5 Games of January to Keep on Your Radar

January kicks off the explosive line-up of 2022 game releases, with some returning franchises and exciting new instalments arriving to entertain gamers; and we’ve rounded up 5 of the must-play games to indulge in:

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction

Release date: 20 January 2022 (Xbox Series X/S | PS5 | Xbox One | PS4 | PC)

Rainbow Six: Siege exploded in popularity thanks to its quick gunplay and tactical elements, and the Quarantine expansion, which was initially announced as an add-on for the game, has been bolstered into a fully-fledged standalone experience. Renamed Extraction, the new Rainbow Six spin-off will utilise familiar mechanics from Siege, but force you and your squadmates to take on a new alien threat. This is a little more in line with something like Left 4 Dead or Back 4 Blood, and with the Rainbow Six magic to spice it up, it should prove to be a seriously enjoyable experience.

Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection

Release date: 28 January 2022 (PS5)

The first three Uncharted PS3 games saw remasters on the PS4, so it’s only right that the other two PS4 releases get beefed-up for PS5. The spectacular Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and shamefully underappreciated spin-off Uncharted: The Lost Legacy are bundled together in the Legacy of Thieves Collection. Both games include some improvements, including Fidelity Mode allowing you to play in 4K / 30fps; Performance Mode, which targets a 60fps frame rate; and Performance Plus Mode, which drops the resolution down to 1080p but offers a 120fps frame rate. These are already gorgeous looking games and playing them on the PS5 should enhance them even further.

Rugby 22

Release date: 27 January 2022 (Xbox Series X/S | PS5 | Xbox One | PS4 | PC)

Rugby fans will be glad to know that a new rugby game is finally arriving this year. Rugby 22 will feature solo and online multiplayer modes, along with a Career Mode which will see you create your own club and take them through the ranks. New and improved gameplay tweaks have also been added, including the ability to set your wing positions, create pods, adjust your defence, and a host of other options. While the reception for Rugby 20 was mixed, to say the least, the Paris-based development studio has used all its expertise in sports games (Handball 21, Rugby 18 and Rugby 20) to add improvements such as more realistic AI, difficulty that adapts better to each player’s level, and more lifelike star-player faces using photogrammetry. Official teams include the Top 14 and Pro D2 sides, along with the All Blacks, Wallabies, France, Fiji, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Wales, Japan, and Georgia.

God of War

Release date: 14 January 2022 (PC | Already on PS4)

After the breakout success of the God of War soft reboot/sequel in 2018 on PS4, the action-adventure game makes its way to PC in January, bringing the original and admittedly spectacular experience, along with a host of PC-specific enhancements. God of War’s PC arrival brings a wealth of visual upgrades that simply weren’t possible on Sony’s last-generation console, including native 4K resolution, improved lighting and reflections, higher resolution shadows and unlocked framerates.

Pupperazzi

Release date: 20 January 2022 (PC)

If you’re looking for something a little slower and lowkey this January, Pupperazzi is an indie game about taking snapshots of doggos (real-life dog-lovers will be well trained for this). Using a camera, the game requires you to capture a variety of dog breeds in a world seemingly populated with nothing but canines. You’ll likely spot dogs jamming to music, riding bicycles, or shredding halfpipes on dog-sized skateboards, and grabbing snaps of these moments will allow you to complete objectives. You can also adorn pups in different outfits and upgrade your camera to capture better, more dynamic photos.

Which games are you most looking forward to in 2022? Let us know by tweeting @MenStuffZA, posting on our Facebook page, or commenting below.