2017 was a stellar year for video games and 2018 has a similar potential for greatness. After scanning the year’s planned releases and plucking out the standouts, I jotted my brief thoughts on each game as they popped into my head.
A Way Out
Find a buddy to play this cooperative crime drama with lest you risk invoking Josef Fares’ wrath.
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown
Ace Combat returns with VR support but still no guest appearance by Starscream.
Agony
*watches trailer* Well…alrighty then.
Anthem
EA and Bioware can’t possibly screw up an idea as awesome-sounding as Destiny meets Iron Man, right?
Artifact
The Dota card game Valve enthusiasts were clearly clamoring for.
Biomutant
A wacky amalgamation of animal splicing and open-world gameplay that I hope rises to the occasion.
BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle
Like all Arc System Works fighters, I will admire the sprites before getting decimated by my opponent.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
I adore Castlevania and Bloodstained has been pushing many of the right buttons so far.
Call of Cthulu
Maybe I’ll play this instead of finally reading the short story.
Code Vein
Anime Dark Souls with vampires makes for one of 2018’s exciting dark horses.
Conan Exiles
Skeptical but intrigued by this blend of open-world survival with the Conan universe.
Concrete Genie
Fun to look at but is it actually enjoyable to play?
Crackdown 3
This has no choice but to be amazing or it could be quite the disaster for the Xbox brand.
Darksiders 3
Mildly concerned that this hasn’t been shown more but I heartily approve of more Darksiders.
Dauntless
Can Dauntless out-Monster Hunter Monster Hunter?
Days Gone
I’m desperately trying to muster excitement for Sony Bend’s open-world zombie epic.
Detroit: Become Human
Don’t screw this up, David Cage.
Dissidia Final Fantasy NT
Will a release date for the Final Fantasy VII Remake be hidden in here?
Dragon Ball FighterZ
I haven’t chomped at the bit to play a DBZ game this badly since the original Budakai.
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
If this comes to Switch (and it likely will) I’ll be down for taking a quality Dragon Quest adventure on-the-go.
Dreams
Nice to see this game still has a pulse even if I haven’t decided whether or not I want to play it.
Dynasty Warriors 9
Give me the Yellow Turban Rebellion or give me death.
Far Cry 5
Despite some uninspired trailers recently I hope the promising setup lives up to its potential.
Fe
Fe emphatically checks the box of “adorable animal platformer that brings all of the feels”
Full Metal Furies
This cooperative action-RPG from the makers of Rogue Legacy looks like a blast.
God of War
Krato’s Norse-flavored reinvention is arguably my most anticipated game of the year.
Golem
VR experiences don’t often excite me but I’m itching to try Golem.
Griftlands
Klei’s negotiation-based RPG lets players have a rad slug-man in their party.
GTFO
A new co-op shooter from the Payday team could be fun but I can’t get over that title.
Guacamelee 2
You can’t go wrong with more lucha-Metroid.
Gwent: The Witcher Card Game
Despite sucking at Gwent in The Witcher 3, I’m interested in redeeming myself in the single-player campaign.
Iconoclasts
As a sucker for 2D action-platformers, Iconoclasts gets my blood pumping each time I see it.
Jurassic World Evolution
Constructed parks that don’t fall into complete disarray should qualify as failures.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Hopefully this medieval epic can overcome its awkward character animations and a general air of blandness.
Kingdom Hearts III
Square Enix says 2018 but I won’t believe it until I’m excitedly tearing the plastic from my copy.
Kirby Star Allies
Switch becomes a real Nintendo device once the new Kirby game hits it.
Left Alive
Curious to see more of this survival mech-shooter set in the Front Mission universe.
Lost Soul Aside
I’ve been very impressed with this one-man project that blends Devil May Cry style action with Final Fantasy-caliber visuals.
Lost Sphear
Toyko RPG Factory feeds us more member berries of the JRPG’s heydey.
Mega Man 11
Our favorite fighting robot finally returns with some modern upgrades.
Metal Gear: Survive
I kind of hope this winds up being amazing just to watch everyone’s reactions.
Metro Exodus
Looking forward to a current-gen take on one of last generation’s standout narrative shooters.
Monster Hunter World
For the first time in, well, ever, I think I want to play a Monster Hunter game.
Mulaka
The only thing better than learning about an indigenous culture is doing so while playing a video game.
Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom
I missed out on the first game but may give this a shot.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Salivating at the thought of Rockstar revolutionizing the Wild West one more time.
Sea of Thieves
Could be a fun cooperative romp provided you can assemble a regular crew of friends.
Secret of Mana Remake
Never played the original (always wanted to) so I look forward to finally diving into the beloved JRPG.
Shadow of the Colossus Remake
This stunning face-lift to one of my favorite games ever has me counting the days to its release.
Shenmue 3
I’m more interested in seeing if this actually sticks to its 2018 release window.
Skull & Bones
Assassin’s Creed IV pirate battles minus the Assassin’s Creed part works for me.
Soul Calibur VI
Returning to the era of the first Soul Calibur is smart after V’s lame next generation fighters.
Spider-Man
As a big Spidey fan, I need this game like yesterday.
Starlink: Battle for Atlas
Curious to see how the physical model ships (which look cool) figure into the gameplay.
State of Decay 2
Awaiting word of this receiving a “new” battle royale mode.
Super Meat Boy Forever
My thumbs and sanity dread the release of this long-awaited sequel.
Surviving Mars
Colonizing Mars must sound extra appealing after enduring 2017’s world events.
The Crew 2
The original had interesting ideas so let’s see if the sequel can realize this concept’s potential.
The Inpatient
This eerie PSVR-exclusive prequel to Until Dawn makes me wish I owned the damn headset.
The Last Night
This mysterious cyberpunk platformer oozes style.
The Walking Dead: The Final Season
Pour one out for a series that feels as if its been running since 1999.
The Wolf Among Us 2
I should really get around to playing the first season.
Valkyria Chronicles 4
The original is one of my favorite hidden gems so I’ll have my eye on this.
Vampyr
The choice and world-shaping aspects of Dontnod’s vampire epic has me thirsty for its release.
Warhammer: Vermintide 2
Wattam
Katamari fans have waited a long time for the chance to befriend toilets and rocks.
We Happy Few
I used to be jacked for this but its completely fallen off my radar.
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life
Yakuza faithful get a third game to hit the West in just over a year.
Yoshi for Switch
I’m down for a new, adorable Yoshi adventure after the awesome that was Woolly World.
