Most Anticipated Games 2017
We’ve had a lot games come out this year and there are more great games yet to come. We’ve reached the point in the year, where we have confirmed released dates and games that we know will be pushed back into 2018. Sometimes it’s good that games do get pushed into 2018 because it allows developers time to fix any issues/improve aspects of the game. At times it can be a bit overwhelming to know which games to get but here are a few I’m personally looking forward to…
Release Date: 31/08/2017
Platform: PC, PS4 & Xbox One
Life is Strange was such a great game that I was overwhelmed with joy when I heard that they were going to release another one. Life is Strange: Before the Storm is a prequel to the first game Life is Strange. We follow Chloe Price (Max’s Bestfriend) in Arcadia bay after Max leaves; in the timeline this will be three years ago. Deck Nine have said they are going to explore Chloe coping with her father’s death and meeting Rachel to show the development of their friendship. The only difference from the first game is the voice actor who plays Chloe. In LIS we were hearing Max’s point of view but now we will be hearing Chloe’s thoughts instead. Deck Nine have said that this will not be solely focussed on Rachel. Before the Storm is going to be three episodes – this means that it will be shorter compared to the first game (five episodes in total). If you like story based game with multiple choices and consequences then this is the game you have to play.
Release Date: 06/09/2017
Platform: PC, PS4 & Xbox One
Destiny 2 is first person shooter which is also an MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online) that will carry on Destiny’s legacy of online gaming. Destiny has been one of the best and successful online games that have options to play on your own or with friends. Destiny and Destiny 2 will have similar game play as before but with new story, raids and nightfall. If you were lucky to pre-order the Beta you would have been able to have a taste of the new gameplay. The Beta included one story mission, one nightfall and one PVP game. The only problem with this is that it wouldn’t carry over any progress in the Beta – you would have to start from scratch. Bungie have offered players to carry over their Guardian from Destiny but only the appearance. This will mean your Guardian will look the same as before but it won’t have the power, possessions and currency. In my opinion this is good because it will create an even playing field for new or previous players from Destiny.
Release Date: 08/09/2017
Platform: Nintendo 3DS
Monster Hunter Stories is a spin-off from the original Monster Hunter series that were originally on the PSP. In the last couple years they have started becoming more multi-platform games but the main franchise is on the Nintendo 3DS. Monster Hunter Stories will be focusing on the story rather than just killing monsters. The story is about a group of warriors called Riders that can befriend monsters and use them to your advantage in battle or exploring. It is more strategic than just befriending monsters and collecting eggs because all monsters have different skills and attributes. This means that in order to become better in the game is to strategically combine your monster’s skills. Nintendo have described this ‘the first turn-based battles Monster Hunter ’that allows you to form a team of powerful monsters to create high combo attacks. Monster Hunter Stories is good for players who want to try the franchise or players who have played Monster Hunter before.
Release Date: 26/09/2017
Platform: PS4 & PS Vita
A new set of sixteen ultimate students are kidnapped and imprisoned in a school. The students are the best at their given subject e.g. Ultimate Detective or They are pitted against in a killing game and they have to find out who the killer. You must investigate and find clues to help solve the crime. They have class trials but with a huge twist if they guess who committed the crime correctly the killer dies but if they guess wrong all the students die except for the killer – the killer gets to escape. The trials are fast paced and interactive which allows the player to make quick decisions and objections at the appropriate moment. Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony follows on from Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc and Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair (both on PS Vita) as a visual novel game. This game brings huge twists in the murder case at a fast pace, Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony will always keep you on your toes and wanting more.
Release Date: 29/09/2017
Platform: Xbox One & PC
In the style of a 1930’s cartoon, Cuphead is a fast pace running and shooting game in a 2d platform. Cuphead and Mugman made a bet with the Devil and lost. Devil spares them but only if they do as the Devil pleases. This single and local co-op game allows players to play as Cuphead (and Mugman) to explore strange worlds to pay your debt back to the Devil. Cuphead is visually and audibly beautiful which submerges you into the cartoon game for intense and captivating gameplay. The boss at the end of the level is challenging and tests all the skill you have learnt throughout the various levels. It’s all about learning the pattern and having good timing in order to defeat the bosses. The bosses are creatively done to keep you mesmerized and motivated to find out what boss you are up against next.
Release Date: 10/10/2017
Platform: PC, PS4 & Xbox One
Middle Earth: Shadow of War follows on from the first game Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor but in this game you go to war and forge an army. Sauron has returned to Mordor with an army behind him – your task is to defeat him and take back Middle Earth. Tailon and Celebrimbor forge a new ring in Mount Doom. I like to think this would mean new powers available from the ring of power and the potential of corrupting Tailon. Shadow of War will have Nemesis system which depending on your gaming style will determine the difficulty of certain enemies. The system is clever because it re-evaluates over time how you play, so if you get better they then get harder to defeat. In Shadow of War you can take over fortresses but not only do you have to fight the Warchief, you have to fight the Overlord of the fortress as well!! That being said there is an option for your soldiers/War Chiefs and Overlords to betray you and fight against you, which gives a realistic war like environment. I would strongly advise to play Shadow of Mordor first because there will be background information that you will need to know.
