Following 2017, a year that many consider to be one of the greatest in gaming history, 2018 has a lot of expectations to live up to. After all, last year brought quality scares with Resident Evil: Biohazard, introduced excellent new IPs like Horizon: Zero Dawn, and Nintendo's newest console having massive hits with The Legend of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild, and Mario Odyssey.
While it is early in the gaming year, 2018 has plenty of potentially amazing titles to keep players entertained for countless hours. There are long-awaited sequels like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Kingdom Hearts III that are set for release sometime this year, but are lacking specific dates. However, there are plenty of other promising IPs both new and old.
Similarly to any other year, there is always the possibility of games being delayed or postponed that were initially confirmed to be released. There's also a high likelihood that some of 2018's best offerings may not be confirmed or even announced yet. In the meantime, we'll take a look at exciting titles that are expected for release in 2018 and discuss what exactly makes them so intriguing.
Here are the 18 Amazing Video Games You Didn't Know Were Coming In 2018.
System Shock Remake
A game that's arguably long overdue, but seemingly stuck in development hell, the System Shock remake is finally coming in 2018. Originally a Kickstarter project, Night Dive Studios took it upon themselves to remake the game that fans have wanted for years.
Night Dive Studios is powered by developers of games like Fallout: New Vegas, Mass Effect, and Bioshock, and the studio has worked with the original System Shock developers to guarantee the game's authenticity. Following a switch from the Unity engine to Unreal Engine 4, the game looks more polished than ever.
A recent trailer showed some gameplay and considering it looks near AAA-quality, this may be another great game courtesy of Kickstarter. There are naturally some doubts regarding any Kickstarter project, but the development talent and strong foundation is present, so you shouldn't let this title pass you by this year.
Mario Tennis Aces
An extremely recent announcement, Mario Tennis Aces seems like a great features-filled installment of this series. The last entry was the admittedly bare bones Mario Power Tennis. The new release looks to feature energetic gameplay and an actual story mode with bosses and mini-games. Ideally, this one may be another exclusive that Switch owners need to pick up.
The Mario Tennis games have always had strong gameplay and the newest entry includes a vibrant, colorful backdrop. There are still some important details missing, such as who exactly you'll get to play as or any in-depth details regarding the story mode.
However, the hinted at depth that Mario Tennis Aces has over the previous installment should have fans hyped for its March release. Let’s hope for an expansive roster, a satisfactory (and hopefully lengthy) story mode, and the same level of fun that this series is known for.
Biomutant
In Biomutant, you play as a fully-customizable Racoon-like creature in a world full of mutants and dangerous environments. The game's player progression will come in the form of both mechanical and biological additions, including robot limbs or wings that give the player certain advantages.
Outside of combat, the story has branching pathways that hinder on your personal decisions made throughout the game. Additionally, there's a Karma system illustrated through NPCs and there are even companions that you can recruit. The game is being developed by Experiment 101, which contains former members of Avalanche Studios (Just Cause Mad Max).
This ambitious RPG appears to be full of content and replay value. This is Experiment 101’s first official title, but with each of the members having significant experience in the industry, you should definitely not let this title slip you by.
The Last Night
Have you ever wanted to play a pixelated version of Blade Runner? If you said yes, then The Last Night may be for you. The Last Night is a 2.5D cinematic side-scroller with platforming and free roam components. The player gets to interact with citizens, explore the world, and even gets involved in gunfights and assorted stealth sections.
The story centers around Charlie, a financially-poor citizen within a technologically-obsessed society where machines are responsible for all lower-class jobs. This seems to imply that plenty of complications will come from this and it should be thoroughly interesting to watch everything unfold.
As long as the gameplay can keep up with the stunning art style, The Last Night can reach the same status as other recent indie successes like Inside and Cuphead.
Mega Man 11
Mega Man 11 is an exciting project that nobody really knew existed. It wasn't until Capcom surprisingly revealed it during the Mega Man 30th anniversary celebration that hype for the project began. Bringing back many nostalgic memories of classic titles of the franchise, that gameplay looks on-par with the best of the Mega Man series.
Details for the project are relatively sparse, but the franchise’s identity seems perfectly intact as gameplay looks challenging, responsive, and full of tough boss battles. Since many gamers are still feeling the burn of disappointment after Mighty Number 9, Mega Man 11 should help remedy some of the pain that players felt after playing the former.
If Capcom ensures that they give players the same kind of enjoyment and challenge that the series is known for, then this could be another classic game for fans of both retro and modern side-scrollers.
We Happy Few
Initially shown off in a creepy trailer during Gamescom 2015, We Happy Few looks like the A Clockwork Orange game you didn't know you wanted. The story is centered on a dystopian society where happiness is demanded by law. This is enforced through "Joy" pills that everyone is given.
