still sealed with that golden Wiimote). As a kid, the time limit and having to retread common ground just didn’t strike the right chord with me. Now that I’ve played similar games like Final Fantasy XIII: Lightning Returns and Dead Rising to a smaller extent, I’ve gotten a newfound appreciation for the narrative approach. Sure, I may not ever be able to clock a sub-3:00 time like those AGDQ speedrunners, but I’ll certainly do my best to get all 40 of those masks before the game leaves my system.
Evolve
For at least two summers, the pair of Left 4 Dead titles were my most played multiplayer games and most of that time was spent playing through the versus campaigns with seven other friends. If Turtle Rock can recapture that charm with its formula change from 4v4 to 4v1, Evolve might very well be my next competitive fix.
Dead or Alive 5: Last Round
Dead or Alive is a fighting game series that I’ve only dipped my feet into without completely diving in. The triangle system of combat has always been this: strikes beat throws, throws beat holds, holds beat strikes. This sort of gambit allows for some very stylish turnarounds if you can get a read on an opponent and can predict an upcoming attack. Accessibility has made Dead or Alive one of the easier 3D fighters to get into, with newcomers able to just mash on buttons and make it look stylish in the process. Dead or Alive 5: Last Round is no stranger to risque content, shying away some gamers; if that’s what you’re looking for, however, I’m certain there’s something to those next-gen motion physics.
