Game of the Month: January 2015

2015's first month didn't provide that much to write home about, but that didn't stop our internal staff vote from being a very close affair. Contrary to popular opinion, zombies haven't quite gone out of date yet, as two horror titles featured on our shortlist, while two never-before-seen-on-PlayStation remasters entered the competition as well. But only one title can be crowned Game of the Month, so without further ado, cast your eyes upon the results.

Fifth Place: Citizens of Earth

Review (7/10)

This quirky role-playing game attempts to scratch some of your nostalgic itches, as you set about gathering people of varying professions to help you battle against creatures big and small for the sake of Earth. Reviewer Edwin Garcia admitted that while the game "tries to be too funny for its own good, and often feels like one long joke about politicians", its gameplay is both "fun and charming". Praising the title's "great art", "fun soundtrack", and "compelling combat", we reckon that it should satiate those looking for some old school RPG action.

Fourth Place: Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell

Review (7/10)

Just when you thought that Saints Row couldn't get any more ridiculous, along comes Johnny Gat's journey into Hell as he attempts to save the Boss from marrying Satan's daughter. The standalone release continues the franchise's now absolutely bonkers storyline, and although it doesn't add much new to the formula, it's still one heck of a good time. We wrote that "with entertaining powers and some great new weapons, the standalone expansion holds its own" despite simply providing "a few more hours of fun for those who adored Saints Row IV". Also, it has an absolutely brilliant title – c'mon, how can you not love that?

Third Place: Grim Fandango Remastered

Review (9/10)

"Grim Fandango is undoubtedly one of the greatest adventure games ever made," wrote intrepid reviewer Graham Banas, heaping praise on the remaster's plot and setting, calling them "as refreshing as ever". The highest rated game of last month, the classic's arrival on PlayStation platforms sparked much joy around the office, and although some of the release's puzzles appeared to be a little on the obtuse side for our old brains, we certainly recommend a trip to the underworld, if only to hear its enjoyably snazzy soundtrack.

Second Place: Resident Evil

Review (8/10)

A remaster of the famous GameCube remake, Resident Evil captivated us all over again despite the fact that many of us have played it dozens (and dozens) of times before. The Spencer Mansion still proves to be a fantastic and atmospheric setting, and even though we can't shake the feeling that CG Chris looks horribly like Geoff Keighley, it's certainly not enough to detract from what is still one of Capcom's greatest achievements. Reviewer Mat Growcott concludes our write up by wondering "just how great a new 'classic' Resident Evil could be". Fortunately, there are lots of other horror titles in the pipeline while we ponder that.

First Place: Dying Light

Review (8/10)

We'll be honest with you here: we didn't think that Dying Light would be as good as it actually is. Sure, the zombie romp might take some time before it really starts coming into its own, but once you hit that point, it proves to be one of the PS4's most enjoyable open world adventures. "This is the type of title that's made for kicking back in co-op and culling corpses to your heart's content," wrote editor Sammy Barker, and he's not wrong. Get together with a good few friends, and the rotting sandbox turns into a 40 hour Shaun of the Dead-like marathon of blood, hilarity, and brilliantly blunt weaponry.

Do you agree with our winner, or even our nominees? Remember to vote for your favourite game of January in our poll, and tell us your reasoning in the comments section below.