New Games of 2017- 2018 (PS4,Xbox One,PC)
New Games of 2017- 2018 (PS4,Xbox One,PC)
Prey
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: May 5, 2017
Don’t worry if you missed the 2006 FPS Prey - this reimagined Prey by the same name chucks everything from its predecessor out the window. Developed by Arkane Studios, the team behind the Dishonored games, this sci-fi shooter has you confined on a space station that’s been overrun by shape-shifting, shadow-like aliens. Protagonist Morgan Yu will have to fight back against these invaders in a struggle to survive, even as his (or her) sanity seems to deteriorate bit by bit.
Injustice 2
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One
Release date: May 16, 2017
Batman, Superman, and a slew of other heroes and villains are back to duke it out in Injustice 2, Netherrealm Studios’ return to the slick new engine that powered Mortal Kombat X. There’s a ton of fanservice in this 2.5D fighter for anyone with even the slightest knowledge of DC Comics, and Injustice 2 is taking an interesting gamble with the addition of gear in a fighting game, gathered over time to give your preferred character enhanced abilities and a personalized look.
The Surge
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: May 16, 2017
Take the fundamental framework of the Souls series, sprinkle in the targettable body parts of Monster Hunter, and coat it all in the aesthetic of the oft-forgotten Rise of the Robots. What you’ve concocted is a rough description of The Surge, a futuristic, third-person, action RPG from the developer behind Lords of the Fallen. Though your fleshy body is somewhat protected by a high-tech exoskeleton, you’ll need to carefully time your strikes during combat against zombified industrial workers, aggro security bots, and enormous automatons gone haywire. Reckless players will be met with punishing death, but persevere and you’ll be able to craft new armor with the metallic carcasses of your slain foes.
Star Trek: Bridge Crew
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Platform(s): PSVR, Vive
Release date: May 30, 2017
Delayed from its original Nov 2016 launch window, this four-player VR game is basically your chance to play out the Kobayashi Maru simulation. Not sure if you can beat it, though. In Star Trek Bridge Crew you can assume various roles on the bridge of the Enterprise and actually wander around with your friends. In VR. As a piece of fan-service, this is looking absolutely stunning.
Rime
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Release date: May 2017
We were happy to see Rime reemerge after two years of silence, because its colorful landscapes and mysterious ruins look like a joy to explore. This third-person action adventure follows the journey of a young boy, who washes up on a beach after a storm at sea. He awakens to find an idyllic island dotted with ancient-looking marble ruins, the most notable of which is a giant tower at the center of them all. You’ll seek out a path to said tower via platforming and puzzle-solving, guided along the way by the help of a fox companion (and probably stop frequently just to soak in the beautiful cel-shaded sights).
Tekken 7
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: June 2, 2017
Funnily enough, Tekken 7 has been in Japanese arcades since early 2015, and it’s taking its sweet time in making the transition to Western consoles. But with any luck, that extra wait will be worth it. Tekken 7 is the next iteration of Bandai Namco’s famed 3D fighting series, bringing back veterans from the King of Iron Fist tournament alongside some spiffy-looking newcomers - including Kazumi Mishima, Kazuya’s mother who can perform literal tiger uppercuts with her beast companion. Expect plenty of heavy-hitting animations, devastating ground bounce combos, and bizarre backdrops.
Arms
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Platform(s): Switch
Release date: June 16, 2017
Imagine a fighting game where everyone’s got the stretchy arms of Dhalsim and the colossal fists of Potemkin, flinging punches and dodging haymakers in a 3D arena. That’s the gist of Arms, Nintendo’s inventive one-on-one fighter for the Switch, starring brawlers with coiled-spring biceps that look like hybrids of a Slinky and Stretch Armstrong. Think of it as a highly advanced version of Wii Boxing, where the twin Joy-Con controllers let you punch, dodge, and block as you duke it out. You can even control the curve of your extending arm as it sails across the obstacle-filled stages, or trigger a super combo with a flurry of real-world strikes, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure-style.
Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy
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Platform(s): PS4
Release date: June 30, 2017
Rumors have swirled for years about a potential Crash Bandicoot revival, and the PS1-era marsupial is finally making his return in the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy. More remake than remaster, the N. Sane Trilogy compiles the once-famed PlayStation mascot’s first three outings and completely overhauls them in 4K high-definition. The N. Sane Trilogy contains all the same enemy-bopping, fruit-collecting, and precision-jumping action fans have loved for years, while introducing all-new textures, animation, and art, as well as unifying the checkpoint and save systems to be consistent across all three games. Finally, Crash Bandicoot is getting the respect and attention he rightly deserves.
Splatoon 2
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Platform(s): Switch
Release date: July 21, 2017
A decade ago, you’d be called a fool for saying Nintendo could make an amazing team-based shooter perfect for online competition - and yet, here we are getting a sequel to the Wii U’s fantastic Splatoon. Those squid-kid Inklings are back for more 4v4 color-splashing warfare across a bevy of new stages, wielding fresh weapons like the twin-pistol Splat Dualies or refined versions of fan favorites like the Splat Roller. If you want to test your skills before going online, Splatoon 2 also allows for local multiplayer thanks to the Switch system link. And along with the extra precision provided by the controller’s gyroscopic aiming, you’ll have to master the added Dodge Roll maneuver to maximize your turf-tagging potential.
Agents of Mayhem
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: August 15, 2017
When you hear the name Volition, you know to expect something over-the-top and hilarious. After all, these are the people who gave us the crass glory that is Saints Row. They’re back in business with this new riff on the superhero game. Players can seamlessly switch between controlling the 12 larger-than-life characters. Pick three at a time and in an instant you’ll be able to equip yourself with a new set of superpowers and weapons. Which means so many combinations for fun, hilarity, and… well, mayhem.
Middle-earth: Shadow of War
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: August 2017
The Tolkien’s Creed open-world action in Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor easily warranted a sequel - we just didn’t know when it was coming, until now. Shadow of War brings back the undying ranger Talion and his fused wraith Celebrimbor, who have forged a new Ring of Power despite those things always ending in tears. The stellar Nemesis system will be making a return, where ordinary orcs may develop into bitter rivals over the course of many battles, and new Nemesis Fortresses serve as these villains’ imposing domains. But never fear - you’ll have your own loyal army at your disposal to raid these strongholds - all good practice for when you finally have the forces you need to take on Sauron himself.
Destiny 2
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: September 8, 2017
We’ve only gotten cinematic glimpses of Destiny 2 so far, but that’s all the internet needed to kick the hype machine into full gear. After a devastating attack on The City, all of your Guardian’s precious loot has been destroyed - oh, the humanity - but the Vanguard leaders you’ve looked to are still going strong, and seem ready to take the fight back to enemy forces new and old. Expect a much more fleshed-out story than the first game, along with a sweeping open-world structure with room for civilians that mingle amid the Guardian population.
Call of Duty: WW2
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: November 3, 2017
Another year, another Call of Duty - but after all the excitement for futuristic combat zones seems to be tapped out, Activision is finally taking COD back to World War 2. Call of Duty: WW2 puts you in the laced-up boots of two soldiers with the 1st Infantry Division, also known as “The Bloody First”, who famously led the invasion of Normandy on D-Day. Expect lots of grit and grime, incoming airstrikes, lumbering tanks, and brutal bludgeoning of Nazi skulls all seen from first-person. There’s also a multiplayer story mode plainly named ‘War’ in addition to the usual: a dramatic, blockbuster-grade single-player campaign and intensely competitive PvP multiplayer in the trenches.
