That time of the year is here. The time where every gamer becomes spoilt for choice. There are a multitude of massive titles coming out, and you have no idea which ones to buy. Be it time or money, you might not be able to get them all (or maybe you can). Either way, here are five of the most exciting titles coming out between now and the end of 2018.
Call of Duty Black Ops IV – 12th October
Nobody needs reminding of the success of Fortnite, so it should come as no surprise that the most lucrative gaming franchise around has decided to dip its toes into the same field. Whilst the game controversially lacks a single player story, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 will instead feature its own battle royale mode, Blackout.
Blackout will also see the arrival of the series’ largest ever multiplayer map, which will allow players to play solo or in squads to compete for the prize of last men standing, all while the map size slowly decreases. To make things even more interesting, random events will occur throughout the match, including zombies spawning at specific points in the map.
No COD title would be complete without its multiplayer, and it’s back this time with a few significant changes. Treyarch have decided to move away from automatic health regeneration, instead focusing on a manual healing system, while the game will now have a deeper customisation system, with gun attachments now having tiers.
In more familiar territory, the ever popular Zombies mode will be making a triumphant return with three new maps at launch. Two of the maps, Voyage of the Dead and IX, introduce a brand new cast of characters, while Blood of the Dead will provide a more familiar experience for long time COD players, bringing back the original characters from World at War that are loved by so many.
There’s no denying the power of Call of Duty. Every year it break records, and with all these new announcements, it’s hard to see this one doing anything else.
Red Dead Redemption 2 – 26th October
There’s no doubt about it, Red Dead Redemption is an absolute classic. So when Rockstar finally announced the sequel in October 2016, levels of excitement amongst the gaming community reached almost unbearable levels. Now it’s almost here, and it looks great.
Rockstar’s follow up to their 2010 classic is actually a prequel, and will follow the story of Arthur Morgan, a member of the Dutch Van Der Linde gang, who were the antagonists of the previous game. Fans of the original will also be thrilled to learn that John Marston, one of the all-time great gaming protagonists, will be making an appearance, although it’s unclear in what capacity.
Rockstar’s recreation of the Old West was singled out as one of the original’s finest features. This time, they’ve added even more dimensions to their open world. The scope, the scale, the detail have all been amplified to stunning heights. All of the game’s NPCs will continue on after missions, getting on with their own lives. Many of the NPCs will have different natures, some shy, some hot headed, potentially resulting in some unexpected encounters.
Rockstar excel at creating stories based around seemingly unlikable protagonists. Their characters rob, kill, cause havoc and ruin the lives of those around them. And that’s what makes them interesting, complex even. We often root for them in spite of that. And while details are scarce about the narrative, Red Dead Redemption 2 looks to be following the same formula, which is by no means a bad thing. This game seems to be everything we know and love about them, but bigger and better.
So, are we calling it already? This game will be a classic? Sounds right to me.
Spyro Reignited Trilogy – 13th November
Nostalgia is a powerful thing. Something that was brilliantly harnessed by the recent remaster of the original Crash Bandicoot trilogy. When an Activision rep announced that the company still had the rights to Crash, speculation was abound. Would Crash be coming back? Three years later, we received confirmation. He would be returning. And what a return he made. Widely acclaimed, the N.Sane Trilogy was an enormous success, confirming that there was still significant love for one of gaming’s great icons.
So it made perfect sense when it was announced that another PlayStation icon, Spyro, would be getting similar treatment. Developed by Toys for Bob, the remaster of everyone’s favourite purple dragon looks incredible. Bringing together the first three games in the series, this collection will allow people to relive their childhoods all over again, and potentially introduce a whole new generation to something they’ve never played. Recent game demos have shown that the gameplay remains identical to its PlayStation counterparts, including item and character locations. However, the visuals have seen a significant overhaul, with beautiful lighting and textures illuminating the vibrant, colourful world of Spyro.
The game is set to arrive in November, after being pushed back from an original September release. Some have complained, but this can only be a good thing. Too many games have released unfinished, so it’s good to see Toys for Bob taking a little extra time to make this the most polished, well rounded collection it can be.
Fallout 76 – 14th November
It’s fair to say that Bethesda’s announcement of their newest Fallout title caught gamers off guard. The announcement, coming three years after Fallout 4, became even more surprising when Bethesda revealed that the game would be fully online, without a single-player mode. Fans of the series were unhappy, and despite the demand for one, Bethesda have stuck to their guns.
Fallout 76, a prequel to previous Fallout games, will feature a post-apocalyptic West Virginia that won’t contain any NPCs. Instead, all of the characters a player will encounter will be other human players, entirely changing the dynamic of the storytelling. The narrative will progress largely through recordings, terminals and other pieces of environmental storytelling.
One of the game’s more exciting features includes the ability to acquire nuclear launch codes, and then target a specific area of the map to irradiate it. Players can then explore the area to find rarer weapons and armour, but will have to combat higher level enemies. While there may have been some initial concern as to how this mechanic would work, Bethesda’s Pete Hines has assured players that they won’t be able to target one another, and the game will have a warning system in place for players who are in the blast radius.
Skepticism may exist within corners of the Fallout fanbase, but it seems clear that Bethesda are making a significant effort to innovate the beloved franchise. Besides, what other game this year could possibly make shooting irradiated monsters in a nuclear wasteland so much fun?
Battlefield V – 20th NovemberÂ
After the moderate success of Battlefield Hardline, DICE made the potentially risky decision of taking the series all the way back in time to the First World War. It paid off. Battlefield 1 was one of the must own titles of 2016, boasting a terrific multiplayer while providing a moving and engaging single player that effectively highlighted the heartbreaking brutality of this bloody conflict. DICE’s announcement of Battlefield V suggests they’re looking to build on their momentum, with the action now shifting forward to the Second World War.
Largely due to the juggernaut that is Fortnite, the series will be introducing its own battle royale mode, Firestorm, to its wealth of multiplayer options. The mode will feature four squads of 16 players, each bidding to be the last ones standing, with the accompanying map likely to be the biggest in Battlefield history.
Early rumours surrounding Battlefield V’s single player suggest that the focus will be on the lesser told stories of the Second World War. It’s likely that many gamers will have played through battles between the Soviet Union and the Nazis in other games, but what about the resistance fighters of Norway, who sought to protect their homeland against Nazi invaders. It’s already been confirmed that one of the War Stories will focus on such a story, and it will be exciting to see where else DICE can shine their spotlight.
Despite some naysayers, Battlefield V looks to be in good shape for its November release, having just finished its open beta. If it’s anything like its predecessor, this has to be a day one buy.
So, there it is. Five of the most anticipated games set to release between now and the end of 2018. Are there any that were unjustly left out Are there any you’re looking forward to more. Let us know in the comments below.