Release Date: 27/10/2017
Platform: PC, PS4 & Xbox One
The final battle in Wolfenstein: New Order has been won; Blazkowicz is injured and is recovering with Eva in a stolen U Boat. Blazkowicz is trying to create another American uprising and we are now taken on his journey to find the resistance group. The timeline from the trailer suggests its set in 1960’s with the typical American diners and the third rising of the Ku Klux Klan. Wolfenstein is a typical first person shooter with objectives to get from A to B. The mechanics in the game are similar to the New Order but you are now able to hold dual weapons with different weapons in each hand. In the first game when you have a dual weapon it would only be the same gun e.g. two pistols. With new enemies and a new story this game will be a great continuation from the New Order which I can’t wait to play.
Release Date: 27/10/2017
Platform: PC, PS4 & Xbox One
Set in Ancient Egypt you get to play as Bayek a highly trained Medjay (warrior) to discover the origins of the Brotherhood. This isn’t your typical Assassin’s Creed game which excites me and makes me want to play this game. You will have control of an eagle called Sela that allows the player to have a bird’s eye view of the surrounding area and tag enemies. The new slow motion attack makes you see when it’s the best time to shoot to cause optimal damage. The combat now gives players more control than in previous games; where you had timed animation. Assassin Creed’s Origins doesn’t have a mini map but instead in a compass bar. This is quite similar to a typical open world games like Skyrim. The Skill Tree unlocks new abilities whilst before it was given to the player as you progressed through the main story now you need to level up. In the previous games you could loot enemies but only for medicine and coin, now it allows you to pick up better weapons and use then continuously rather than just a one-time use. With the weapon system now you are now more reliant on crafting to improve your weapons meaning you can keep the weapon you are most comfortable with.
Release Date: 27/10/2017
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Super Mario Odyssey is an open world game that takes you back along memory lane to Super Mario 64. Instead of staying in Mushroom Kingdom it looks as though the real world and Mushroom Kingdom have been put into one. This is shown by the day and night cycles in the various Kingdoms which may also hint to special quests and items for each cycle. Bowser is going to force Princess Peach to marry him and Mario has to save the Princess…again!! Mario is given a hat called Cappy that allows him take control of enemies, a weapon and a temporary platform. Cappy brings a new twist to this classic open world that has never been done in a Mario. Cappy can be a local co-op player which will make for a more challenging gameplay. There are your typical coins but also special coins that can now be spent on new hats and clothing in a shop called Crazy Cap. Travel around the kingdoms, clearing objectives and gaining power moons from Kingdoms to help save the Princess.
Release Date: TBC Nov 2017
Platform: PC, PS4 & Xbox One
In London 1918 the Spanish flu has hit and has killed millions of people. Jonathan Reid a doctor who has become a vampire by a patient biting him which he believed had the flu. This creates a captivating story because it shows the struggle of Reid dealing with the controversies of not harming another human and his need to feed. Vampyr is a RPG is created by Don’t Nod who created the games Life is Strange and Remember me. They have added elements where you can’t go around killing people because it will have an effect on the story later on. If you kill certain people you may miss on important clues or information – so choose carefully. There are four districts where you control the health or the demise of the area. If you hand out medicines and make them healthy it makes better hunting grounds within reason but if you hunt the population of that district it becomes a dead zone. Reid has vampire skills that allow him to feed or mesmerize the weak to get information or allow entry into their home. Vampyr is a hybrid that captures multiple choices/consequences in a somewhat open world environment.
Release Date: TBC Winter 2017
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is a stand-alone game which doesn’t continue the story of Shulk and the Monodo (Xenoblade Chronicles). Rex is asked by Pyra a mysterious being known as Blade to search for her lost home of Elysium. Elysium is a paradise for humanity and this is the beginning of their adventure. The combat mainly Rex doing the work as Rider and Pyra is in the background powering up the Blade. There are four buttons on the screen to make certain moves which is similar to the first game but it’s condensed down from scrolling across the screen. The moves (Artes) have certain criteria to land maximum damage e.g. you have to go behind the enemy. There are also moves you can do to topple the enemy but only with the correct combo. Rex can collect different blades and equip them so he isn’t just tied to Pyra. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 brings a refreshing new story and combat system that’s somewhat different from the Xenoblade franchise with a new world to explore.
