Written by Blackamura

The end is here!

As 2021 wraps up, hopefully we can all set our minds to a year of more events and more free international movement. Before we get too excited with our “new year, new me” tweets, let’s take a minute to look at all the elite games coming out this winter.

Of course all release dates below are correct at the time of writing so these are always subject to change or delay.

1. Halo Infinite

For the first time since 2015, we are set to receive a new Halo game on Xbox!

I cannot tell you enough how amazing the visuals are when it comes to everything we have seen so far.

Master Chief returns in all of his glory and is looking for answers: what happened to Cortana? Zeta Halo appears to be the setting of the game, full of the Banished who are frothing at the mouth at the prospect of gunning down Spartan 117.

With this game’s campaign mode taking on an open world format, Halo fans will be afforded more freedom than ever before.

Factor that with the multiplayer being free-to-play, there’s no telling just how monumental this game could be.

This beauty is set for release on 8th December for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC.

2. Dying Light 2 Stay Human

Where do I begin? This game looks like the love child of The Last of Us and inFamous. Choices that lead to serious consequences? A game with parkour elements? Zombies in an apocalyptic setting? Sign me up!

This game will have over 3000 parkour animations and this will give our main character, Aiden Caldwell, a lot of options and utility. Aiden will be able to use a paraglider to traverse the city and use the undead to break his fall.

The choices you make in the game will dictate how NPCs view Aiden, certain decisions could lock certain areas while others can open up new places for you to explore.

Similar to the first Dying Light, zombies will be slow in sunlight and aggressive at night and will have four player co-op.

Dying Light 2 looks like it will be a huge game, much larger than the first Dying Light and I can’t help but be impressed by the ambition of the Polish developer, Techland.

Dying Light 2 is scheduled to be released on 4th February for the Nintendo Switch, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4 and PS5.

3. Horizon Forbidden West

One of 2017’s best games is getting a much needed sequel!

Aloy returns in an all-new game exploring the frontier known as The Forbidden West. Aloy is one of my favourite female characters, her personality and design are perfect in my opinion and she along with Kratos, Jin Sakai and Ellie are my modern PlayStation Mount Rushmore.

Horizon Zero Dawn merged the concept of the past and the future so seamlessly that I feel the possibilities for this franchise are endless. You can bet there will be new machines, new weapons and new sights. Underwater exploration has been confirmed but just what will Aloy discover in this new game?

You will have to find out on 18th February for the PS4 and PS5.

4. Sifu

Now this takes me back! This game completely brings me back to the ‘90s when I watched Kung Fu movies starring Jet Li.

A student vows revenge against five assassins that murdered his family, sound familiar?

Players will be able to string combos together against opponents as well as dodge, block and parry attacks in order to stun and finish their enemies.

Be aware of your surroundings as you will be afforded the opportunity to use nearby weapons to your advantage.

The USP of this game is how your character will age, causing your health to deplete while also making your attacks stronger. As you might expect, this game has been described as difficult with a sharp learning curve.

Unfortunately this game will not launch with multiplayer but its predecessor Absolver has a multiplayer mode. If you’re unsure as to whether you’d actually like playing Sifu, give Absolver a try!

Sifu should be out on 8th February for the PS4, PS5 and PC.

5. Elden Ring

Dark Souls x Game of Thrones!

Hidetaka Miyazaki x George R. R. Martin!

If those names don’t make you excited, you may need to check your pulse.

As someone who has just completed Dark Souls 1 through to 3, I am so ready for a new FromSoftware title.

I still have every intention of playing Bloodborne and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice but with an author as talented as George R. R. Martin working on the series, I am invested in the story of this upcoming title.

I am glad to hear that this game will have a central hub similar to the Firelink Shrine in Dark Souls III and I can only imagine what kind of foul, ungodly bosses we will have to fight as we traverse this dark world.

This is a game I need tomorrow! But I guess I can wait until 25th February to get this game for one of the following platforms; PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.

This list could easily have been ten or even twenty games long but for consistency, we stopped at five. Which games are you most looking forward to playing this winter?