Far Cry Primal – Ubisoft – Feb 23 (Multiplatform)
After a very successful outing with Far Cry 4, Ubisoft is back with the next iteration of the series, Far Cry Primal. Taking a bit of a left turn from everything we’ve seen from the franchise before as it takes place in the Stone Age. You are Takkar and over the course of your journey you will strive to become the leader of your tribe. No vehicles and no guns make for a drastic departure from what we know as Takkar will have to scavenge and craft all his weaponry. Fight prehistoric beasts and tame your very own prehistoric Honey Badger (If you can, he don’t care, he don’t give a shit), learn how to make fire and hunt to survive. This could be a much needed revamp for a series that may have started getting stale for some. Personally, Feb 23rd can’t come soon enough.
Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 – Electronic Arts – Feb 23 (Multiplatform)
PopCap gave us one of the best surprises of the year when it released the first PvZ: Garden Warfare back in 2014. It was a brilliantly designed and light-hearted take on the shooter genre and something no one expected to be as good as it was. Fast forward two years later and Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 is ready to delight fans once again. Featuring new characters, new modes, new abilities and a new hub area called Backyard Battleground there’s a lot of surprises on the way. When we played the game at a preview event recently we walked away more excited than ever for what was on the way. Get ready to take it all back for the Plants (or not) on Feb 23rd.
Special Mention: Dying Light: The Following – WB Interactive – Feb 6 (Multiplatform)
When Techland first announced this expansion to their already fantastic game, Dying Light, fans were more than ready to get more content. Over the course of it’s developent however, Dying Light: The Following became big enough to almost become its own game. Still it’s being released as either an expansion or in a complete edition bundled with the base game. Featuring an explorable area that is twice the size of what was offered in the original game you can say that you are definitely getting your money’s worth here. Explore a graveyard, a light house, race dirt buggies, and more. If you missed the boat when the game first came out there’s never been a better time to try it out.
Indie Spotlight: Firewatch – Panic – Feb 9 (PS4/PC)
Developed by indie dev Campo Santo, we could not be more excited for Firewatch. A first-person adventure, you are put in the shoes of Henry, a fire lookout stationed in Shoshone National Forest. Your only means of communication with the world is through a walkie-talkie and on the other end is Delilah, his supervisor. What starts out as a routine placement soon becomes a mystery as strange happenings start to occur in the surrounding areas. Featuring a team that has their own solid pedigree from working on games like Telltale’s The Walking Dead and Mark of the Ninja, Firewatch is one game you should undoubtedly have on your radar.