Star Wars Battlefront 2
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: November 17, 2017
The rebooted Star Wars Battlefront laid a fantastic foundation for an FPS that makes players feel like supporting troops (or iconic heroes and villains) within scenes from the films - but Star Wars Battlefront 2 sounds like it’ll be the real deal. On top of the expansive multiplayer conflicts - now with heroes pulled from all three film eras - this sequel includes a full-on single-player campaign, played from the perspective of Empire elite soldier Iden Versio. Also, space battles will be making their triumphant return, so you can zoom around blasting bogies in an X-Wing or TIE Fighter. We got a ton of additional insight at this year’s Star Wars Celebration, so be sure to check out these 8 Star Wars Battlefront 2 things you need to know (including the addition of rideable tauntauns as vehicles).
Sonic Forces
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Release date: Q4 2017
The new Sonic game formerly known as simply “Project Sonic 2017” is looking appropriately speedy, as showcased in a short snippet of Sonic Forces gameplay. We don’t get to see any of the Sonic Generations-style team-ups between Sonics of varying timelines and time periods, as teased in the debut trailer, but the opening behind-the-back run is appropriately intense. The apocalyptic backdrop as a Robotnik robot tears up a metropolis conveys a real sense of scope, and the 'Gotta go fast’ mentality is clear as Sonic barrels down a chaotic street at blazing speeds.
Super Mario Odyssey
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Platform(s): Switch
Release date: Holiday 2017
Super Mario Odyssey looks like a grand debut for Nintendo’s mascot on the Switch, which whisks Mario away to different worlds involving rainbow-colored cookery, dancing sprinkler robots, and the bustling metropolis of New Donk City. The platforming plumber also has a few new moves: he can roll down hills like a certain blue hedgehog, and throw his boomerang-like cap to create a makeshift springboard. Oh, and it seems that Mario’s headwear is alive this time around, complete with two bulbous eyes. Was… was it sentient all this time?
Sonic Mania
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
Sonic Mania is the culmination of what fans have wanted from the blue hedgehog for years: a return to his spin-dashing, ring-collecting roots established during his 1990s glory days. This is an all-new sidescrolling crusade against Dr. Robotnik, done up with ravishing spritework that evokes Sonic CD with an extra layer of polish. The gameplay framework is classic Sonic, but the levels are full of fresh designs and unique obstacles that mix things up nicely. Add in the ability to play as Sonic, Tails, or Knuckles, plus the fact that the game’s on every major platform, and Sonic Mania starts looking like that ideal fusion of nostalgia and newness that we’ve been longing to see from Sega’s mascot. From this moment on, let us never speak of Sonic Boom again.
Wargroove
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Platform(s): TBA (Switch and PC confirmed)
Release date: TBC 2017
It seems Nintendo isn’t about to revive Advance Wars any time soon; thank goodness developer Chucklefish stepped up to the plate to bring back turn-based strategy featuring delightful GBA-style sprites. The overworld map and battle animations perfectly mimic the charming aesthetic of the Advance Wars series, set in a high fantasy world full of knights, dragons, skeleton dogs, and witches. As one of 12 unique commanders, you’ll wage war over land, sea, and air to establish dominance over the map, one little square space at a time. With online and local multiplayer for up to four players, custom map creation, and loads of adorable unit types, Wargroove’s got everything an Advance Wars fan could ask for.
South Park: The Fractured But Whole
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
South Park has a special talent for satirising current events and trends, so it’s no surprise that this latest game is focused on gently mocking Hollywood’s obsession with superheroes and super-teams. The forever-young children of South Park are at war, all dressed up as their favourite characters for tactical RPG combat. South Park: The Fractured But Whole will have 12 classes to choose from, and as the new kid you’ll get to pick a side in the conflict and a gender. Farts are making a comeback too.
State of Decay 2
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Platform(s): Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
If The Walking Dead has taught us anything, it’s that forging bonds between survivors and building up a community is essential to surviving the zombie apocalypse. State of Decay 2 will take those values to heart with co-op for up to four players, provided you all agree to work together instead of backstabbing one another for precious supplies. To build up your encampment, you’ll need to scavenge on foot or four wheels, splattering the skulls of countless undead along the way. What we saw in State of Decay 2’s E3 trailer looked promising, so here’s to hoping that the gameplay lives up the cinematic vignette.
Gwent: The Witcher Card Game
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
There’s a reason your collector’s sense is tingling. By popular demand, CD Projekt is breaking out the fan-favorite card minigame from The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt into its own CCG so you can fall in love with it’s two-player, turn-based strategy all over again. If you’re not the competitive type, Gwent will have a full-fledged single-player campaign that could last upwards of 10 hours, with characters from the original RPG brought back for more voiceovers. The closed beta is in full swing as we speak, so hopefully Gwent is nearing its grand debut.
Divinity: Original Sin 2
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
Anyone with a penchant for deep, story-driven RPGs viewed from the isometric angle like the PC adventures of old already knows and loves the first Divinity: Original Sin, which presents a fantasy world on a massive scale with support for two-player co-op play the entire way through. Divinity: Original Sin 2 is upping the ante two-fold, allowing for four players to team up, each making their own decisions that have repercussions on the narrative and combat alike. If you’re a sucker for RPGs that really emphasize the role-playing, where your character’s race, class, demeanor, and actions all send ripples throughout the rest of the game, this is one to watch.
Friday the 13th: The Game
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
Dead by Daylight beat it to the 'asymmetrical multiplayer pitting a deranged killer against a team of terrified young adults’ punch, but Friday the 13th: The Game has that slasher brand recognition going for it. Players take on the role of the hockey-masked, machete-swinging Jason Voorhees (voiced and mo-capped by Kane Hodder, who plays Jason in the much later sequels) or the Camp Crystal Lake counselors (up to seven cooperating to survive) that Jason will be ruthlessly stabbing and slicing. Jason will even be able to teleport around the campgrounds at will, to really drive home that sensation of running from a somehow inescapable killer.
Tacoma
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Platform(s): Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
Not to be confused with a Toyota pickup truck, Tacoma is the next project from Fullbright, the studio that made serious waves with its debut game Gone Home. This, too, is a narrative-rich, combat-free exploration viewed from first-person - but instead of taking place in an Oregon home circa 1995, Tacoma unfolds aboard a vacant space station, where memories of the former inhabitants play out via augmented-reality recordings. Gone Home set a pretty high bar, but Tacoma’s eerily empty setting looks like it could be just as stirring.
Pyre
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Platform(s): PS4, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
Pyre is a strange, intoxicating blend of Oregon Trail and Final Fantasy’s Blitzball from the talented folks at Supergiant Games, who made waves with Bastion and Transistor. The gameplay is quite unlike those titles, though: the isometric battles unfold like a game of 3v3 basketball where everyone on your squad has a different size and speed, and you can only move around one member of your team at a time. It’s almost akin to a tactical take on NBA Jam, because Pyre delivers that same sense of satisfaction whenever you slam dunk the Rukey orb into the opposing team’s flame. Wrapped around that bizarre sport is a narrative-rich saga of three exiles banding together for a mystical pilgrimage.
Call of Cthulhu
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
The influence of H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu mythos creeps across the gaming landscape like the black tendrils of some otherworldly Elder God, so it’s about time a game used modern hardware to take those nightmarish, existentially terrifying themes head-on. Made in the same style as 2005’s Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth, this Call of Cthulhu reimagining is a first-person RPG that’s equal parts investigation and delirium. Combat takes a backseat to critical thinking as you poke around the shadows of Darkwater, and all the while you’ll need to manage your sanity meter to stave off the madness so commonly associated with Cthulhu-worshipping cultists.
