Top Video Games and Release Dates for January 2022
I’m sorry to say that January 2022 offers no reprieve for those hoping to work through their backlog before the new year delivers great games. You’ve got maybe a week or so before this month’s must-plays start dropping, so let’s hope Santa’s sack was heavy with gaming gift cards.
This month brings a new Pokémon game that shakes up the traditional formula and the several-times delayed co-op shooter Rainbow Six Extraction. We’re also keen to go hands-on with arcade sports title Windjammers 2, Rubgy 22 and the stunning PC ports of PlayStation hits God of War and Uncharted.
So, here are our picks for the top new video games, along with a list of everything launching throughout January 2022:
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1. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction
Rainbow Six Extraction blends familiar tactical gameplay with a new monstrous threat for a co-op experience somewhere between Rainbow Six Seige and Left 4 Dead.
Assemble your elite team from 18 unique operators, launch incursions into unpredictable containment zones, and discover the mysteries behind the lethal alien threat. Knowledge, cooperation, and a tactical approach are your best weapons.
Spread across 12 unique maps, expect procedurally generated challenges, infestation and evolving enemies. Face off against 10 types of parasitic threats playing solo or with two friends online. Should one operator fall in battle, you will need to mount rescue operations to get them back before the alien threat consumes them. Rainbow Six Extraction should satisfy those co-op vibes when it finally arrives later this month.
Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox
Release date: January 20
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2. Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection
Two of the PS4’s best games are remastered with improved visual and framerate and bundled together for PC and PlayStation 5: Uncharted 4 and Uncharted: Lost Legacy. We’re talking Nathan Drake’s most over-the-top and most personal adventure and the spin-off starring mercenary Nadine Ross and fan-favourite Chloe Fraser.
Whether you’re experiencing these games for the first time or revisiting some modern classics, Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection is the best way to make it happen.
Platform: PC, PS5
Release date: January 28
3. Pokémon Legends: Arceus
Pokémon Legends: Arceus shakes up the familiar formula by blending action and exploration with the series’ RPG roots. Players jump back in time to visit the natural expanses of the Sinnoh region to catch Pokémon and complete the very first Pokédex while uncovering the mystery surrounding the legendary Pokémon Arceus.
Choose between Rowlet, Cyndaquil and Oshawott as your dependable partner. Scout Pokémon in the wild and catch them through stealth and well-aimed balls. There are also plenty of battles between you and rivals and opportunities to explore the skies, waterways, and land while riding your companions as mounts.
This new angle to Pokémon gameplay will deliver an immersive, personal experience that should please newcomers and life-long fans.
Platform: Switch
Release date: January 28
4. Windjammers 2
Windjammers 2 is a fast-paced head-to-head sports title where two players face off on a court and throw discs at the opponent’s goal zone to score points. It’s fun, intense and should please fans of the 1994 original arcade game.
Drawing inspiration from pong and air hockey, Windjammers 2 features 10 playable characters, each with their own attributes and power moves. Choose the athlete who complements your playstyle and dive into the addictive gameplay in arcade mode or two-player versus local and online.
The graphics are hand-drawn, and the soundtrack is straight from the 90s. Frisbee has never looked so good!
Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch
Release date: January 20
5. God of War
PlayStation 4’s absolute best title makes the jump to PC with improved visuals and uncapped framerates to become the definitive version of God of War.
Having expelled vengeance against the gods of Olympus, Kratos has settled down in the Norse realm. But, it’s the death of a loved one that forces him on a journey down a dangerous path through a dark and unforgiving mystical world.
With a mighty axe and inexperienced sidekick, the new generation of God of War is a lesson in controlling one’s emotions and teaching arrogant gods that you don’t mess with the “Ghost of Sparta.”
Platform: PC
Release date: January 15
6. Rugby 22
Over 60 licensed teams from around the globe make an appearance in Rugby 22. The latest entry in this long-running series features current rosters and official leagues along with a career mode for you to create and manage your own original team.
Rugby 22 offers a true rugby experience with a deep tactical system and authenticity that recreates the intensity of the sport’s big matches. Based on previous entries, expectations are low for this one, but our hopes are high. Could this be the definitive Rugby experience fans are craving? We’ll find out soon enough.
Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox
Release date: January 27
January 2022 Video Game Release Dates
- Breaking the 4th Wall (PC) – January 1
- Picross S7 (Switch) – January 7
- Monster Hunter Rise (PC) – January 12
- Astroneer (Switch) – January 13
- The Anacrusis (PC, XBX/S, XB1) – January 13
- Aery: Dreamscape (PC, XB1) – January 14
- God Of War (PC) – January 14
- Blackwind (PC, PS5, PS4, XBX/S, XB1, Switch) – January 20
- Expeditions: Rome (PC) – January 20
- Rainbow Six Extraction (PC, PS5, PS4, XBX/S, XB1) – January 20
- Windjammers 2 (PC, PS5, PS4, XBX/S, XB1, Switch) – January 20
- Baby Storm (Switch) – January 21
- Gravity Chase (PC, XB1) – January 21
- Circuit Superstars (PS4) – January 27
- Hotel Life: A Resort Simulator (PC, PS5, PS4, XBX/S, XB1, Switch) – January 27
- Rugby 22 (PC, PS5, PS4, XBX/S, XB1) – January 27
- Wanderer VR (PC, PS4) – January 27
- Cricket 22 (Switch) – January 28
- Pokémon Legends: Arceus (Switch) – January 28
- Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection (PC, PS5) – January 28
- Ikai (PC, PS5, PS4, Switch) – TBA
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We’re kicking 2022 off with a bang thanks to highly-anticipated games like Rainbow Six: Extraction, Pokémon Legends: Arceus and Windjammers 2. Plus, acclaimed PlayStation titles God of War and two Uncharted games make their way to PC for the first time.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus will not be the open-world adventure many fans expected. In a statement to gaming website Kotaku, the Pokémon Company confirmed that the game features open areas for players to explore. Either way, players can expect more freedom when compared to traditional Pokémon games.
Good news, gamers! Rainbow Six: Extraction features cross-play, cross-saves, and cross-progression between PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and Stadia. These features are available right from the January 20, 2022 release date. You can also take advantage of a Buddy Pass that gives two friends 14 days to play for free from just one copy of the game.
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