I hope you liked the games that I’m looking forward to for the rest 2017 but if there are any you think I have missed – please comment below!!
Life Is Strange: Before the Storm
Release Date: 31/08/2017
Platform: PC, PS4 & Xbox One
Life is Strange was such a great game that I was overwhelmed with joy when I heard that they were going to release another one. Life is Strange: Before the Storm is a prequel to the first game Life is Strange. We follow Chloe Price (Max’s Bestfriend) in Arcadia bay after Max leaves; in the timeline this will be three years ago. Deck Nine have said they are going to explore Chloe coping with her father’s death and meeting Rachel to show the development of their friendship. The only difference from the first game is the voice actor who plays Chloe. In LIS we were hearing Max’s point of view but now we will be hearing Chloe’s thoughts instead. Deck Nine have said that this will not be solely focussed on Rachel. Before the Storm is going to be three episodes – this means that it will be shorter compared to the first game (five episodes in total). If you like story based game with multiple choices and consequences then this is the game you have to play.
Destiny 2
Release Date: 06/09/2017
Platform: PC, PS4 & Xbox One
Destiny 2 is first person shooter which is also an MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online) that will carry on Destiny’s legacy of online gaming. Destiny has been one of the best and successful online games that have options to play on your own or with friends. Destiny and Destiny 2 will have similar game play as before but with new story, raids and nightfall. If you were lucky to pre-order the Beta you would have been able to have a taste of the new gameplay. The Beta included one story mission, one nightfall and one PVP game. The only problem with this is that it wouldn’t carry over any progress in the Beta – you would have to start from scratch. Bungie have offered players to carry over their Guardian from Destiny but only the appearance. This will mean your Guardian will look the same as before but it won’t have the power, possessions and currency. In my opinion this is good because it will create an even playing field for new or previous players from Destiny.
Monster Hunter Stories
Release Date: 08/09/2017
Platform: Nintendo 3DS
Monster Hunter Stories is a spin-off from the original Monster Hunter series that were originally on the PSP. In the last couple years they have started becoming more multi-platform games but the main franchise is on the Nintendo 3DS. Monster Hunter Stories will be focusing on the story rather than just killing monsters. The story is about a group of warriors called Riders that can befriend monsters and use them to your advantage in battle or exploring. It is more strategic than just befriending monsters and collecting eggs because all monsters have different skills and attributes. This means that in order to become better in the game is to strategically combine your monster’s skills. Nintendo have described this ‘the first turn-based battles Monster Hunter ’that allows you to form a team of powerful monsters to create high combo attacks. Monster Hunter Stories is good for players who want to try the franchise or players who have played Monster Hunter before.
Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony
Release Date: 26/09/2017
Platform: PS4 & PS Vita
A new set of sixteen ultimate students are kidnapped and imprisoned in a school. The students are the best at their given subject e.g. Ultimate Detective or They are pitted against in a killing game and they have to find out who the killer. You must investigate and find clues to help solve the crime. They have class trials but with a huge twist if they guess who committed the crime correctly the killer dies but if they guess wrong all the students die except for the killer – the killer gets to escape. The trials are fast paced and interactive which allows the player to make quick decisions and objections at the appropriate moment. Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony follows on from Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc and Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair (both on PS Vita) as a visual novel game. This game brings huge twists in the murder case at a fast pace, Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony will always keep you on your toes and wanting more.
Cuphead
Release Date: 29/09/2017
Platform: Xbox One & PC
In the style of a 1930’s cartoon, Cuphead is a fast pace running and shooting game in a 2d platform. Cuphead and Mugman made a bet with the Devil and lost. Devil spares them but only if they do as the Devil pleases. This single and local co-op game allows players to play as Cuphead (and Mugman) to explore strange worlds to pay your debt back to the Devil. Cuphead is visually and audibly beautiful which submerges you into the cartoon game for intense and captivating gameplay. The boss at the end of the level is challenging and tests all the skill you have learnt throughout the various levels. It’s all about learning the pattern and having good timing in order to defeat the bosses. The bosses are creatively done to keep you mesmerized and motivated to find out what boss you are up against next.
Middle-Earth: Shadow of War
Release Date: 10/10/2017
Platform: PC, PS4 & Xbox One
Middle Earth: Shadow of War follows on from the first game Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor but in this game you go to war and forge an army. Sauron has returned to Mordor with an army behind him – your task is to defeat him and take back Middle Earth. Tailon and Celebrimbor forge a new ring in Mount Doom. I like to think this would mean new powers available from the ring of power and the potential of corrupting Tailon. Shadow of War will have Nemesis system which depending on your gaming style will determine the difficulty of certain enemies. The system is clever because it re-evaluates over time how you play, so if you get better they then get harder to defeat. In Shadow of War you can take over fortresses but not only do you have to fight the Warchief, you have to fight the Overlord of the fortress as well!! That being said there is an option for your soldiers/War Chiefs and Overlords to betray you and fight against you, which gives a realistic war like environment. I would strongly advise to play Shadow of Mordor first because there will be background information that you will need to know.
