There’s a lot of good games coming out in 2021, and if you’ve been looking for a good old-fashioned loot ‘n shooter then People Can Fly’s Outriders is probably going to scratch that Dopamine itch for min-maxing numbers, moderately better weapons as you power up, and hordes of cannon fodder to test your new weapons out on.

Exploration is the factor that pays off in the end, and doing more of that in Hitman 3 will unlock a handy new feature in each of the game’s new levels: Shortcuts.

January’s a bit of a dry month, but for the rest of the year? There’s some dang good content on the way. Arkane’s version of Groundhog Day, Ubisoft’s return to madcap acid trips with guns, and the twilight of the gods boy, are just some of the highlights on the horizon. So here’s a rundown, of what to expect this year.

Microsoft is now poised to be the leading name in western role-playing games. Alongside Bethesda, it also has experienced studios such as Obsidian and InXile Entertainment under the Xbox Game Studios umbrella. That’s a lot of RPG experience right there, which will pay off in the years to come.

Technically, it’s news to someone even if it is almost a week old! While we were all shoving handfuls of food into our gaping maws during the silly season (how do you make mince out of fruit and turn it into a pie asking for a friend), developer GSC Game World dropped a new trailer showing off STALKER 2’s first-person atmosphere.

I’m naturally quivering with delight as Hitman 3 is mere days away now, and y’all know how I have a fondness for digitally murdering horrible people and making their accidents look like bizarre accidents designed by a higher power. In addition to that, Xbox kicks off the year with an exclusive of its own, the dual-reality terror of The Medium. Time to see just how well the new SSD tech in the Xbox Series X and S consoles handle the ability to simultaneously explore reality and the afterlife.

There are still those who are willing to get up at the crack of dusk and boot up their console to find him for you. People who’ll risk digital life and limb to let you know if Xur is selling a treasure or rubbish. I just so happen to be one of those people. Maybe you’re stuck at work and can only log in later tonight. In that case: Where is Xur?

Hey I’m as surprised as you are! Not just because Dragon Ball FighterZ is still going strong, but also because the next character being added to its roster isn’t another variant of the worst dad ever, Goku. Instead, it’s a villain from the mostly-forgettable follow-up to Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT’s Baby. Or to be more precise according to the recent V-Jump magazine scan that leaked early, it’s Super Baby 2.