God of War
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Platform(s): PS4
Release date: TBC 2017
Having torn the Greek pantheon asunder, Kratos (now sporting a scruffy beard) has set his sights on a new mythology to conquer: Norse. The fourth main entry in the legendarily brutal PlayStation series - God of War - drops the numbering and looks like it’ll force Kratos to control his endless rage, as he acts as the father figure for a young, as-yet-unnamed boy with latent lightning powers. Don’t worry, you’ll still slay plenty of fantastical creatures along the way - but expect a lot more character development and quieter moments in between all the carnage.
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
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Platform(s): PS4
Release date: TBC 2017
This isn’t a brand new Uncharted game, but its not an expansion either. In The Lost Legacy you play as Chloe who teams up with Nadine Ross (yeah, from A Thief’s End) to track down an ancient Indian artefact. Does that mean it’s co-op? Unlikely, as the pair will likely assume the same dynamic as Nathan and Sam in the main game. It’s more Uncharted, which is a great thing, and you don’t have to own the original to play.
Days Gone
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Platform(s): PS4
Release date: TBC 2017
If you think zombies have been done to death, well… you’re right, but that isn’t stopping the PS4-exclusive Days Gone. The enemies in this open-world post-apocalypse aren’t technically undead - the so-called 'Freakers’ are actually infected humans who have gone feral and seem eager to devour our hero Deacon (voiced by and modelled after Sam Witwer, who you might recognize as Starkiller from Star Wars: The Force Unleashed). What really sets the Freaker horde apart is just how many can be chasing you at once; there are times when they’re practically flooding out of the environment, and all you can do to survive is simply run. Another PS4 Pro optimised game that promises to look incredible.
Crackdown 3
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Platform(s): Xbox One
Release date: TBC 2017
In Crackdown 3 you’re a super-cop in an open-world city, using your powers to fight crime and likely smash the whole place up in the process. We haven’t actually seen the game since 2015 but, given the ambitious nature of it, that’s no surprise. While there’s a regular single-player story to tackle, multiplayer co-op takes place in a whole different city which you can tear apart piece by piece. The Xbox is doing some fancy stuff with the Cloud to make this one of the most technically impressive games ever. Hopefully we’ll see more of it in 2017.
Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC
If you’ve not played the PC-centric Mount & Blade games before, they’re essentially For Honor on a sprawling Battlefield-sized scale. Whether on foot or on horseback, players take part in massive medieval skirmishes in a giant sandbox world, with intricate melee combat mechanics that take physics and positioning into account. Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord promises the same scope and intense dueling, modernized with a much-needed facelift of its predecessors aging visuals. Anyone with a fondness for chaotic close-quarters combat should love wildly swinging a sword and shield in this sequel’s monumental sieges, regardless of which side of the ramparts you’re on.
Sea of Thieves
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Platform(s): Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
Who doesn’t love pirates? The swashbuckling, the loot, the rum, the fabulous hats, most of us have at one time or another wished we could leave it all behind and run away to sea. The time has come to live out that dream and to bring friends along for the ride. Sea of Thieves is due to make land some time in 2017.
Gran Turismo Sport
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Platform(s): PS4, PSVR
Release date: TBC 2017
While the racing won’t change much in GT Sport, the way you actually do it will. This version of the racer is geared towards eSports - it has live events and loads of scheduled tournaments - and VR. When PSVR initially launched, racing games were the worst offenders when it came to making people sick, so let’s hope GT figures out a non-vom solution between now and release.
Detroit: Become Human
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Platform(s): PS4
Release date: TBC 2017
As is the trend nowadays, Detroit is an adventure about Androids achieving sentience. Remember the Kara tech demo Sony showed off years ago? Well, it’s the same character from that. We follow her as she makes her way into a futuristic version of Detroit. It’s a game of staggering ambition - it took David Cage two years to write the script, and 100s of actors have done mo-cap work for it. Let’s hope it’s a bit more than just a ‘moral decision making’ game, which early trailers suggest.
Spider-Man
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Platform(s): PS4
Release date: TBC 2017
This new Spider-Man game was revealed in 2016, and is already being touted as a showcase for PS4 Pro. Because it looks incredible. This superhero game should be an interesting departure for Insomniac Games, the studio most famous for the Ratchet & Clank series. Oh, and it isn’t tied to any specific comic or movie, so the creators aren’t bound by a specific existing story (phew), but it will cover both the Spidey and Peter Parker aspects of the franchise.
Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
The entire Marvel vs. Capcom series is a veritable fighting game hype factory, responsible for some of the flashiest combos, greatest upsets, and loudest screams ever witnessed by enraptured onlookers. At long last, the fourth entry is on the way with Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, with a host of mechanics changes to the familiar tag-team brawls between Capcom stars and Marvel’s iconic heroes and villains. The three-fighter teams have been reined back to the simpler 2v2 akin to the original MvC, and assists have been removed entirely, replaced by character swaps mid-combo and unique buffs granted by the Infinity Gems.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
Kingdom Come: Deliverance is like a historically accurate Skyrim, because this large-scale, first-person medieval RPG takes place in a massive open-world devoted to the real-world history of Bohemia (no Rhapsody here). In some ways, it’s even more hardcore, stripping away the HUD indicators and minimap markers you’ve probably come to expect from giant RPGs. And amazingly, quests and world events will carry on with or without you, adding a real sense of urgency to your hero’s actions; stopping to chit-chat with every NPC could mean missing out on the melee battle of a lifetime. Kingdom Come’s refusal to hold the player’s hand sounds like a refreshing change of pace, and if the finished product can pull off the kind of grandiose living world suggested by our preview, it should be something special indeed.
Vampyr
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
Vampyr is an action RPG which puts you in the shoes Dr. Reid, who’s recently been turned into a blood-sucking denizen of the night. It’s up to you to decide whether to kill enough people to become powerful beyond belief, or heal London’s citizens from the Spanish Flu and bring peace back to the city.
Ni no Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom
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Platform(s): PS4, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
With its beautiful, Studio Ghibli-inspired art direction, Ni no Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom is unmistakable, and it looks like the sequel iterates on the original’s gameplay in all the right ways. Ni no Kuni 2’s RPG action is more Pikmin than Pokemon: instead of controlling individually collected Familiars from the sidelines, your party members Evan, Roland, and Tani are always in the thick of each real-time fight, assisted by a horde of cutesy elemental creatures called Higgledies. Though the events once again takes place in the parallel realm of Ni no Kuni, this story has a much grander scope than the first, as the deposed young king Evan endeavors to reclaim his kingdom of Ding Dong Dell after a hostile takeover.
The Last of Us Part 2
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Platform(s): PS4
Release date: TBC
The Last of Us 2 picks up the story of Joel and Ellie five years after the original game. While survival in a post-outbreak world will still be the key theme of the game, we know very little else… other than the fact that Ellie is seriously pissed off about something in the reveal trailer. Fan theories suggest that Joel is actually dead and Ellie is simply imagining him, but we won’t know for sure until the game releases some time in the next couple of years.
Battle Chasers: Nightwar
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
Even if you have no idea who the Battle Chasers are (and admittedly, the late '90s comics run this game is based on never really took off), anyone with an appreciation for gorgeous artwork and classic RPGs needs to keep tabs on Nightwar. Battle Chasers’ distinct visuals render the comics’ super-stylized character designs by Joe Madureira (who also worked on Darksiders) in eye-catching 3D, as we follow a ragtag group of adventurers via isometric exploration and turn-based, 2.5D battles. With any luck, this RPG might finally resolve the comics’ infamous cliffhanger ending from all the way back in 2001, or it may just reboot the plotline altogether.