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
Release Date: 27/10/2017
Platform: PC, PS4 & Xbox One
The final battle in Wolfenstein: New Order has been won; Blazkowicz is injured and is recovering with Eva in a stolen U Boat. Blazkowicz is trying to create another American uprising and we are now taken on his journey to find the resistance group. The timeline from the trailer suggests its set in 1960’s with the typical American diners and the third rising of the Ku Klux Klan. Wolfenstein is a typical first person shooter with objectives to get from A to B. The mechanics in the game are similar to the New Order but you are now able to hold dual weapons with different weapons in each hand. In the first game when you have a dual weapon it would only be the same gun e.g. two pistols. With new enemies and a new story this game will be a great continuation from the New Order which I can’t wait to play.
Assassin’s Creed: Origins
Release Date: 27/10/2017
Platform: PC, PS4 & Xbox One
Set in Ancient Egypt you get to play as Bayek a highly trained Medjay (warrior) to discover the origins of the Brotherhood. This isn’t your typical Assassin’s Creed game which excites me and makes me want to play this game. You will have control of an eagle called Sela that allows the player to have a bird’s eye view of the surrounding area and tag enemies. The new slow motion attack makes you see when it’s the best time to shoot to cause optimal damage. The combat now gives players more control than in previous games; where you had timed animation. Assassin Creed’s Origins doesn’t have a mini map but instead in a compass bar. This is quite similar to a typical open world games like Skyrim. The Skill Tree unlocks new abilities whilst before it was given to the player as you progressed through the main story now you need to level up. In the previous games you could loot enemies but only for medicine and coin, now it allows you to pick up better weapons and use then continuously rather than just a one-time use. With the weapon system now you are now more reliant on crafting to improve your weapons meaning you can keep the weapon you are most comfortable with.
Mario Odyssey
Release Date: 27/10/2017
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Super Mario Odyssey is an open world game that takes you back along memory lane to Super Mario 64. Instead of staying in Mushroom Kingdom it looks as though the real world and Mushroom Kingdom have been put into one. This is shown by the day and night cycles in the various Kingdoms which may also hint to special quests and items for each cycle. Bowser is going to force Princess Peach to marry him and Mario has to save the Princess…again!! Mario is given a hat called Cappy that allows him take control of enemies, a weapon and a temporary platform. Cappy brings a new twist to this classic open world that has never been done in a Mario. Cappy can be a local co-op player which will make for a more challenging gameplay. There are your typical coins but also special coins that can now be spent on new hats and clothing in a shop called Crazy Cap. Travel around the kingdoms, clearing objectives and gaining power moons from Kingdoms to help save the Princess.
Vampyr
Release Date: TBC Nov 2017
Platform: PC, PS4 & Xbox One
In London 1918 the Spanish flu has hit and has killed millions of people. Jonathan Reid a doctor who has become a vampire by a patient biting him which he believed had the flu. This creates a captivating story because it shows the struggle of Reid dealing with the controversies of not harming another human and his need to feed. Vampyr is a RPG is created by Don’t Nod who created the games Life is Strange and Remember me. They have added elements where you can’t go around killing people because it will have an effect on the story later on. If you kill certain people you may miss on important clues or information – so choose carefully. There are four districts where you control the health or the demise of the area. If you hand out medicines and make them healthy it makes better hunting grounds within reason but if you hunt the population of that district it becomes a dead zone. Reid has vampire skills that allow him to feed or mesmerize the weak to get information or allow entry into their home. Vampyr is a hybrid that captures multiple choices/consequences in a somewhat open world environment.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Release Date: TBC Winter 2017
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is a stand-alone game which doesn’t continue the story of Shulk and the Monodo (Xenoblade Chronicles). Rex is asked by Pyra a mysterious being known as Blade to search for her lost home of Elysium. Elysium is a paradise for humanity and this is the beginning of their adventure. The combat mainly Rex doing the work as Rider and Pyra is in the background powering up the Blade. There are four buttons on the screen to make certain moves which is similar to the first game but it’s condensed down from scrolling across the screen. The moves (Artes) have certain criteria to land maximum damage e.g. you have to go behind the enemy. There are also moves you can do to topple the enemy but only with the correct combo. Rex can collect different blades and equip them so he isn’t just tied to Pyra. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 brings a refreshing new story and combat system that’s somewhat different from the Xenoblade franchise with a new world to explore.
I hope you liked the games that I’m looking forward to for the rest 2017 but if there are any you think I have missed – please comment below!!
Comments
Post a Comment