Games Watch: the 5 best new games coming out in February 2019
Here are the console and PC games that have us talking this month
Even during the slowest months of the year, you’ll find the release list stocked with literally hundreds of games across consoles, PC, and mobile. It’s madness.
Given that, it can be easy to overlook some magnificent game releases amidst the stack, but worry not: we’re here to help. Our Games Watch column points out the five biggest and brightest games on the immediate horizon, and outlines why each seems like it’ll be well worth your time and money.
With that in mind, here’s your monthly compendium of the five most scintillating new releases coming before March rolls around. You can thank us later.
Far Cry: New Dawn – 15 February
Wait, wasn’t it less than a year ago that we got Far Cry 5? Indeed, it was – but with Far Cry: New Dawn, Ubisoft is spinning what might’ve been an expansion out into an extra-large standalone experience with a new twist: it takes place after a nuclear apocalypse.
As such, it’s still set in Hope County, but not the one you saw in Far Cry 5. It’s been 17 years since the bomb dropped, and things have changed dramatically. This time around, you’ll control a character who must battle against a band of outlaws led by vicious twin sisters, all to help the remaining survivors have a chance to rebuild their lives.
Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Price: £40
Metro Exodus – 15 February
Metro Exodus takes the cult-favourite survival shooter series out of the post-apocalyptic Russian subway system and up to the post-apocalyptic Russian surface. But what’s this? A place not ravaged by the nuclear winter?
You’ll seek out that supposed oasis in this surely tense sandbox shooter, which amps up the graphical punch while delivering huge, non-linear levels. The Metro games have always been super atmospheric, and even if you didn’t play the last-gen entries (both since ported to current consoles), this is definitely one to watch in February.
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Price: £50
Crackdown 3 – 15 February
Crackdown 3 was announced five years ago and should have been out long before now. Through a long series of delays, our excitement has admittedly diminished… but if Microsoft can nail this modernised take on one of the Xbox 360’s best exclusives, then it’ll all be worth it.
Like the earlier games, Crackdown 3 sets you loose as a super-powered Agent in an open city, letting you pummel bad guys with extreme force, leap between skyscrapers, and have a blast just traipsing around and collecting items. Mass destructibility is one of the game’s big hooks this time around, and we just hope the game recaptures the magic of the original Crackdown after the last so-so sequel.
Platform: Xbox One, PC
Price: £47
Anthem – 22 February
EA probably doesn’t want us to refer to Anthem as "BioWare’s Destiny with jetpacks," but that’s pretty much true – and hardly something worth complaining about.
The long-awaited Anthem does have a Destiny-like shoot-and-loot core to it and is similarly set within a sci-fi world, but there are key differences that have us excited for the final game. The Iron Man-esque armor suits are great fun, and while the narrative doesn’t seem quite as deep as past BioWare games (like Mass Effect and Dragon Age), the lore is already compelling. We just went hands-on and were left wanting more.
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Price: £50
Read More › Anthem hands-on review
Dirt Rally 2.0 – 26 February
Codemasters’ more sim-centric extension of the Dirt racing franchise gets a second lap around the track with Dirt Rally 2.0, which builds upon the already impressive off-road experience with a bevy of new additions.
We’re keen to get our hands on the slate of historical rides, as seen in the trailer above, and look forward to getting chummy with our digital co-driver as we navigate the terrain. The lack of VR support in this sequel is disappointing, but both the single-player and online multiplayer experiences certainly sound plenty compelling.
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Price: £55
Andrew Hayward
Freelance Writer 
