Avid fans of the gaming world will tell you 2018 was not the best year for gaming, especially for PC fans. Crypto-miners ruined most of the year’s GPU deals, and when it came to the games released, some of the biggest fan favourites were not available on Steam. To be fair, there were a few worth mentioning like Red Dead Redemption 2 and God of War, the playing styles of which have been highly influential for the games on this list. In fact, this year looks much better, with the release of several of the most highly anticipated games like Devil May Cry 5, Kingdom Hearts III, and Resident Evil 2. Here are three of the most epic games we can’t wait for:
The Last of Us: Part 2
Game developer Naughty Dog finally announced the much-awaited sequel to The Last of Us. The first game was a complete hit, with players and critics commending the developers for the game’s excellent emotional storytelling, not to mention its engaging and realistic characters. The most recent trailer featured on Tech Radar reveals that survival in the game requires the right balance between stealth and all-out attacks. Ellie moves between areas, taking weapons from bodies, before springing out on her enemies. Fans can also expect a darker storyline, focusing on the conflicts between the human factions in the game—all these coupled with even more breathtaking visuals. Gamers are anticipating an even more emotionally thrilling story with gameplay that is both fun and challenging.
Ghost of Tsushima
This third-person, action-adventure stealth game is set during the times of the samurai. It reflects a rise in games based on Japanese culture with Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice also out this year. The Express notes that unlike the latter, which has fantastical elements to it, Ghost of Tsushima is more conventional. The game’s creative director Nate Fox said, “In Infamous you explore powers. In this game, we let you explore what it is to be a samurai inside of this enormous landscape of medieval Japan.” Game developers across all platforms have long embraced and integrated Asian culture in western games. Who can forget the original series of Shinobi games by Sega, an exploration of the life of the mythical ninja warrior. On the web, the game Sakura Fortune on Asian gaming outlet Expatbets is an online title with a lone Japanese warrior as its central character. Like Ghost of Tsushima, it leans heavily on the Japanese landscape with blossom trees featured as prominently as the warrior. Nearly the same can be said for the beloved RPG, Jade Empire, in which the Asian-inspired art and landscape are as important as the central characters. Apart from being a thoroughly engaging game, Ghost of Tsushima shows just how far gaming has come in terms of cultural diversity.
A Plague Tale:
The monsters in A Plague Tale: Innocence are not as awful as the ones on The Last of Us, but they’re equally scary. The characters Amicia and Hugo make their way through 14th-century, plague-infested France, battling rats, the Inquisition, the English Army, and even the locals. The latest trailer features Vitalis, the leader of the Inquisition and the ruthless Lord Nicholas, the commander of the Inquisition’s forces. As they progress through the game, players will start questioning who the true monster is, alongside worrying how to get away from the deadly disease-baring rats, which can only be killed by fire. It is an unusual set up for a game, which is why it is one of the most anticipated.