So as is the tradition of most gaming websites, I have put together a collection of the games I am most looking forward to this coming year. I decided to hold back a month because there were so many titles still floating in the air and I had a suspicion some would be hit with a delay. Anthem has now been shunted until 2019 and unfortunately, the System Shock remake I was rooting for has been all but cancelled. As we are fast approaching March I am now ready to drop my list of games that I think PC gamers should be keeping a very close eye on. Please bear in mind this is not an exhaustive list and while games like Sea of Thieves look ok, there are enough red flags for me not to include them. So, let us take a look at my most anticipated games for 2018.
Final Fantasy 15
The only Final Fantasy game I ever played was the seventh in the series, way back in 1991 on my trusty grey Playstation. I do remember being completely absorbed for weeks by the amazing story and striking visuals. Many games in the series have since appeared but I've just not felt the urge to play them, until now. I know going in, there will some elements of this title I don't like but there is no denying how much effort the developers have put into appeasing PC gamers with platform-specific features. There is one thing we know for sure and that is it's gonna be a looker.
Developer: Square Enix Publisher: same
Release Date: 3rd March 2018
Farcry 5
Sometimes I don't need clever and revolutionary, sometimes I just want to crank up the bass and let the good times roll. Farcry games have been accused of being a bit samey since the passing of number three. It is true that four did feel like an almost identical game to its predecessor, but if I'm honest I didn't mind all that much. Another confession is that I've always had a bit of an obsession with the States, fueled this year by the slow-motion train wreck that is the Trump Administration. What an amazingly raw setting to place the new game in, it could be awesome. There are also some nice new features coming with FarCry 5 including being able to play the entire campaign from start to finish in co-op. This one is right around the corner so check back near launch for my full review.
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal Publisher: Ubisoft
Release Date: 27th March 2018
Little Devil Inside
I just happened across a trailer for this game last year and I was instantly onboard. A survival game of sorts in which you must travel around the world in an effort to research monsters for a university. There is still plenty we don't know about Little Devil Inside but the visuals and quirky gameplay elements make me think this could be something very special. Check out the trailer below to see what I mean.
Developer: Neostream Interactive
Release Date: 2018
Vampyr
I've always been a sucker for a good vampire yarn (hey who's gonna stop me?) whether that be the insanely atmospheric Vampire Masquerade or ancient Legacy of Kain games. From the developers who brought us Life is Strange, we are now pretty close to the release of their new game, Vampyr. As you might expect, player choice and consequence will feature heavily in this title but there is also a more hands-on approach than previous games. I am really looking forward to this one and hope it finally gives us a vampire game to beat Masquerade.
Developer: Dontnod Entertainment Publisher: Focus Home Interactive
Release Date: Q1/Q2 2018
Biomutant
I very nearly didn't add this one to the list but after seeing a developer interview at the recent PC Gamer Weekender event, I am now eager to get my claws into it. Set in a sprawling open world you must survive in a post-apocalyptic environment, which is more of an environmental disaster than a nuclear wasteland. Not only are you able to affect how the world evolves, but the amount of customisation and skill development is off the chain. We don't have a release date as of yet, but I am now very excited to see more and suspect there will be some updates at E3.
Developer: Experiment 101 Publisher: THQ Nordic
Release Date: 2018
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
Ori and the Blind Forest is in my eyes the best platform game ever made. Exquisitely realised with visuals that would give Pixar a run for their money. Not just a looker, Ori's gameplay feels organic and fluid with some truly magical sequences. As if that wasn't enough the soundtrack was sublime and I still listen to it daily. It is no surprise then, that there is a sequel soon to be released and that it looks as gorgeous as its predecessor.
Developer: Moon Studios Publisher: Microsoft Studios
Release Date: TBA 2018
Metro Exodus
After giving up on the first iteration of Metro 2033 I decided to dive back in when the Redux version was released. I was instantly impressed by how much work the developers had done to chip away the rough edges and make this title stand out. If there was an award for the game that made you hold your breath the longest, the Metro games would win hands down. Metro Exodus is the next game in this series and looks absolutely stunning. The trailer below is heavily scripted (or so it would seem) but it does give us a good idea of what to expect when it releases this autumn.
Developer: 4A Games Publisher: Deep Silver
Release Date: Autumn 2018
Monster Hunter World
I won't lie, seeing games come out on PC months after a console release is always a bitter pill to swallow. Sure there are some benefits as the PC version of Final Fantasy 15 are showcasing. However, as someone who wants the PC platform to thrive, I would far rather developers see PC as worth investing in for a simultaneous release with the console versions. As we already know Monster Hunter World has taken the gaming scene by storm with rewarding gameplay, deep combat systems and gorgeous visuals. I cannot wait to see how the PC version shapes up later this year.
Developer: Capcom Publisher: same
Release Date: Autumn 2018
The Last Night
Just have a peek at this trailer and you will see why it instantly caught my attention. Fusing some beautiful depth of field techniques with a stylised pixel-art effect this game is dripping with atmosphere. Obviously, comparisons to Blade Runner are going to be made but I also get a Flashback feel from the gameplay. This has to be one of the most intriguing games of 2018 and I cannot wait to see more.
Developer: Odd Tales Publisher: Raw Fury
Release Date: 2018
Children of Morta
I have been playing a lot of Pixel Art games in the last year and there have been a surprising amount of quality titles. I think many make the mistake when they see a Pixel Art style game of thinking it will be a lower quality of game than one fashioned from a triple A studio. Like The Last Night, Children of Morta uses hand crafted pixel-art assets, fuses them with amazing lighting techniques which brings some truly atmospheric scenes to the game world. The developers describe this title as a type of Rogue Like where you must choose the member of the Bergson family that fits with their play style and then battle deep into procedurally generated caverns, temples and forests.
Developer: Dead Mage Publisher: 11 Bit Studio
Release Date: 2018
Gods Trigger
If you are a fan of games like Hotline Miami then you should think about adding this title to your wish list. Like the aforementioned top-down shooter, you move from room to room dispatching anything that moves although here you will have supernatural powers to play with. These games can be incredibly fun when played in co-op but only if properly balanced.
Developer: Techland Publisher: same
Release Date: Q1/2 2018
Thank you for reading (and watching) my picks for the most interesting games you should be keeping an eye on this year. I think it's worth noting that I left a few off the list, such as Beyond Good and Evil 2, Cyberpunk 2077 and Death Stranding. The reason for this is simply that while they all look epic in scope, we still don't know a great deal about them (or indeed when we will see them). As the year trundles on we will of course hear about more games and their respective release dates. E3 and other gaming events will be the epicentres for most of these nuggets of information and so I'll be covering as many as possible. Like last year I will be attending Gamescom as press so watch this space.