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
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Platform(s): PS4, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
Developer Ninja Theory has a knack for crafting cult classic action games that only seem to be appreciated after their time: Heavenly Sword, Enslaved, DmC (don’t @ me). Hopefully Hellblade can break into the mainstream so that more players can appreciate the kinetic melee clashes and ridiculously lifelike face mocap Ninja Theory does best. The story is steeped in Norse mythology, revolving around the Celtic warrior Senua as she deals with psychological trauma and battles her inner demons - who sound like they’re going to manifest themselves as actual enemies you’ll need to slice apart.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake
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Platform(s): PS4 (Timed exclusive)
Release date: TBC
You wanted it so badly, and pretty soon, you’re going to get it. Fans had been pining for the seminal RPG Final Fantasy 7 to be remade with slick modern visuals, and at E3 2015, Square-Enix finally obliged with a glorious glimpse at Cloud Strife’s big comeback. We’ve since learned plenty about Final Fantasy 7 Remake, like the fact that it’s planned to be split up along full-game-sized episodes, and features action-heavy real-time combat in the same vein as Final Fantasy 15. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the original FF7, so hopefully we’ll be celebrating with FF7 Remake before long.
Death Stranding
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Platform(s): PS4
Release date: TBC
Death Stranding is Hideo Kojima’s first game after the Metal Gear franchise, and it’s exclusive to PS4. Naturally, it features weird old babies and stars Guillermo del Toro and Mads Mikkelsen. Trailers have been incredibly enigmatic so far, but fans are already pulling them apart for hidden meaning. Here’s the best breakdown you’ll read. If you want the TLDR version: it’s Kojima doing another high-quality action adventure, so be excited.
Red Dead Redemption 2
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
What do we know about Red Dead Redemption 2? Other than: we want it now? Very little. It’ll have both single player and multiplayer components, and has been tentatively scheduled for a late 2017 release date. Hot rumours suggest we’ll be playing as John Marston’s son, and that forming a posse will be a big part of the game (as suggested by the early concept art). The setting is towards the end of the Wild West era (we see steam trains and brick housing in the trailer), so this will likely be set after the last game…
Earth Defense Force 5
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Platform(s): PS4
Release date: TBC 2017
Granted, the EDF has never garnered much mainstream attention - but for those that know the joys of this Japanese take on giant insect B-movie horror, Earth Defense Force 5 looks like a real treat. This third-person shooter makes up for simplistic textures with a massive sense of scale, letting you run amok in giant, fully destructible cities overrun by colossal ants, killer robots, and Godzilla’s distant relatives. This sequel - which promises revamped class abilities and wild new monster types - hasn’t been confirmed for release outside of Japan, but we’ve got our fingers crossed that a worldwide launch could happen if we chant “EDF! EDF!” often and loud enough.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2
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Platform(s): Switch
Release date: TBC 2017
Nintendo still claims Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is coming out in 2017, despite the series’ own tumultuous history of delays and setbacks. We don’t even know all that much about it outside of the reveal trailer shown during Nintendo’s Switch presentation back in January. If it’s anything like the first Xenoblade Chronicles (or the Wii U spin-off, Xenoblade Chronicles X), expect massive, open, and wholly alien landscapes to explore with a group of anime buddies wielding absurd, magical weaponry in highly-tactical real-time battles. That it’s simply big isn’t all that impressive considering how big pretty much every game is today, until you realize that the Switch will allow you to take this sprawling JRPG with you on the go - and that more than anything makes us very excited about what Xenoblade Chronicles 2 has to offer.
Cuphead
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Platform(s): Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
We’ve been anticipating Xbox indie standout Cuphead for what feels like ages, and the game seems to have veered dangerously close to vaporware territory with how many times it’s been pushed back. But 2017 will reportedly be the year we finally get our hands on this inventive run-'n’-gun shooter, which combines the 2D intensity of Mega Man’s large-scale boss battles with an unmistakable 1930s animation aesthetic in the vein of Disney relics like Steamboat Willie. With its frenetic-looking boss designs and completely-on-point visual style, we’ll wait as long as it takes to finally play this thoroughly old-school beaut’.
Kingdom Hearts 3
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One
Release date: TBC
Our relationship with Kingdom Hearts 3 feels like a Jane Austen novel: we constantly write letters professing our love and pining need for it, yet we only get a fleeting glimpse into how it’s doing every few months. While you wistfully wait for more of Sora, Donald, Goofy adventuring through Disney-themed worlds, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 should help ease the pain, because it includes an all-new playable prologue (made in Unreal Engine 4) leading up to KH3. Otherwise, you’ll just have to longingly gaze at those in-game pictures of Hercules’ Mount Olympus and dream of Sora riding atop Baymax over Big Hero 6’s San Fransokyo.
Shenmue 3
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Platform(s): PS4, PC
Release date: TBC
The Shenmue series was never a huge commercial success, but thanks in part to Kickstarter and thousands of fans’ hard-earned dollars (plus some generous funding from Sony), the project is fully underway. In Shenmue 3, you’ll take the role of a martial artist named Ryo Hazuki as he attempts to uncover who is responsible for his father’s murder. The game promises to have gameplay reminiscent of the previous titles, enabling players to take on enemies in hand-to-hand combat, upgrade combat abilities, and explore a living world full of villages, shops, and an active populous. When is it due? Your guess is as good as ours, but it’s likely to be 2018 at the earliest.
Darksiders 3
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2018
First there was War, then Death, and now Fury is the next Horseman (or more accurately, Horsewoman) of the Apocalypse to star in her own fantastical action adventure. The Darksiders series is famous for essentially being a blood-soaked, bone-crunching take on The Legend of Zelda’s open-world exploration with a dash of Devil May Cry combat mixed in, full of ridiculously proportioned (but undoubtedly cool-looking) character designs by cult favorite comic artist Joe Madureira. Darksiders 3’s leading lady Fury is more magic-focused than her compatriots, and wields a spiky whip as her signature weapon. You’ll be cutting down swaths of demons across the ruins of post-Biblical-apocalypse Earth, fighting back against hellish embodiments of the Seven Deadly Sins themselves.
Bloodstained
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, Wii U, PS Vita, PC
Release date: TBC 2018
We were so accustomed to a steady stream of excellent exploration-based Castlevania games for so long that we didn’t realize what we had until they were gone. No more! In 2018, the mastermind behind Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Aria of Sorrow, and many others will bring us Bloodstained. Koji Igarashi’s first major post-Konami project is Castlevania in all but name, with the same smooth action, gothic atmosphere, and haunted locale spelunking we loved for so long. Shame it has been delayed until 2018, eh.
Code Vein
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC (TBC)
Release date: TBC 2018
You’d be hard-pressed to find a game that blends anime vampires, gothic horror, and grim depictions of a metropolitan apocalypse than Code Vein, an intriguing new action RPG from Bandai Namco. You and your AI-controlled partner will roam the thorny, defiled wastes, slaying monsters and sucking up blood wherever you can as you slice up enemies in familiar 'dodge, attack, disengage, repeat’ fashion. The enemy designs are Anime Bloodborne to a tee, with slime waifus and knights clad in impossibly bulky armor, and it looks like you’ll be able to transform when it’s time to deal the finishing blow.
Cyberpunk 2077
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC
This is probably a case of a game being teased way too early, but after what CD Projekt Red’s accomplished with The Witcher series, anything new this studio makes demands your attention. We’ve heard little from Cyberpunk 2077 since its cinematic teaser debuted all the way back in 2013, but it promises a Blade Runner-style dystopian future with Deus Ex-like RPG elements. That core concept, as made by developers promising a world even larger than The Witcher 3’s, is more than enough to get our excite-o-meter peaking.
