The month of February is shaping up to be a very impressive month for the video game industry. With solid releases throughout the month, gamers should expect some triple A game releases. Both Xbox and Playstation are having big name exclusives this month. Nintendo has a new console on the way that will shake up the competition as well.
For Honor – February 14
The brand new game from Ubisoft, For Honor, drops you into a war-torn landscape. Set in a medieval fantasy world that a history buff could only hope for. This game pins Samurais, Knights, and Vikings all up against each other. All three factions are playable and each has their own unique story. While the story portion of this game is interesting, the multiplayer is where this game steps into something new. For Honors multiplayer, is much like any other game where you are going up against another player, but with a slight twist. Ubisoft has introduced a new combat system called “Art of Battle”. This system allows you to lock into one on one combat with a real person. To come out victor
ious in these battles you must time your attacks and blocks correctly. This is a very new way to tackle combat and makes each and every interaction in the game feel new and just as intense as the first. This game has a lot of excitement surrounding it; hopefully, For Honor can live up to the hype.
Halo Wars 2 – February 21
Halo is a name synonymous with gaming at this point. It has been over 15 years since the release of the original, Halo: Combat Evolved. The Halo franchise is traditionally a futuristic first person shooter. In 2009 Halo Wars changed the formula. Like the predecessor Halo Wars 2, is a real-time strategy game played from a top-down view. You must lead the UNSC forces against a group known as the Banished. The story portion of the game centers on the entire cast not knowing that the war had ended. In a push and pull game, where you can also play cooperatively, it is heavily reliant on moves and counter-moves. Halo Wars 2 features a multiplayer option as well. In multiplayer, up to 6 players can battle it out in different modes such as Domination and Stronghold. In these game modes the teams must capture and hold a center point from the other players. Halo Wars 2 is a Windows exclusive, so Xbox and PC only. Overall this game looks like it will improve on all of the mechanics from the first one and with more content to offer.
Horizon Zero Dawn – February 28
The excitement surrounding this game is unrivaled in the first quarter of the year. Horizon Zero Dawn is set in a post-apocalyptic landscape where robotic creatures rule. Simply known as “Machines”, they resemble dinosaurs but are completely mechanical. Humans are broken up into tribes, similar to the first humans that were on earth. The main character is equipped with an array of ranged, stealth and melee weapons. The premise for the story is the protagonist, Aloy, believes there is more to the world than just inside the tribes’ walled-off town. On her journey outside of the tribe, she realizes that a rogue tribe is trying to conquer all of the surrounding areas. Aloy takes it upon herself to save her tribe from the invaders. Horizon Zero Dawn is an open world RPG adventure game with a loot system and a day and night cycle. The game is a Playstation exclusive but is still highly anticipated. The game has already won awards before its release, which is a good sign of things to come.
Nintendo Switch – March 3
The Switch is not available until March, yet has had massive numbers of preorders. The Nintendo Switch is the next console from Nintendo. Combining mobile gaming with the power of a home console built in one. The Switch is unique because you can slide a tablet into a dock and be playing on your home TV. If you have to leave but don’t want the game to end, you can pick the tablet up and put two attachable joysticks on the sides of it. The fact the tablet is able to get up and go, continuing right where you left off is very special. Playstation with the PSP and Vita tried to do this but it was a lot more complex than the Switch. The tablet can have up to 6-10 hours of battery life depending on the game you play. The Switch can charge by placing it in the dock. The device is also playable while it is charging. The Nintendo Switch will launch with 17 games available including Super Mario, Sonic and The Legend of Zelda. It will be getting games like NBA 2K18 and Skyrim later this year. Maybe this console will put Nintendo back in contention with Sony and Microsoft in the console war.