Video Games Releasing In December That You'll Want To Play

As far as months in the fourth quarter of 2013 go, December is looking a little empty. Perhaps we were spoiled by the craziness of the Xbox One and PS4 launching, along with all the games that came with them in November. Plus, we had Nintendo dropping a new Mario game on the Wii U and a new Zelda game on the 3DS on the same day. Yes, November was something special, but don’t worry, because there are some good games hitting in December, they just aren’t the big AAA experiences we received in the month previous.

Tiny Brains

Tiny Brains is a rarity for this month, as it’s a game that is actually releasing for the PlayStation 4, which is not seeing very many games after the initial launch lineup. This always happens with new consoles; developers rush the get the big games out for day one, and then have nothing left to release in the first few weeks and months that follow. Thankfully, this little co-op puzzle game looks like it’s going to be awesome, and it will hopefully keep gamers actively playing on their PS4 once they exhaust the games from the launch lineup.

The game follows the story of a mouse, bat, hamster, and rabbit who are trapped in a lab and much combine their skills to escape. Each of them has a cool power that will help them get out, a fact that also adds a little bit of variety between the different characters. The game is actually available as of December 3rd, so if you haven’t logged into PSN to get it, you are making a mistake!

Sega 3D Classics

Sega is bringing back some of its classic franchises on the Nintendo 3DS, and for those who have never experienced them, or players looking to do a little reminiscing, this is the perfect chance. Games like Sonic, Altered Beast, Ecco The Dolphin, and plenty more are being released throughout the month, so when you are feeling a little down because you have nothing to play, pull out that 3DS and get to experiencing some of Sega’s classics from days gone by.

Each of the games is being released for $5.99, which is a pretty good bargain, as they all offer lots of challenge and a great deal of replay value. They are just straight up rereleases either, as each one is being rebuilt, so even if you’ve played them all before on the original Sega platforms, there will something new for you to enjoy.

Gran Turismo 6

Forza 5 on Xbox One is getting mixed reviews, and if it didn’t scratch that car porn itch for you, perhaps Gran Turismo 6, which hits the PS3 on December 6, will do the job. Of course, it’s releasing on current generation platforms, so from a visual standpoint it will not be able to stand side-by-side with Forza, but it’s still looking to be a very solid racing experience, and I am confident that Polyphony Digital will push the PS3 to its very limits in terms of graphical fidelity.

GT6 seems like the perfect way to send the PlayStation 3 out, as the racing franchise has been a staple of Sony’s lineup since back in the day. Of course, you can’t put that PlayStation 3 away just yet, as Atlus has recently announced that Persona 5 is coming, and even though it will release well after the PS3 has been removed from most entertainment centers, P5 looks like a perfect reason to bring it out of retirement.

Rekoil

This looks a like a really slick PC shooter with a heavy esports integration. I’ve talked about why shooters don’t work as well as strategy games and MOBAs for spectators, and this game is looking to rectify that by offering spectator tools. Provided the gameplay is actually good enough to pull players away from the staples like Counter Strike, Battlefield, and Call of Duty, this could be a game that makes some serious waves.

Rekoil promises to offer over 40 weapons across 5 customizable classes, which should offer a good amount of depth for players looking to use some more diverse play-styles. It is scheduled to release on December 11th, so we won’t have to wait too long to find out if it’s really any good, and if it will actually be able to make some waves in the competitive scene, as that is clearly the developer’s aim.

Dementium II HD

Who doesn’t want to usher in the new year with a nice horror game? Much like the horror game Outlast, this game sees the player trying to escape from a hospital for the criminally insane. It’s all told from a first-person perspective, which can add a great deal to the tension and fear, as you are actually experiencing the scares through the eyes of the protagonist.In addition to combat, the game features some cool puzzles, which should help break the game up while adding a little bit of extra stress.

This PC game is actually a remake of a 2010 Nintendo DS release with an entirely new graphics and control engine. It’s a game that seems far better suited to PC than the small screen of the DS, and it looks quite promising. If you are looking for something creepy to play as those harsh winter months come creeping in, pick this up when it drops on December 17th.

Conclusion

Who says there is nothing to play in December? Between some classic Sega games, a cool shooter, some scariness, and some pretty cars, you should have plenty to keep you busy through the winter. If these aren’t doing it for, maybe you should go really old school and check out some Atari 2600 games that still hold up today, or even jump on some lesser-known NES platformers.

What games are you going to play this December? Hit the comments section below and let your voice be heard!