Ten picks for game lovers this year

Relaxnews

A pick of some of the biggest games coming to PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One in January and February 2017, including the survival horror franchise that could have rediscovered its form, a face-off between three of the greatest warrior races of all time, a sequel for a girl who can manipulate gravity, and a defiantly retro 30th anniversary.
Gravity Rush 2: The first “Gravity Rush,” with its novel approach to the action genre, gained a good following, especially after relaunching for PS4.
Resident Evil 7: If “Resident Evil 7” manages to nail the tense horror feeling that made the series so compelling in the first place — even while switching to the full immersion first-person perspective of “Amnesia,” “Outlast” and the “Five Nights” games — we could have a rare big-budget addition to the contemporary genre’s top tier.
Double Dragon IV: Dormant for years until a 2012 revitalization, “DD IV” has the classic beat ‘em up return to its roots in a super-retro style, courtesy of Arc System Works, the studio behind solid fighting game franchises “Guilty Gear” and “BlazBlue.”
For Honor: Knights, samurai and vikings duke it out in a medieval multiplayer arena, with a singleplayer mode also available.
Sniper Elite 4: Excruciatingly specific x-ray slow motion fly-bys reward the most accurate hitmen in Italian-set entry to the World War II-era franchise. Also offers co-op and versus multiplayer.
Berserk and the Band of the Hawk: Adapting the Berserk comic book series using the one-versus-many approach of the Dynasty Warriors franchise as its basis. Very well received upon its 2016 Japanese launch.
Halo Wars 2: With its real-time strategy predecessor pushing boundaries on console, this follow-up promises more tactical intrigue within the “Halo” franchise universe, and this time on PC as well as Xbox.
Lego Worlds: A worthwhile, branded evolution of “Minecraft” formula that has proven itself over lengthy access period on PC.
Horizon Zero Dawn: A visually spectacular open-world
expedition for neo-prehistoric adventurer Aloy, wandering among robo-dinosaur herds and looking for truth of her identity and reasons for civilization’s fall. Presented as one of the console’s biggest upcoming releases since a first unveiling in mid-2015.
Torment – Tides of Numenera: One of Kickstarter’s biggest video game successes to date, and a return to the narrative-driven fantasy world of its outstanding 1999 predecessor that is upheld as a titan of its role-playing genre (or, accurately, genre-blend.)