【2024 Archives】

At what point024 Archiveswe realistically say the Q1 2017 calendar for video games delivers more quality than holiday 2016? I think we're officially there.

March 2017 continues an epic run of game releases that's included Gravity Rush 2(Jan. 18), Resident Evil VII(Jan. 24), Nioh(Feb. 7), For Honor(Feb. 14), Sniper Elite 4(Feb. 14), and -- most recently -- Horizon: Zero Dawn(Feb. 28). How can things possibly get better?

We're about to find out. The fun starts on Friday, March 3. With what, you ask? Well... read on!

Nintendo Switch (March 3)

March kicks off with an entirely new platformfor playing video games. Nintendo's Switch is an unusual console, combining on-your-TV play with a portable tablet-style configuration. With a small-yet-mighty launch lineup and a promising string of additional releases planned for 2017, we like what we're seeing so far.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (March 3)

The aforementioned small-yet-mighty Switch lineup is headlined by The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Nintendo didn't just deliver a fan-pleasing new Zeldaentry; it reinvented what the series can be. The game's sprawling world is completely open to exploration and dotted with countless points of interest that have nothing to do with the story. Even after roughly 40 hours, it still feels like we're just scratching the surface.

Available for Switch and Wii U.

Snipperclips (March 3)

This nifty, little Switch-exclusive puzzle game is low-key one of the new hardware's most exciting launch titles. Two players form shapes using animate construction paper cutouts, working together to snip little bits off of one another. It's adorable, it's chaotic, it's lots of fun. It couldn't be more different from Zelda, and that is just fine.

Available for Switch.

Ghost Recon: Wildlands (March 7)

Four players. 56 square miles of cartel-controlled land in South America. One criminal organization to take down, piece by bloody piece. Ghost Recon: Wildlandsis a cooperative action game that emphasizes tactical planning and surgical execution. It reminds us a little bit of The Division, only with less apocalypse, more sunlight and human enemies that don't absorb 9,874,369,854 bullets before they expire.

Available for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

Nier: Automata (March 7)

Nier: Automataisn't the most approachable game. It's the seven-years-later sequel to an action-RPG spinoff of the Drakengardseries. The post-apocalyptic story chronicles events around an ongoing war between alien-controlled machines and the remnants of the human race. If you were enthralled by recent releases like Final Fantasy XVand Gravity Rush 2, this one is worth checking out.

Available for PlayStation 4, plus Windows at a later date.

Star Trek: Bridge Crew (March 14)

This twice-delayed virtual reality game from Ubisoft's Red Storm studio is all about letting you live out your Star Trekfantasy. In Bridge Crew, four players work together as they crew different stations on the bridge of a Federation starship. No one person has all the information, making communication essential in the game's randomized assortment of missions focused on combat, exploration, research, and more.

Available for HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and PSVR.

Mass Effect: Andromeda (March 21)

Commander Shepard's story is finished, but the Mass Effectuniverse kicks off a new chapter in 2017. Andromedasends players hurtling through space to a neighboring galaxy, where new alien civilizations and threats await. BioWare evolved its action RPG formula in 2015's Dragon Age: Inquisition and we're excited to see what the new face of the studio's games looks like in a deep space sci-fi story.

Available for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

MLB The Show 17 (March 28)

Sony's dependable Major League Baseball simulation returns at the tail end of March. Expect slight improvements to various features and updated rosters, same as it ever was for a yearly sports series. MLB The Showmay not change much, but it's the only MLB-licensed baseball game out there and it consistently picks up positive reviews. If you like baseball, this is the video game to get.

Available for PlayStation 4.