Prey
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: May 5, 2017
Don’t worry if you missed the 2006 FPS Prey - this reimagined Prey by the same name chucks everything from its predecessor out the window. Developed by Arkane Studios, the team behind the Dishonored games, this sci-fi shooter has you confined on a space station that’s been overrun by shape-shifting, shadow-like aliens. Protagonist Morgan Yu will have to fight back against these invaders in a struggle to survive, even as his (or her) sanity seems to deteriorate bit by bit.
Injustice 2
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One
Release date: May 16, 2017
Batman, Superman, and a slew of other heroes and villains are back to duke it out in Injustice 2, Netherrealm Studios’ return to the slick new engine that powered Mortal Kombat X. There’s a ton of fanservice in this 2.5D fighter for anyone with even the slightest knowledge of DC Comics, and Injustice 2 is taking an interesting gamble with the addition of gear in a fighting game, gathered over time to give your preferred character enhanced abilities and a personalized look.
The Surge
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: May 16, 2017
Take the fundamental framework of the Souls series, sprinkle in the targettable body parts of Monster Hunter, and coat it all in the aesthetic of the oft-forgotten Rise of the Robots. What you’ve concocted is a rough description of The Surge, a futuristic, third-person, action RPG from the developer behind Lords of the Fallen. Though your fleshy body is somewhat protected by a high-tech exoskeleton, you’ll need to carefully time your strikes during combat against zombified industrial workers, aggro security bots, and enormous automatons gone haywire. Reckless players will be met with punishing death, but persevere and you’ll be able to craft new armor with the metallic carcasses of your slain foes.
Star Trek: Bridge Crew
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Platform(s): PSVR, Vive
Release date: May 30, 2017
Delayed from its original Nov 2016 launch window, this four-player VR game is basically your chance to play out the Kobayashi Maru simulation. Not sure if you can beat it, though. In Star Trek Bridge Crew you can assume various roles on the bridge of the Enterprise and actually wander around with your friends. In VR. As a piece of fan-service, this is looking absolutely stunning.
Rime
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Release date: May 2017
We were happy to see Rime reemerge after two years of silence, because its colorful landscapes and mysterious ruins look like a joy to explore. This third-person action adventure follows the journey of a young boy, who washes up on a beach after a storm at sea. He awakens to find an idyllic island dotted with ancient-looking marble ruins, the most notable of which is a giant tower at the center of them all. You’ll seek out a path to said tower via platforming and puzzle-solving, guided along the way by the help of a fox companion (and probably stop frequently just to soak in the beautiful cel-shaded sights).
Tekken 7
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: June 2, 2017
Funnily enough, Tekken 7 has been in Japanese arcades since early 2015, and it’s taking its sweet time in making the transition to Western consoles. But with any luck, that extra wait will be worth it. Tekken 7 is the next iteration of Bandai Namco’s famed 3D fighting series, bringing back veterans from the King of Iron Fist tournament alongside some spiffy-looking newcomers - including Kazumi Mishima, Kazuya’s mother who can perform literal tiger uppercuts with her beast companion. Expect plenty of heavy-hitting animations, devastating ground bounce combos, and bizarre backdrops.
Arms
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Platform(s): Switch
Release date: June 16, 2017
Imagine a fighting game where everyone’s got the stretchy arms of Dhalsim and the colossal fists of Potemkin, flinging punches and dodging haymakers in a 3D arena. That’s the gist of Arms, Nintendo’s inventive one-on-one fighter for the Switch, starring brawlers with coiled-spring biceps that look like hybrids of a Slinky and Stretch Armstrong. Think of it as a highly advanced version of Wii Boxing, where the twin Joy-Con controllers let you punch, dodge, and block as you duke it out. You can even control the curve of your extending arm as it sails across the obstacle-filled stages, or trigger a super combo with a flurry of real-world strikes, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure-style.
Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy
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Platform(s): PS4
Release date: June 30, 2017
Rumors have swirled for years about a potential Crash Bandicoot revival, and the PS1-era marsupial is finally making his return in the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy. More remake than remaster, the N. Sane Trilogy compiles the once-famed PlayStation mascot’s first three outings and completely overhauls them in 4K high-definition. The N. Sane Trilogy contains all the same enemy-bopping, fruit-collecting, and precision-jumping action fans have loved for years, while introducing all-new textures, animation, and art, as well as unifying the checkpoint and save systems to be consistent across all three games. Finally, Crash Bandicoot is getting the respect and attention he rightly deserves.
Splatoon 2
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Platform(s): Switch
Release date: July 21, 2017
A decade ago, you’d be called a fool for saying Nintendo could make an amazing team-based shooter perfect for online competition - and yet, here we are getting a sequel to the Wii U’s fantastic Splatoon. Those squid-kid Inklings are back for more 4v4 color-splashing warfare across a bevy of new stages, wielding fresh weapons like the twin-pistol Splat Dualies or refined versions of fan favorites like the Splat Roller. If you want to test your skills before going online, Splatoon 2 also allows for local multiplayer thanks to the Switch system link. And along with the extra precision provided by the controller’s gyroscopic aiming, you’ll have to master the added Dodge Roll maneuver to maximize your turf-tagging potential.
Agents of Mayhem
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: August 15, 2017
When you hear the name Volition, you know to expect something over-the-top and hilarious. After all, these are the people who gave us the crass glory that is Saints Row. They’re back in business with this new riff on the superhero game. Players can seamlessly switch between controlling the 12 larger-than-life characters. Pick three at a time and in an instant you’ll be able to equip yourself with a new set of superpowers and weapons. Which means so many combinations for fun, hilarity, and… well, mayhem.
Middle-earth: Shadow of War
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: August 2017
The Tolkien’s Creed open-world action in Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor easily warranted a sequel - we just didn’t know when it was coming, until now. Shadow of War brings back the undying ranger Talion and his fused wraith Celebrimbor, who have forged a new Ring of Power despite those things always ending in tears. The stellar Nemesis system will be making a return, where ordinary orcs may develop into bitter rivals over the course of many battles, and new Nemesis Fortresses serve as these villains’ imposing domains. But never fear - you’ll have your own loyal army at your disposal to raid these strongholds - all good practice for when you finally have the forces you need to take on Sauron himself.
Destiny 2
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: September 8, 2017
We’ve only gotten cinematic glimpses of Destiny 2 so far, but that’s all the internet needed to kick the hype machine into full gear. After a devastating attack on The City, all of your Guardian’s precious loot has been destroyed - oh, the humanity - but the Vanguard leaders you’ve looked to are still going strong, and seem ready to take the fight back to enemy forces new and old. Expect a much more fleshed-out story than the first game, along with a sweeping open-world structure with room for civilians that mingle amid the Guardian population.
Call of Duty: WW2
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: November 3, 2017
Another year, another Call of Duty - but after all the excitement for futuristic combat zones seems to be tapped out, Activision is finally taking COD back to World War 2. Call of Duty: WW2 puts you in the laced-up boots of two soldiers with the 1st Infantry Division, also known as “The Bloody First”, who famously led the invasion of Normandy on D-Day. Expect lots of grit and grime, incoming airstrikes, lumbering tanks, and brutal bludgeoning of Nazi skulls all seen from first-person. There’s also a multiplayer story mode plainly named ‘War’ in addition to the usual: a dramatic, blockbuster-grade single-player campaign and intensely competitive PvP multiplayer in the trenches.