When it's unveiled that the player has not been taking his pills, the town labels you a "Downer" and the ensuing chase is the basis for the game. Primarily influenced by films like Brazil and the aforementioned A Clockwork Orange, the game also looks like a Bioshock/Don't Starve hybrid.
Your primary goal is to survive and blend in with the crowd, while simultaneously fending off any Joy-filled citizens who see you as a criminal. Survival tactics will depend on your preferred playstyle as the game is very open in that regard. The developers discussed their desire to make players feel paranoid and if the trailer is any indication, they're on the right track.
Detroit: Become Human
David Cage is a divisive gaming figure, but he surely doesn't lack ambition. Both Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls were wholly unique, even if each title had their own problems. However, Cage's latest project, Detroit: Become Human, feels more like a sure thing due to its high concept and the gameplay footage shown off so far.
Centered around three android protagonists the main plot lines seem to involve an android revolution and hostage negotiations, among other things.
Similarly to Heavy Rain, players will be able to interact with the environment and make major plot choices that influence how the story progresses. Players will decide what kind of personality each of the protagonists have and dictate their own sense of morality.
Although the game style is likely linear and relatively pre-set, control over the story is completely in the player's hands. Do you want war between androids and humans, or a peaceful co-existence?
Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom
The Studio Ghibli inspired JRPG series returns with a new installment this March. Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom takes place centuries after the initial game and focuses on the ongoing battle between the cat and mouse tribes. Following a successful revolution, the mouse tribe now controls the kingdom.
Players control Evan Tildrum, the recently-usurped cat king who launches the fight to reclaim his throne. Similar to Xenoblade Chronicles in its clear anime influence and open world exploration, NNK2 maintains its own identity. The combat is free-flowing as you control the battlefield, taking out enemies in smooth battle sections.
There are also companion characters that you can control to make their presence as beneficial to you as possible. Outside of combat, players have kingdom management mini-games where you dictate how to use the available workforces at your disposal. Studio Ghibli may not be overlooking the whole project this time around, but their influence remains well-maintained.
Vampyr
It's safe to say that there is a lack of modern vampire simulators for gamers to enjoy. Thankfully, developer Dontnod Entertainment (Life Is Strange) decided to make a vampire game unlike any other. Set in London during the 1918 Spanish Flu Epidemic, Vampyr stars Doctor Reid who becomes afflicted with the vampire virus.
The player can then choose to either fight the urge to kill innocents or give in to Reid's bloodlust. To help players decide who to spare and who to kill, they can go around learning about the citizens of London. The game allows you to kill certain characters, whose deaths will then affect the outcome of the game's story.
Each person has some sort of relationship with other prominent NPCs, so choose your victims wisely. Your choices within the world influence which of the multiple endings you will get.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance
If there's anything that's admittedly missing from your typical RPG, it's realism. However, considering that most RPG stories involve dragons, magic, and wild beasts, it makes sense why they'd move away from gritty reality. This is what makes Kingdom Come: Deliverance so intriguing, as it's designed to be as realistic as possible.
The armor, buildings, and fighting are all accurate to the time period and the style helps immerse players into the world of 1400s-era Bohemia. Additionally, the combat is centered around hit points, which helps enhance the importance of smart armor selection. Attacking the areas where enemies are vulnerable means that they go down in 1-2 hits instead of double or triple that.
The main character is a blacksmith’s son, seeking redemption after the death of a loved one. There's no prophecy to fulfill here. There's something refreshing about not being, (for once) "the chosen on.” Unlike most games in the genre, KCD will be more of a medieval life simulator than your standard RPG.
Praey For The Gods
Are you a fan of Shadow of the Colossus? Well then, add in survival elements and dynamic weather effects during massive boss battles, and you've got Praey for The Gods. Set on a desolate. snow-covered island, your character must work with whatever weapons and resources the island provides to ensure your survival.
The entire map is littered with enormous enemies. Their size is on-par with SOTC and your best strategy to take them down is by scaling their bodies. The enemies includes some freakish snow beasts, flying monsters, and more, throughout the game's 5-8 total boss encounters.
There's also an established "exhaustion" meter, where every action you perform affects the meter in some way. Even if you rest up and take care of that, the quest to quench your hunger and thirst is up next. Nobody said that survival would be easy.
Darksiders III
Following the closing down of publisher THQ and the underperformance of Darksiders II, it didn't seem likely that another sequel would get made. However, against all odds, Darksiders III is a reality and it's already looking pretty impressive.
Fury is the protagonist and players take control of her magic and whips as she hunts down each of the Seven Deadly Sins. Although fans of the series may be worried about a new studio taking over the IP, much of Gunfire Games' team are previous Darksiders developers.
The released videos of gameplay indicates a combat system that’s a mix between standard Darksiders combat and that of God of War, offering a strong sense of impact and brutality to go with its flashiness. If you haven’t taken a chance on this series, now would be the perfect time to start.
