January is traditionally a slower month for video game releases. Holiday hangovers are still in full effect in mind, body, and wallets, so it’s rare to see a blockbuster game released early in the year. The first month of 2017 does have a few big name games to look forward too though, especially if you like ports. Here are a few games of the month to keep an eye on.

Night in the Woods

January 10th

A stylistic and story-driven indie sidescroller, Night in the Woods follows Mae, a college dropout who returns home to find things aren’t as she remembers. I didn’t know about Night in the Woods until I started this post, but the videos I’ve seen give off a subtly creepy vibe that’s really caught my eye. From its art to its gameplay, Night in the Woods looks to be different in a lot of ways and I can’t wait to try it.

Gravity Rush 2

January 20th

I never played the original on PSP Vita, but I may have to try this sequel coming to PS4 later this month. It’s hard to describe the gameplay I’ve seen so far, so check out the video above. From what I can tell it’s an action/beat’em up that makes use of the environment to create some really exciting combat. Might also be in my best interests to pick up some motion sickness pills along with it.

Road Redemption

January 15th

Road Redemption looks like dumb, over the top, carnage-inducing fun, and I really want to play it with a group of friends. This looks like cops and robbers style gameplay on steroids. Who can say no to a game that lets you kick a friend in the face from a motorcycle, then hit another with a baseball bat before dodging an 8 car pileup?

Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue

January 24th

A mouthful of a name for a handful of a game, three handfuls to be exact (I am so sorry for that). Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue is a compilation of a remastered Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance, Kingdom Hearts .2 Birth by Sleep – A Fragmented Passage, and a new HD movie titled Kingdom Hearts X Back Cover. I’m not exactly sure what any of that means, but I’ve played a few of the Kingdom Hearts games and enjoyed them, and I know this Prologue is the only chance I have to start understanding the series’ story before Kingdom Hearts 3 eventually comes out.

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

January 24th

The 7th main-series Resident Evil title, Biohazard to revamp the gameplay formula by slowing things down to a crawling, terrifying pace. I’m not big on playing horror games myself, largely due to a bad habit of noping out every 20 minutes, but I’ll definitely be watching others play this one on Twitch.

Yakuza 0

January 24th

Gotta confess, I’ve never played a Yakuza game before, but I know the series comes with high regards, and the Yakuza 0 launched in Japan to some pretty rave reviews. A game set in 1988-Tokyo is reason enough to be intrigued, but the gameplay I’ve seen looks tight and brutal. This will likely be one I look for on sale later during one of 2017’s gaming droughts.

That’s it for January 2017’s gaming calendar. I’m always on the lookout for a fun game so be sure to leave a comment if there’s one I missed worth mentioning. See y’all in February with the next round of the year’s gaming launches!