Star Wars Battlefront 2
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: November 17, 2017
The rebooted Star Wars Battlefront laid a fantastic foundation for an FPS that makes players feel like supporting troops (or iconic heroes and villains) within scenes from the films - but Star Wars Battlefront 2 sounds like it’ll be the real deal. On top of the expansive multiplayer conflicts - now with heroes pulled from all three film eras - this sequel includes a full-on single-player campaign, played from the perspective of Empire elite soldier Iden Versio. Also, space battles will be making their triumphant return, so you can zoom around blasting bogies in an X-Wing or TIE Fighter. We got a ton of additional insight at this year’s Star Wars Celebration, so be sure to check out these 8 Star Wars Battlefront 2 things you need to know (including the addition of rideable tauntauns as vehicles).
Sonic Forces
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Release date: Q4 2017
The new Sonic game formerly known as simply “Project Sonic 2017” is looking appropriately speedy, as showcased in a short snippet of Sonic Forces gameplay. We don’t get to see any of the Sonic Generations-style team-ups between Sonics of varying timelines and time periods, as teased in the debut trailer, but the opening behind-the-back run is appropriately intense. The apocalyptic backdrop as a Robotnik robot tears up a metropolis conveys a real sense of scope, and the 'Gotta go fast’ mentality is clear as Sonic barrels down a chaotic street at blazing speeds.
Super Mario Odyssey
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Platform(s): Switch
Release date: Holiday 2017
Super Mario Odyssey looks like a grand debut for Nintendo’s mascot on the Switch, which whisks Mario away to different worlds involving rainbow-colored cookery, dancing sprinkler robots, and the bustling metropolis of New Donk City. The platforming plumber also has a few new moves: he can roll down hills like a certain blue hedgehog, and throw his boomerang-like cap to create a makeshift springboard. Oh, and it seems that Mario’s headwear is alive this time around, complete with two bulbous eyes. Was… was it sentient all this time?
Sonic Mania
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
Sonic Mania is the culmination of what fans have wanted from the blue hedgehog for years: a return to his spin-dashing, ring-collecting roots established during his 1990s glory days. This is an all-new sidescrolling crusade against Dr. Robotnik, done up with ravishing spritework that evokes Sonic CD with an extra layer of polish. The gameplay framework is classic Sonic, but the levels are full of fresh designs and unique obstacles that mix things up nicely. Add in the ability to play as Sonic, Tails, or Knuckles, plus the fact that the game’s on every major platform, and Sonic Mania starts looking like that ideal fusion of nostalgia and newness that we’ve been longing to see from Sega’s mascot. From this moment on, let us never speak of Sonic Boom again.
Wargroove
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Platform(s): TBA (Switch and PC confirmed)
Release date: TBC 2017
It seems Nintendo isn’t about to revive Advance Wars any time soon; thank goodness developer Chucklefish stepped up to the plate to bring back turn-based strategy featuring delightful GBA-style sprites. The overworld map and battle animations perfectly mimic the charming aesthetic of the Advance Wars series, set in a high fantasy world full of knights, dragons, skeleton dogs, and witches. As one of 12 unique commanders, you’ll wage war over land, sea, and air to establish dominance over the map, one little square space at a time. With online and local multiplayer for up to four players, custom map creation, and loads of adorable unit types, Wargroove’s got everything an Advance Wars fan could ask for.
South Park: The Fractured But Whole
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
South Park has a special talent for satirising current events and trends, so it’s no surprise that this latest game is focused on gently mocking Hollywood’s obsession with superheroes and super-teams. The forever-young children of South Park are at war, all dressed up as their favourite characters for tactical RPG combat. South Park: The Fractured But Whole will have 12 classes to choose from, and as the new kid you’ll get to pick a side in the conflict and a gender. Farts are making a comeback too.
State of Decay 2
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Platform(s): Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
If The Walking Dead has taught us anything, it’s that forging bonds between survivors and building up a community is essential to surviving the zombie apocalypse. State of Decay 2 will take those values to heart with co-op for up to four players, provided you all agree to work together instead of backstabbing one another for precious supplies. To build up your encampment, you’ll need to scavenge on foot or four wheels, splattering the skulls of countless undead along the way. What we saw in State of Decay 2’s E3 trailer looked promising, so here’s to hoping that the gameplay lives up the cinematic vignette.
Gwent: The Witcher Card Game
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
There’s a reason your collector’s sense is tingling. By popular demand, CD Projekt is breaking out the fan-favorite card minigame from The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt into its own CCG so you can fall in love with it’s two-player, turn-based strategy all over again. If you’re not the competitive type, Gwent will have a full-fledged single-player campaign that could last upwards of 10 hours, with characters from the original RPG brought back for more voiceovers. The closed beta is in full swing as we speak, so hopefully Gwent is nearing its grand debut.
Divinity: Original Sin 2
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
Anyone with a penchant for deep, story-driven RPGs viewed from the isometric angle like the PC adventures of old already knows and loves the first Divinity: Original Sin, which presents a fantasy world on a massive scale with support for two-player co-op play the entire way through. Divinity: Original Sin 2 is upping the ante two-fold, allowing for four players to team up, each making their own decisions that have repercussions on the narrative and combat alike. If you’re a sucker for RPGs that really emphasize the role-playing, where your character’s race, class, demeanor, and actions all send ripples throughout the rest of the game, this is one to watch.
Friday the 13th: The Game
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
Dead by Daylight beat it to the 'asymmetrical multiplayer pitting a deranged killer against a team of terrified young adults’ punch, but Friday the 13th: The Game has that slasher brand recognition going for it. Players take on the role of the hockey-masked, machete-swinging Jason Voorhees (voiced and mo-capped by Kane Hodder, who plays Jason in the much later sequels) or the Camp Crystal Lake counselors (up to seven cooperating to survive) that Jason will be ruthlessly stabbing and slicing. Jason will even be able to teleport around the campgrounds at will, to really drive home that sensation of running from a somehow inescapable killer.
Tacoma
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Platform(s): Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
Not to be confused with a Toyota pickup truck, Tacoma is the next project from Fullbright, the studio that made serious waves with its debut game Gone Home. This, too, is a narrative-rich, combat-free exploration viewed from first-person - but instead of taking place in an Oregon home circa 1995, Tacoma unfolds aboard a vacant space station, where memories of the former inhabitants play out via augmented-reality recordings. Gone Home set a pretty high bar, but Tacoma’s eerily empty setting looks like it could be just as stirring.
Pyre
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Platform(s): PS4, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
Pyre is a strange, intoxicating blend of Oregon Trail and Final Fantasy’s Blitzball from the talented folks at Supergiant Games, who made waves with Bastion and Transistor. The gameplay is quite unlike those titles, though: the isometric battles unfold like a game of 3v3 basketball where everyone on your squad has a different size and speed, and you can only move around one member of your team at a time. It’s almost akin to a tactical take on NBA Jam, because Pyre delivers that same sense of satisfaction whenever you slam dunk the Rukey orb into the opposing team’s flame. Wrapped around that bizarre sport is a narrative-rich saga of three exiles banding together for a mystical pilgrimage.
Call of Cthulhu
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
The influence of H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu mythos creeps across the gaming landscape like the black tendrils of some otherworldly Elder God, so it’s about time a game used modern hardware to take those nightmarish, existentially terrifying themes head-on. Made in the same style as 2005’s Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth, this Call of Cthulhu reimagining is a first-person RPG that’s equal parts investigation and delirium. Combat takes a backseat to critical thinking as you poke around the shadows of Darkwater, and all the while you’ll need to manage your sanity meter to stave off the madness so commonly associated with Cthulhu-worshipping cultists.
