Hey, new video games have finally started coming out again, so that means Five Games is back! As in the past, I’ll rattle off five games I think you should check out this week. These articles are not meant to be comprehensive lists of everything coming out that week — think of them as a nice rounded tasting menu. So, let’s get to it…

This Week’s First Kickstarter Project

The Banner Saga (PC & Mac, Jan. 14th)

The Banner Saga is a Viking-themed strategy RPG that managed to rack up $723,000 on Kickstarter, blowing well past its goal of 100k. The game has a beautiful art style reminiscent of classic 80s animation and has been created by a trio of guys who used to work at BioWare on games like Knights of the Old Republic, so this one is definitely worth your attention.

This Week’s Second Kickstarter Project

Void Destroyer (PC, Jan. 15th)

Hmmm, we seem to have a Kickstarter-theme developing here. Void Destroyer is one of those clever, “Why has nobody done this before?” ideas — it combines Starcraft-esque real-time strategy with an old school space shooter. Basically, you carefully manage your fleet then take them out into an asteroid field to blast bad guys Star Fox style. I’m pretty sure I’d be the worst-ever at this game, but hey, maybe it’s for you.

This Week’s Third Kickstarter Project

Broken Age Act One (PC, Jan. 14th)

The Kickstarter theme continues with the granddaddy of all Kickstarter projects, Double Fine’s Broken Age. If you’re an official Broken Age backer, you can get the game via Steam this Tuesday — still no word on when non-backers can grab Broken Age, or when the promised DRM-free version of the game is coming. Also, remember, this is only the first half of the game because that knucklehead Tim Schafer was all “I asked for 400k and you gave me 3 million? Sweet! I’m making a 6-million dollar game!”

Anyways, all snark about Tim Schafer’s money management skills aside, this game looks great and you should want it real bad.

This Week’s Handheld Game

AeternoBlade (3DS, Jan. 14th)

Aw, the Kickstarter theme ends — although this game did have an unsuccessful Indiegogo campaign. AeternoBlade is a side-scrolling, Castlevania-flavored action game with a time reversal gimmick lifted from Prince of Persia. All in all, the game looks solid and fairly visually impressive considering a tiny team from Thailand (a place not exactly known for video games) made the game.

Pick of the Week

Assassin’s Creed Liberation HD (PC, Xbox 360 & PS3, Jan. 14th)

Assassin’s Creed Liberation was quietly released on the PS Vita alongside Assassin’s Creed III, and eventually word spread that the game was actually better than it’s console big brother. Well, now us non-Vita owners get to judge for ourselves, as the game has been given an HD update and will be available for download via PSN this Tuesday and Xbox Live and Steam this Wednesday.

Any games you’re itching to get your hands on that I failed to mention? Hit the comments and let the world know.