Dragon Ball FighterZ
One of E3 2017's great surprises, Dragon Ball FighterZ is the latest DBZ fighting game from Bandai Namco. The difference here is that unlike Xenoverse's three-dimensional, multi-leveled combat, DBF is an uncompromisingly-fast affair. A roster featuring over 20 characters and a three-arc story mode (headlined by Goku, Frieza, and Android 18) ensures plenty of gameplay variation.
Borrowing the three-fighter team system from Marvel Vs. Capcom (and even parts of the combat style), FighterZ is a rapid-fire fighting game where button-mashing will likely be very popular. However, that's only a temporary solution as only those players who learn to play properly will end up being the best in their group of friends.
The beautifully-rendered visuals combined with suitably over-the-top combat gives DBF a worthy chance at being the definitive DBZ fighting game.
Sea Of Thieves
After a lengthy beta on PC, Rare's new IP will finally be released this March. Putting players into a massive open world full of pirates and treasure, Sea of Thieves is an online multiplayer game where the key is to be the best (or worst) pirate possible. That includes unearthing buried/sunken treasure and sinking enemy ships, all while keeping your own afloat.
There's a great sense of strategy in how you maintain your ship and its efficiency in Sea of Thieves. The online aspect comes in multiple players controlling different parts of the ship. For example, keeping certain players on the cannons in case of combat and others on standby if repairs need to be made.
Ship gameplay is all about each person working responsibly and keeping things moving smoothly. If ever your own ship is about to go down, you can always Bash the other ship, hop aboard, and commandeer it. This game demands you play it however you prefer and it looks like a blast.
Metro Exodus
Another entry in the heavily-atmospheric Metro series, Exodus deserves any post-apocalyptic fan's attention. Unlike more casual games in the genre, Metro demands that you conserve ammo and resources until your most desperate moment. It also demands that you fear the toxic environment of the surface world, as poisonous fumes are the least of your troubles.
Metro emphasizes its survival components and demands that you remain stocked up at all times. Seeing as you're not always going to be fully-stocked, you'll have to improvise. This is where the crafting of weapons becomes necessary. Exploration in the world will be unpredictable thanks to dynamic weather effects and a day/night cycle.
The story will take place over the course of a full year and will involve the protagonist, Artyom, traveling to the Far East. The Metro series excels at sucking you into its worlds and not letting go and Exodus seems primed to follow suit.
Kingdom Hearts 3
This isn't Kingdom Hearts 2.6 or 2.8. This is the proper sequel to 2005's Kingdom Hearts 2, which will finally be coming in 2018. On the positive side, this sequel will get the opportunity to use entirely fresh, unexplored worlds from Disney movies. These new worlds include Tangled's Kingdom of Corona, Big Hero 6's San Fransokyo, and even a Toy Story level.
For those who are concerned that there are only three worlds, old favorites like Olympus and Twilight Town will return. In terms of the plot, Sora, Goofy, Donald Duck, and more will return as they seek to foil Master Xenahort's plan to start a Second Keyblade War.
For those who are wondering, that trademark Kingdom Hearts combat has been kept intact. Boasting bright, vibrant graphics and great gameplay, the stage is set for KH3 to provide an experience worthy of a 13 year wait.
Shadow Of The Tomb Raider
The sequel that seems to have been forgotten after it was announced, Shadow of the Tomb Raider was confirmed by developer Crystal Dynamics and was given a 2018 release date in quick succession. For the uninitiated, the recent Tomb Raider games have been like gritty Uncharted titles (with similar levels of quality).
The new games are full of strong combat, intriguing stories, and unquestionable quality, making fans hope that this rebooted series will only continue to improve. Expect Shadow to build off of that foundation with improvements all-around and suitably high-stake storylines.
While very little is known about the title, is there any doubting that Crystal Dynamics will deliver the goods? This sequel needs to keep the excellent combat, entertaining platform components, and engaging puzzles to ensure a good product. If Crystal Dynamics adds variation in gameplay and keep the overall player experience perfectly-paced, then the game will be something special.
Red Dead Redemption II
The long-anticipated sequel to the excellent Red Dead Redemption is highly promising for many different reasons. Unlike the uncertainty that surrounds some studios, developer Rockstar's track record speaks for itself. There's also the promising component of this being a prequel story, which should allow for interesting callbacks to the original.
Gameplay hasn't been shown off yet, but GTA V and the previous RDR should serve as an accurate representation. The teaser trailer looks like an ambitious and highly-cinematic experience, contained within a compelling plotline in a beautifully-rendered world.
No matter when the game releases this year, it will be undoubtedly polished and honed to perfection. Hopefully, more is shown off for RDR2 so that gamers can get appropriately hyped for the title's 2018 release.
---
Did we miss any exciting video games you might not have known were coming out in 2018?