Games I'm Looking Forward to This Winter

On 01/12/2014 at 05:35 PM by KnightDriver

There are so many interesting games coming in 2014, I had to limit my forward looking to the current season. December was barren and January is sparce, but February is going to be packed full of interesting stuff. I can't wait. The preorder frenzy has begun!

Broken Age [PC] January?

The first chapter of this Tim Shafer adventure game arrives on Steam to Kickstarter backers on Jan. 14 but no news on when the rest of us will get a chance to play it. I hope it’s soon. I’m going to break my rule to keep PC games off my laptop and sign up for Steam for this one. MUST HAVE!

Halo Spartan Assault [Xbox 360] January

I keep hearing confirmation it will drop on Xbox 360. The last one was IGN’s Podcast Unlocked, so I’m hoping for this Wednesday the 15^th. I've heard that playing it in online co-op is the way to go. I’ve been waiting for over a month now.

Fable Anniversary [Xbox 360] Febuary 4

This is the Xbox 360 version of the 2004 action RPG from Peter Molyneux and Lionhead Studios. It will be $40 and will be a re-master of the expanded version, Fable Lost Chapters, and include achievements. Oh yes! I’ll be preordering this tomorrow.

Earth Defense Force 2025 [Xbox 360] Feburary 18

I played EDF 2017 on Xbox 360 back in 2007 in split screen co-op with a buddy of mine. It was a blast, literately. It’s a third person shooter. You run around evironments full of enormous insect and robot monsters and let them have it with everything you’ve got. It’s simple, it’s silly, it’s awesome. Leave your brain at the door, because you won’t need it. Only your primal instinct to annihilate giant bugs (don’t kill real bugs btw. We need them to survive on Earth. Watch a Ted talk about it. You’ll see what I mean). It’s sequel, EDF Insect Armageddon had online co-op and I bought it but haven’t had time to play it. 2025 will have 2-4 online co-op and multiplayer. I’m not missing this one. Will be preordering soon.

Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy [3DS] Febuary 28

Ever since I rented Unwound Future, I’ve been hooked on the Professor Layton games. I picked up all the other ones and played about half of Miracle Mask. This is a great series mixing puzzle gameplay and exploration. The graphics are gorgeous reminding me of Studio Ghibli work. Most of my issues with puzzle games are that they can get hard and completely halt my progress. In Layton games you can get hints if you’re stuck until you solve it. You get less points, but you can’t really get stuck. I love that. I played Unwound Future all the way through and surprised myself by not using hints hardly at all. The puzzles are not too easy either. They hit just the right amount of challenge for me. And the story. The stories in the games are great. I love the characters and their stories are sometimes heart wrenching. I feel compelled to preoder this, and so I will.

Just like last Winter with games like Ni No Kuni, The Cave, Skulls of the Shogun, Fire Emblem Awakening, and Etrian Odyssey IV, this is going to be a great start to 2014.

Super Step Contributing Writer

01/12/2014 at 06:01 PM

I didn't know Tim Schafer was making a new game. Might have to put that on my wishlist.

KnightDriver

01/12/2014 at 06:09 PM

Oh heck yeah! He hasn't done a game like this for a very long time. It's going to be great!

He had to break it into two chapters with the proceeds from the first one to fund the second. Can you imagine how cool this would be on 3DS or Vita?

SanAndreas

01/13/2014 at 01:42 AM

So Schaefer finally got his game off the ground? Last I read on it was that development was really struggling along, and it was being held up as a cautionary tale about Kickstarter projects. If it's coming out soon, kudos to Double Fine for rallying the troops and getting it done.

Right now, my 3DS is keeping me content gamingwise. There's nothing on the magnitude of Ni no Kuni coming, but I'm well satisfied so far.

01/13/2014 at 03:13 AM

They set a record for Kickstarter funding with over $3 million. With the extra money, Tim went ahead with bigger plans and a bigger production that took more time to finish. It's all good. It's going to be great.

My RETRO FEVER has had me put down my 3DS and I miss it already.

BrokenH

01/12/2014 at 06:27 PM

I'm right with you on the newest Earth Defense Force and the Fable lost chapters remake. Fun times ahead!

01/12/2014 at 06:43 PM

I just signed up for Steam! I'm setting it up now and joined the Pixlbit group.

Cary Woodham

01/12/2014 at 08:16 PM

Not too big on the Prof. Layton main game, but I am looking forward to Prof. Layton vs. Phoenix Wright!

I might get to review that Earth Defense Force game, as D3 and I are on pretty good terms.

01/13/2014 at 02:45 AM

Tried Phoenix Wright once way back. Didn't get into it. But I'd give it another shot if I had a copy.

transmet2033

01/12/2014 at 10:21 PM

I am a little surprised at how content I am as far as videogames are concerned. There isn't really anything that I am dying for this winter... Just those big March releases, but by that point it is barely winter anymore.

Yea, March is going to be even bigger. I don't even want to think about it. Too many hard choices to make there.

01/13/2014 at 10:39 AM

That is precisely why I am avoiding as many games as possible in January and February. It is a hard choice to make, but I think in my situation it will be the right one.

jgusw

01/13/2014 at 01:18 AM

I'm kind of looking forward to the new old Fable. I hope they put a lot of work into it.

01/13/2014 at 02:54 AM

Holy wow! Fable frickin' Legends!!!

That's got to be Stephen Fry doing the narration. I got goosebumps watching that trailer.

01/13/2014 at 07:08 AM

I think it sounds like Michael Gambon, the guy who played Dumbledore.

01/14/2014 at 03:54 AM

Could be.

mothman

01/13/2014 at 09:59 AM

I have to get the Schafer game because his games are mandatory. I'll probably get the Fable game but will likely wait until I can get it used so that M$ makes nothing off it. :D

I too am a Prof Layton fan. I usually play those games exclusive of everything else until I finish them. I never finished Curious Village though and played Last Spectre to the last puzzle, failed and never picked it up again. Now both those games are sold. :(

I did start Miracle Mask but have not played much. For some reason it isn't pulling me in the way the others did.

Chris Yarger Community Manager

01/13/2014 at 10:57 AM

I'm rather stoked for Fable. The first was my favorite in the series, and so far the remake is looking to be phenomenal!

01/14/2014 at 03:58 AM

It is going to be a multiplayer experience though.

daftman

01/13/2014 at 09:19 PM

I'm not even aware right now of what's coming out soon. I've had a lot to play as it is. A wealth of games, you might say

01/14/2014 at 04:10 AM

I try to resist looking too far ahead. I usually just do the next month. Usually release dates are firm by then. Firm and fruity.

goaztecs

01/14/2014 at 12:54 PM

I'm with you in waiting for Halo Spartan. The Professor Layton games I want to try, but I think I can hold off on those for a little bit while I make some progress through my DS/3DS games.

01/15/2014 at 03:07 AM

Just got a date for Broken Age, Jan 28th, and then saw another cool game Banner Saga just out on Steam. January starting to pile up already and I have so much to play as it is. Argh!

NSonic79

01/22/2014 at 01:26 PM

I'm giving Fable Annivesary some thought after trying out my free DL of Fable III. Plus I found a copy of Fable II on the cheap recently. Still wonder though if I should still bother getting the Xbox version of this game if only to see how they were originally. And to justify bolstering my Xbox collection.

01/23/2014 at 04:12 AM

I have the Lost Chapters version on original Xbox, but I still want Anniversary for the improved visuals and achievements. It's nice to have both. I got rid of my Halo: C.E. for original Xbox when Halo: C.E. Anniversary came out and I regret it now. It's always retro cool to play a game in it's original form.

PixlBit