10. Phoenix Point
From the makers of XCOM comes its spiritual successor Phoenix Point, a turn-based strategy game. Following an outbreak of a deadly mutating virus, humanity is broken up into competing factions, which are all fighting to survive alongside creatures that mutate and change as quickly as players put them down. Looking like to overall be a fun ride, this game inverts the alien invasion trope and instead the threat arises from thawing permafrost in the year 2022, flash forward to 2047, humanity has been decimated, reduced to small havens. Players will have control over one cell of the global spanning organization, Phoenix Point, that is working to get back in communication with the other cells all over the world.
Expected Release: Q4 2018
9. The Last Night
This game might not look like much, but it channels so much Bladerunner and Bladerunner 2049, I was almost afraid of copyright issues. A cinematic platformer at its core, The Last Night uses cyberpunk tropes to their fullest and it looks fantastic. This is one to watch this coming year. The pixel art may be off putting for some, but the atmosphere that developer, Odd Tales, is building into this little indie game is jaw dropping.
Expected Release: Sometime in 2018
8. Battletech
For what I believe the first time ever, the Battletech universe is coming to turn-based strategy space. It is going to show Mechwarrior in an entirely new way. The year is 3025 and the galaxy is deadlocked in a civil war orchestrated by the noble houses and their larger than life, robotic vehicles, also know was Mechwarriors. Players take control of a mercenary group and attempt to stay afloat in this conflict, but also drawn into the civil war itself. Using over 30 mechs, terrain, and technology to outgun your opponent's, Battletech is going to please both RTS fans and lovers of the franchise as well.
Expected Release: Early 2018
7. Surviving Mars
From Paradox Interactive, comes another city building sim, similar to Cities: Skylines. The one big difference is that...THIS IS ON MARS. You get to choose the space agency you will be sponsored by and then you set about establishing, building, and organizing a Martian colony. Never mind the weather or meteor showers. You will plan how to best run a colony safely and efficiently, while also making sure it prospers on the hostile red world. Looks like a lot of fun!
Expected Release: Mar. 15th 2018
6. System Shock
This is an old favorite for some who can remember it, which is coming back thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign. Reimagined in updated graphics and using some of the original voice actors, this game is remade for a new generation. You are a renowned hacker and cyber thief, but when a job goes south and you get caught, you are forced to work for a greedy TriOptimim exec. Something goes wrong and you wake up six months later from a coma and find yourself alone in a research facility and something has gone incredibly wrong. The facility is run by a ruthless AI, SHODAN, who hunts for you using cyborg monsters and other robotic creations and it is up to you to find out what happened. Truly a classic to the genre and one that will thrill newcomers.
Release Date: Later in 2018
5. Deep Rock Galactic
This game is something that no one could have expected. Deep Rock Galactic is a 1-4 person co-op FPS shooter involving space dwarves, procedurally generated caves, and destructible environments. There are four unique classes to choose from and players are sent on mining missions where they come against creatures and other dangers as they dig. Not many co-op games are coming out like this today, but Deep Rock Galactic looks like it wants to change it and it looks to be an overall blast! I dig it.
Release date: February 28 2018
4. Beyond Good and Evil 2
(Disclaimer: Mature Language)
This game is a sequel to the bizarre, but beloved game from 2003, Beyond Good and Evil. What the sequel brings is actual a twist with being a prequel to the original game and centered around a journey to a new solar system. The game itself will be an action-adventure and take place in an open-world sandbox where players fly from planet to planet on their own ship and each mission serves to improve their equipment, ship, or crew. Not much is known at this point, but hopes are that it releases soon.
Expected Release: Unknown
3. Biomutant
From THQ Nordic comes a new open-world, post-apocalyptic RPG that is centered around a unique combat system and crafting. A plague is consuming the land and the Tree of Life is dying, the tribes that populate the land are divided against one another, what will you do? Players will explore and fight through this world and they will ultimately decide its fate. With a new take on 3rd-person combat and all kinds of craftable gear and weapons, Biomutant is going to be a game to watch this year.
Expected Release: 2018
2. Jurassic World Evolution
Have you always wanted to take control of a dino park? Well, Frontier developments is going to give players a chance to relieve Jurassic Park, but hopefully to a less lethal and more successful than the movie versions. It was teased at GamesCon this past year, to a gleeful reception. This game will make managing a park more realistic and has been called a blend of Rollercoaster Tycoon and Jurassic Park. You are in full control of Isla Nublar and the surrounding islands of the Muertes Archipelago. You will be tasked with breeding dinosaurs and creating a safe and thrilling park for visitors. The visuals look great and all the dinosaurs look the same if not better than their movie counterparts. I cannot wait for this one!
Expected Release: 2018 (rumored June)
1. Metro Exodus
Returning in 2018 is the classic story-driven FPS from 4A Games, Metro Exodus. Taking place 25 years after nuclear war devastated the world, people fled the ruins of Moscow and went below ground to survive in the tunnels of the Metro. The story of Artyom continues in the largest adventure yet, as he leads a group of Spartan Rangers across the continent to find more promising lands in the East. Like previous entries, it will blend combat, stealth, exploration, and survival horror all together to create a truly immersive and thrilling journey. The entire game spans a year, so the game will coincide with the actual season it is in the real world. Your choices will impact your play and will ultimately affect which of your companions will survive the trip. Promising an amazing story and excellent reliability.
Expected Release Date: 2018
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