God of War
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Platform(s): PS4
Release date: TBC 2017
Having torn the Greek pantheon asunder, Kratos (now sporting a scruffy beard) has set his sights on a new mythology to conquer: Norse. The fourth main entry in the legendarily brutal PlayStation series - God of War - drops the numbering and looks like it’ll force Kratos to control his endless rage, as he acts as the father figure for a young, as-yet-unnamed boy with latent lightning powers. Don’t worry, you’ll still slay plenty of fantastical creatures along the way - but expect a lot more character development and quieter moments in between all the carnage.
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
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Platform(s): PS4
Release date: TBC 2017
This isn’t a brand new Uncharted game, but its not an expansion either. In The Lost Legacy you play as Chloe who teams up with Nadine Ross (yeah, from A Thief’s End) to track down an ancient Indian artefact. Does that mean it’s co-op? Unlikely, as the pair will likely assume the same dynamic as Nathan and Sam in the main game. It’s more Uncharted, which is a great thing, and you don’t have to own the original to play.
Days Gone
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Platform(s): PS4
Release date: TBC 2017
If you think zombies have been done to death, well… you’re right, but that isn’t stopping the PS4-exclusive Days Gone. The enemies in this open-world post-apocalypse aren’t technically undead - the so-called 'Freakers’ are actually infected humans who have gone feral and seem eager to devour our hero Deacon (voiced by and modelled after Sam Witwer, who you might recognize as Starkiller from Star Wars: The Force Unleashed). What really sets the Freaker horde apart is just how many can be chasing you at once; there are times when they’re practically flooding out of the environment, and all you can do to survive is simply run. Another PS4 Pro optimised game that promises to look incredible.
Crackdown 3
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Platform(s): Xbox One
Release date: TBC 2017
In Crackdown 3 you’re a super-cop in an open-world city, using your powers to fight crime and likely smash the whole place up in the process. We haven’t actually seen the game since 2015 but, given the ambitious nature of it, that’s no surprise. While there’s a regular single-player story to tackle, multiplayer co-op takes place in a whole different city which you can tear apart piece by piece. The Xbox is doing some fancy stuff with the Cloud to make this one of the most technically impressive games ever. Hopefully we’ll see more of it in 2017.
Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC
If you’ve not played the PC-centric Mount & Blade games before, they’re essentially For Honor on a sprawling Battlefield-sized scale. Whether on foot or on horseback, players take part in massive medieval skirmishes in a giant sandbox world, with intricate melee combat mechanics that take physics and positioning into account. Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord promises the same scope and intense dueling, modernized with a much-needed facelift of its predecessors aging visuals. Anyone with a fondness for chaotic close-quarters combat should love wildly swinging a sword and shield in this sequel’s monumental sieges, regardless of which side of the ramparts you’re on.
Sea of Thieves
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Platform(s): Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
Who doesn’t love pirates? The swashbuckling, the loot, the rum, the fabulous hats, most of us have at one time or another wished we could leave it all behind and run away to sea. The time has come to live out that dream and to bring friends along for the ride. Sea of Thieves is due to make land some time in 2017.
Gran Turismo Sport
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Platform(s): PS4, PSVR
Release date: TBC 2017
While the racing won’t change much in GT Sport, the way you actually do it will. This version of the racer is geared towards eSports - it has live events and loads of scheduled tournaments - and VR. When PSVR initially launched, racing games were the worst offenders when it came to making people sick, so let’s hope GT figures out a non-vom solution between now and release.
Detroit: Become Human
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Platform(s): PS4
Release date: TBC 2017
As is the trend nowadays, Detroit is an adventure about Androids achieving sentience. Remember the Kara tech demo Sony showed off years ago? Well, it’s the same character from that. We follow her as she makes her way into a futuristic version of Detroit. It’s a game of staggering ambition - it took David Cage two years to write the script, and 100s of actors have done mo-cap work for it. Let’s hope it’s a bit more than just a ‘moral decision making’ game, which early trailers suggest.
Spider-Man
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Platform(s): PS4
Release date: TBC 2017
This new Spider-Man game was revealed in 2016, and is already being touted as a showcase for PS4 Pro. Because it looks incredible. This superhero game should be an interesting departure for Insomniac Games, the studio most famous for the Ratchet & Clank series. Oh, and it isn’t tied to any specific comic or movie, so the creators aren’t bound by a specific existing story (phew), but it will cover both the Spidey and Peter Parker aspects of the franchise.
Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
The entire Marvel vs. Capcom series is a veritable fighting game hype factory, responsible for some of the flashiest combos, greatest upsets, and loudest screams ever witnessed by enraptured onlookers. At long last, the fourth entry is on the way with Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, with a host of mechanics changes to the familiar tag-team brawls between Capcom stars and Marvel’s iconic heroes and villains. The three-fighter teams have been reined back to the simpler 2v2 akin to the original MvC, and assists have been removed entirely, replaced by character swaps mid-combo and unique buffs granted by the Infinity Gems.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
Kingdom Come: Deliverance is like a historically accurate Skyrim, because this large-scale, first-person medieval RPG takes place in a massive open-world devoted to the real-world history of Bohemia (no Rhapsody here). In some ways, it’s even more hardcore, stripping away the HUD indicators and minimap markers you’ve probably come to expect from giant RPGs. And amazingly, quests and world events will carry on with or without you, adding a real sense of urgency to your hero’s actions; stopping to chit-chat with every NPC could mean missing out on the melee battle of a lifetime. Kingdom Come’s refusal to hold the player’s hand sounds like a refreshing change of pace, and if the finished product can pull off the kind of grandiose living world suggested by our preview, it should be something special indeed.
Vampyr
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
Vampyr is an action RPG which puts you in the shoes Dr. Reid, who’s recently been turned into a blood-sucking denizen of the night. It’s up to you to decide whether to kill enough people to become powerful beyond belief, or heal London’s citizens from the Spanish Flu and bring peace back to the city.
Ni no Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom
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Platform(s): PS4, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
With its beautiful, Studio Ghibli-inspired art direction, Ni no Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom is unmistakable, and it looks like the sequel iterates on the original’s gameplay in all the right ways. Ni no Kuni 2’s RPG action is more Pikmin than Pokemon: instead of controlling individually collected Familiars from the sidelines, your party members Evan, Roland, and Tani are always in the thick of each real-time fight, assisted by a horde of cutesy elemental creatures called Higgledies. Though the events once again takes place in the parallel realm of Ni no Kuni, this story has a much grander scope than the first, as the deposed young king Evan endeavors to reclaim his kingdom of Ding Dong Dell after a hostile takeover.
The Last of Us Part 2
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Platform(s): PS4
Release date: TBC
The Last of Us 2 picks up the story of Joel and Ellie five years after the original game. While survival in a post-outbreak world will still be the key theme of the game, we know very little else… other than the fact that Ellie is seriously pissed off about something in the reveal trailer. Fan theories suggest that Joel is actually dead and Ellie is simply imagining him, but we won’t know for sure until the game releases some time in the next couple of years.
Battle Chasers: Nightwar
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
Even if you have no idea who the Battle Chasers are (and admittedly, the late '90s comics run this game is based on never really took off), anyone with an appreciation for gorgeous artwork and classic RPGs needs to keep tabs on Nightwar. Battle Chasers’ distinct visuals render the comics’ super-stylized character designs by Joe Madureira (who also worked on Darksiders) in eye-catching 3D, as we follow a ragtag group of adventurers via isometric exploration and turn-based, 2.5D battles. With any luck, this RPG might finally resolve the comics’ infamous cliffhanger ending from all the way back in 2001, or it may just reboot the plotline altogether.
