January 2016 Games List: The Best New Releases To Ring In The New Year For PS4, Xbox One

It's 2016, which means a whole year of new games to anticipate. The first quarter promises some great hits, and January alone has a solid lineup of new releases.

Amplitude (PS3, PS4) - Jan. 5

Harmonix ("Guitar Hero" and "Rock Band") returns to the rhythm action genre with this remake of the PlayStation 2 game. "Amplitude" has players racing along tracks at breakneck speeds, all while hitting targets to the music's beat. After a successful Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign, Harmonix has revamped the PS2 classic for the current generation of consoles. There's a new soundtrack, a new Team Play Mode and a FreQ Mode for an even trippier experience.

Gone Home (PS4, Xbox One) - Jan. 12

The hit 2013 PC game finally arrives on consoles. "Gone Home" is more of a narrative story than a traditional game, so your mileage may vary on the overall experience. The game follows the eldest daughter of the Greenbriar family who, after returning from a year abroad, finds her home deserted and her family nowhere to be found.

The Banner Saga (PS4, Xbox One) - Jan. 12

Get ready for one heavy experience. Bleak, stark and harrowing are just a few ways reviewers have described "The Banner Saga." The tactical RPG was released on PC in 2014, but it finally lands on consoles after Versus Evil adjusted how the game plays to better suit the use of a controller. Players will have to agonize over each choice as they journey across the game. "The Banner Saga" is a"tough tactical RPG that rewards thought and careful strategy, although it stumbles a bit in explaining systems beyond its combat," IGN wrote in its review of the PC version.

Life Is Strange (PS4, Xbox One) - Jan. 19

Technically, this game was released in 2014, but this version collects all five episodes in one package. The story of Max Caulfied and Chloe Price was considered to be one of the best games of 2015, appearing near the top of many year-end lists. "The game deals with issues around depression, anxiety and sexuality that few games go anywhere near, making for an utterly refreshing and emotional experience," the Guardian wrote in its best games of 2015 list. "Life Is Strange" has a Metacritic score of 81 for the PC and 85 for the PS4.

Resident Evil: Origins Collection (PS4, Xbox One) - Jan. 19

Two games for the price of one. Capcom bundles "Resident Evil" and "Resident Evil 0" for the next generation. Each game gets an HD overhaul including widescreen support and better controls. The original "Resident Evil" includes 1080p support and different visual and control settings based on their preference.

The Witness (PS4, PC) - Jan. 26

From the creator of "Braid" comes "The Witness," a 3D puzzle video game that has players solve puzzles and explore an abandoned island. "Myst" was a main source of inspiration for developer Jonathan Blow. There will be around 650 puzzles to solve with around 80 hours of gameplay, Blow said in an interview with Polygon. An iOS version of "The Witness" will be released later in 2016.

This War of Mine: The Little Ones (PS4, Xbox One) - Jan. 29

Stuck in the middle of a war, a group of adults are tasked with surviving as fighting engulfs the city. "The main philosophy behind this project is to portray emotions of people surviving a siege of a city. That also requires picturing emotions of kids — that means not only sadness, but laughter, excitement, and a bit of craziness despite the surroundings," Pawel Miechowski, from 11 Bit Studios, wrote on the PlayStation blog.