Top 4 Best PS4 Games to Have on Your Radar in January 2018

Lost Sphear (Jan. 23)

Lost Sphear is the newest title from Tokyo RPG Factory, the developer responsible for 2016’s I Am Setsuna. Like that title, Lost Sphear is a throwback to the JRPGs of the 90’s, both in look and design, updated for modern consoles like the PS4. The game features a retooled version of the Active Time Battle system used in I Am Setsuna, which was based on classic systems found in games like Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VI. This time around, the game follows a young man named Kanata who, along with his childhood friends, searches for a way to stop the mysterious white fog that is slowly destroying their hometown of Eru.

While I Am Setsuna was fairly short and had its own set of flaws, the game did manage to successfully emulate the JRPGs of yesteryear. With a focus on emotional storytelling and a gorgeous piano soundtrack, it was one to remember. Now that the developer has one game under its belt, hopefully Lost Sphear can really help them expand into something new, instead of just focusing on being a throwback game. For JRPG fans, this is definitely one you’ll want to pick up near the end of the month.

Dragon Ball FighterZ (Jan. 26)

Dragon Ball FighterZ has already garnered lots of attention due to its astounding visuals that nearly resemble an episode of the anime in motion. The cel-shaded look is a dead ringer for Dragon Ball, and Arc System Works has painstakingly created moves and combos for characters that are ripped straight out of the anime or manga. Of course, on a technical level Arc definitely has the chops to create a competent fighter, as they’re responsible for both the Guilty Gear and BlazBlue series.

FighterZ gives you a three-person team to fight with, and you can switch between them at any time along with the ability to use assists in combos. There’s a cancel system similar to what’s found in Guilty Gear, along with a whole host of new features and systems, like Come on Shenron, which allows players to collect all seven Dragon Balls by using specials and combos during a match. Then, once collected, they can summon Shenron and receive a wish that’ll boost their abilities.

Along with its multiplayer offerings, FighterZ will also feature an original story mode that introduces a brand-new character, Android 21. Goku, his friends, and the villains of the series will have to fight off an army of new super androids that resemble themselves. Dragon Ball FighterZ looks like it’s going to be a real treat and a must-have for fans of the series. With Arc’s pedigree, it’s something that fighting fans on PS4 will want to keep their eye on in the coming weeks as well.

Monster Hunter World (Jan. 26)

The last couple years have given us a wealth of robust open-world games and now the Monster Hunter series is going to join their ranks with the series’ return to PS4. Leaving behind the zone-based structure of past games, World drops you into different massive areas that don’t have any kind of loading or separation between zones. This alters the way the game plays, as you’ll have to employ different tactics when trying to run from monsters, or track them. This means World isn’t fully open-world, but it falls kind of into that halfway area, like Dragon Age Inquisition, where you travel to different areas of the world that are each smaller open-world segments.  Monsters and beasts roam these areas going about their daily lives, and there’s an element of emergent gameplay that happens as these creatures roam around and encroach on one another’s territory, resulting in some massive battles.

The game includes all 14 weapons types from the previous entries, and like usual your character doesn’t have any intrinsic stats, which are instead defined entirely by the equipment you wear. On top of this, there’s a number of new features and equipment to use, like the Slinger which doubles as a sling to throw projectiles, as well as a grappling hook you can use to reach high areas or against Monsters in combat.

The complex systems of Monster Hunter still remain in World, but things seem to be a bit more streamlined this time in terms of collecting items, crafting, managing your inventory, and more. It’s still the same Monster Hunter people know and love, but this time bigger and bolder than ever. Fans of the series are definitely going to want to jump on board, and Monster Hunter World looks like it could also be a good place for newcomers to try things out. 

Dissidia Final Fantasy NT (Jan. 30)

Japanese fans have been able to play the latest Dissidia since late 2015 in arcades, but the title is finally making its way to consoles at the end of January with the PS4 exclusive Dissidia Final Fantasy NT. This reworked version of the game is optimized for the PS4 both visually and mechanically. The UI and control scheme have been overhauled to fit the console, and the title’s gameplay is a big change from the original games on PSP. The same core concept applies, with Bravery and HP attacks, and combat looks and feels similar, but now characters are divided into four different classes; Vanguard, Assassin, Marksmen, Specialist.

One of the big new features in NT are three-vs-three matches, that have six characters dashing around a battlefield at once. This is where character classes especially come into play, as you want to pick characters that complement your allies and can go toe-to-toe with the enemy team. These are chaotic matches, where each team comes with their own stamina and summon meters. Classic characters like Cloud and Golbez return, with new additions like Noctis and Ramza joining the fray as well.

The biggest change for the PS4 version of Dissidia NT is the addition of a story. While there won’t be a fully realized story mode, there is a story implemented into the game that takes place after the last two Dissidia titles, with new beings named Materia and Spiritus summoning the warriors to fight the battle between light and dark.

A brand new Dissidia isn’t a bad way for Final Fantasy fans to start out 2018, and the series remains different enough to give fighting fans a nice change of pace.