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
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Platform(s): PS4, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
Developer Ninja Theory has a knack for crafting cult classic action games that only seem to be appreciated after their time: Heavenly Sword, Enslaved, DmC (don’t @ me). Hopefully Hellblade can break into the mainstream so that more players can appreciate the kinetic melee clashes and ridiculously lifelike face mocap Ninja Theory does best. The story is steeped in Norse mythology, revolving around the Celtic warrior Senua as she deals with psychological trauma and battles her inner demons - who sound like they’re going to manifest themselves as actual enemies you’ll need to slice apart.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake
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Platform(s): PS4 (Timed exclusive)
Release date: TBC
You wanted it so badly, and pretty soon, you’re going to get it. Fans had been pining for the seminal RPG Final Fantasy 7 to be remade with slick modern visuals, and at E3 2015, Square-Enix finally obliged with a glorious glimpse at Cloud Strife’s big comeback. We’ve since learned plenty about Final Fantasy 7 Remake, like the fact that it’s planned to be split up along full-game-sized episodes, and features action-heavy real-time combat in the same vein as Final Fantasy 15. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the original FF7, so hopefully we’ll be celebrating with FF7 Remake before long.
Death Stranding
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Platform(s): PS4
Release date: TBC
Death Stranding is Hideo Kojima’s first game after the Metal Gear franchise, and it’s exclusive to PS4. Naturally, it features weird old babies and stars Guillermo del Toro and Mads Mikkelsen. Trailers have been incredibly enigmatic so far, but fans are already pulling them apart for hidden meaning. Here’s the best breakdown you’ll read. If you want the TLDR version: it’s Kojima doing another high-quality action adventure, so be excited.
Red Dead Redemption 2
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
What do we know about Red Dead Redemption 2? Other than: we want it now? Very little. It’ll have both single player and multiplayer components, and has been tentatively scheduled for a late 2017 release date. Hot rumours suggest we’ll be playing as John Marston’s son, and that forming a posse will be a big part of the game (as suggested by the early concept art). The setting is towards the end of the Wild West era (we see steam trains and brick housing in the trailer), so this will likely be set after the last game…
Earth Defense Force 5
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Platform(s): PS4
Release date: TBC 2017
Granted, the EDF has never garnered much mainstream attention - but for those that know the joys of this Japanese take on giant insect B-movie horror, Earth Defense Force 5 looks like a real treat. This third-person shooter makes up for simplistic textures with a massive sense of scale, letting you run amok in giant, fully destructible cities overrun by colossal ants, killer robots, and Godzilla’s distant relatives. This sequel - which promises revamped class abilities and wild new monster types - hasn’t been confirmed for release outside of Japan, but we’ve got our fingers crossed that a worldwide launch could happen if we chant “EDF! EDF!” often and loud enough.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2
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Platform(s): Switch
Release date: TBC 2017
Nintendo still claims Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is coming out in 2017, despite the series’ own tumultuous history of delays and setbacks. We don’t even know all that much about it outside of the reveal trailer shown during Nintendo’s Switch presentation back in January. If it’s anything like the first Xenoblade Chronicles (or the Wii U spin-off, Xenoblade Chronicles X), expect massive, open, and wholly alien landscapes to explore with a group of anime buddies wielding absurd, magical weaponry in highly-tactical real-time battles. That it’s simply big isn’t all that impressive considering how big pretty much every game is today, until you realize that the Switch will allow you to take this sprawling JRPG with you on the go - and that more than anything makes us very excited about what Xenoblade Chronicles 2 has to offer.
Cuphead
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Platform(s): Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2017
We’ve been anticipating Xbox indie standout Cuphead for what feels like ages, and the game seems to have veered dangerously close to vaporware territory with how many times it’s been pushed back. But 2017 will reportedly be the year we finally get our hands on this inventive run-'n’-gun shooter, which combines the 2D intensity of Mega Man’s large-scale boss battles with an unmistakable 1930s animation aesthetic in the vein of Disney relics like Steamboat Willie. With its frenetic-looking boss designs and completely-on-point visual style, we’ll wait as long as it takes to finally play this thoroughly old-school beaut’.
Kingdom Hearts 3
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One
Release date: TBC
Our relationship with Kingdom Hearts 3 feels like a Jane Austen novel: we constantly write letters professing our love and pining need for it, yet we only get a fleeting glimpse into how it’s doing every few months. While you wistfully wait for more of Sora, Donald, Goofy adventuring through Disney-themed worlds, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 should help ease the pain, because it includes an all-new playable prologue (made in Unreal Engine 4) leading up to KH3. Otherwise, you’ll just have to longingly gaze at those in-game pictures of Hercules’ Mount Olympus and dream of Sora riding atop Baymax over Big Hero 6’s San Fransokyo.
Shenmue 3
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Platform(s): PS4, PC
Release date: TBC
The Shenmue series was never a huge commercial success, but thanks in part to Kickstarter and thousands of fans’ hard-earned dollars (plus some generous funding from Sony), the project is fully underway. In Shenmue 3, you’ll take the role of a martial artist named Ryo Hazuki as he attempts to uncover who is responsible for his father’s murder. The game promises to have gameplay reminiscent of the previous titles, enabling players to take on enemies in hand-to-hand combat, upgrade combat abilities, and explore a living world full of villages, shops, and an active populous. When is it due? Your guess is as good as ours, but it’s likely to be 2018 at the earliest.
Darksiders 3
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2018
First there was War, then Death, and now Fury is the next Horseman (or more accurately, Horsewoman) of the Apocalypse to star in her own fantastical action adventure. The Darksiders series is famous for essentially being a blood-soaked, bone-crunching take on The Legend of Zelda’s open-world exploration with a dash of Devil May Cry combat mixed in, full of ridiculously proportioned (but undoubtedly cool-looking) character designs by cult favorite comic artist Joe Madureira. Darksiders 3’s leading lady Fury is more magic-focused than her compatriots, and wields a spiky whip as her signature weapon. You’ll be cutting down swaths of demons across the ruins of post-Biblical-apocalypse Earth, fighting back against hellish embodiments of the Seven Deadly Sins themselves.
Bloodstained
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, Wii U, PS Vita, PC
Release date: TBC 2018
We were so accustomed to a steady stream of excellent exploration-based Castlevania games for so long that we didn’t realize what we had until they were gone. No more! In 2018, the mastermind behind Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Aria of Sorrow, and many others will bring us Bloodstained. Koji Igarashi’s first major post-Konami project is Castlevania in all but name, with the same smooth action, gothic atmosphere, and haunted locale spelunking we loved for so long. Shame it has been delayed until 2018, eh.
Code Vein
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC (TBC)
Release date: TBC 2018
You’d be hard-pressed to find a game that blends anime vampires, gothic horror, and grim depictions of a metropolitan apocalypse than Code Vein, an intriguing new action RPG from Bandai Namco. You and your AI-controlled partner will roam the thorny, defiled wastes, slaying monsters and sucking up blood wherever you can as you slice up enemies in familiar 'dodge, attack, disengage, repeat’ fashion. The enemy designs are Anime Bloodborne to a tee, with slime waifus and knights clad in impossibly bulky armor, and it looks like you’ll be able to transform when it’s time to deal the finishing blow.
Cyberpunk 2077
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Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC
This is probably a case of a game being teased way too early, but after what CD Projekt Red’s accomplished with The Witcher series, anything new this studio makes demands your attention. We’ve heard little from Cyberpunk 2077 since its cinematic teaser debuted all the way back in 2013, but it promises a Blade Runner-style dystopian future with Deus Ex-like RPG elements. That core concept, as made by developers promising a world even larger than The Witcher 3’s, is more than enough to get our excite-o-meter peaking.
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