We’ll break it down into quarters so that it’s easier for us to refer to. As for games that don’t have anything more than a ‘2018’ stamp on it, we’ll just take a guess on which season it’ll most likely be out on. To-date, this 2018 Games List is as comprehensive as it can get.
DRAGON BALL FIGHTERZ
It’s got a silly name, even by Dragon Ball standards. Still, this 2D fighting game takes all the visual cues from the most influential shonen manga out there and is sure to turn heads with its frenetic 3 VS 3 gameplay, colourful cast and gorgeous 2.5D cel-shaded graphics. It came out on January 26 2018.
GOD OF WAR
The next action-adventure game in the God of War series focuses on a wiser and older Kratos going
through a Norse-influenced world and teaching his son, Atreus, the ropes. The game will be drastically different and re-worked this time around: no multiplayer, no morality choices and no QTE sex mini-games. Sony Interactive Entertainment reveals it’ll be out in a few months, give or take.
CRACKDOWN 3
The original open-world super-powered protagonist action game that paved the way for titles like inFamous and Prototype will be making a huge comeback. Let’s hope the multitude of delays is truly worth the wait. Out Spring 2018.
TUNIC
It’s a Zelda-inspired adventure game, featuring pixelated blocky polygons, an isometric camera view, real-time exploration, loads of puzzle solving, and a fox as the main hero. What’s not to love? Releases sometime in 2018.
LOST SPHEAR
The spiritual sequel to I Am Setsuna, this Tokyo Factory-developed RPG has hit all the old-school RPGing notes: turn-based combat with team-up attacks, short-but-sweet game that goes straight to the point and charming top-down aesthetics. It has been on shelves since January 23 2018.
YAKUZA 6: THE SONG OF LIFE
The next instalment in the Yakuza series focuses on an older Kiryu Kazuma as he finds out what’s going on since his incarceration. Expect gripping drama, lots of fisticuffs and a ton of unnecessary-but-fun mini-games and karaoke sessions. Oh, there’s also selfie-taking urges and Beat Takeshi for some reason. Hitting you in the face this March 20 2018.
MONSTER HUNTER: WORLD
As Capcom’s real deal money-maker, Monster Hunter will continue its awesome relationship with home consoles for now and is looking pretty and meaty, gameplay-wise. This entry might be the friendliest of all for newcomers, though that remains to be seen and play-tested. Players are already gearing up for the next monster hunt since January 26 2018.
BATTLETECH (2018)
Battletech creator, Jordan Weisman, is leading a crack-team to create a turn-based strategy game of the same name – like all those years ago. Being a proper throwback, this game will feature a tonne of mechs from the franchise. It’s been a while since we’ve played a new Front Mission-style game, eh? Re-visiting 31st Century combat never felt this exciting for the longest time! While there is no definite date, BattleMechs will come online with weapon systems going hot sometime 2018.
FAR CRY 5
The sixth Far Cry game – indeed, we’re counting Blood Dragon too – is set in rural Montana where a giant church group is toting guns and weapons of mass destruction. You must sort them out with just as much firepower too. The bonus: you have the option of co-op and an AI-controlled dog at your side. The wild outdoor tour starts from March 27 2018.
A WAY OUT
From the guys who did Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons comes this co-op required affair about two convicts doing a prison break and are on a lam. It is a split-screen game that focus on deep emotional elements and full concentration from the two players. Also, the director of this game is a rather outspoken individual who really wants to see this indie title come to light. Passion is real here. Breaking out will commence on March 23 2018.
KIRBY STAR ALLIES
It’s been ages since we’ve had a mothership Kirby title. This one features 4-player platforming and co-op action; should be fun on the party-savvy Switch. Party time starts for the pink mascot come Spring 2018.
NI NO KUNI II: REVENANT KINGDOM
Ni no Kuni has a proper sequel and, so far, it looks glorious. We’re not sure how the story will be like, since there is no person from Earth entering this awesome fantasy world or on a quest to learn a huge moral lesson. Still, with Ghibli character designer, Yoshiyuke Momose, and music composer, Joe Hisaishi, back for Part 2, the game’s aesthetics will be the main highlight in this Level-5 designed RPG. The magic will ignite once more on March 23 2018.
FE
A pretty indie game from EA and its partner developer, Zoink. An action-adventure, it features a fox-like creature that explores the forest setting it is in. Players can climb, glide, and dig their way through the dark Nordic forest as they visit, learn, and encounter the living, breathing ecosystem within and uncover its secrets. Side-quests and mystical creatures are part of the experience too. Personally, it might be this year’s Journey or Ico. Indie-made in the purest sense, this adventure is set to appear on February 16 2018.
VALKYRIA CHRONICLES 4
The turn-based pseudo-World War II steampunk series is going back to its roots following the left turn Valkyria Revolution took last year. You control Squad E, led by captain Claude Wallace, as you pull off Operation Northern Cross to end the Second Europan War. The squad will be waylaid during its mission due to harsh weather conditions and bad snowfall. This new element of uncertainty will add some interesting gameplay mechanics. If anything, it will challenge and/or help players before, during, and after battles. Operation go time for this game is March 21 2018 (JP) and sometime 2018 for worldwide release.
FIST OF THE NORTH STAR/ HOKUTO GA GOTOKU
The Sega team that developed the Yakuza games is also taking the helm for this action-adventure. It will be based off the hit 80s post-apocalyptic anime/manga, featuring a badass named Kenshiro and his exploits in Eden. Much like the Yakuza games, there’ll also be loads of ass-kicking and mini-games aplenty. The original machine-gun puncher will hit PS4s on March 4 2018 with an English version appearing a few months after.
DARKSIDERS 3
Yes, we need more action-adventure Legend of Zelda clones with edgy 90s aesthetics, please! The next Darksiders game features Fury, sister to War and Death, as she is tasked with taking down the
Seven Deadly Sins using her magic and her sword whip. This next chapter in the Darksiders series will start sometime in 2018.
METAL GEAR SURVIVE
This action game will be the first new Metal Gear title to not feature Hideo Kojima following the messy divorce that happened in 2015. This co-op survival shooter takes place in an alternate reality
where Big Boss’ military group from Metal Gear Solid V fight against crystallised zombie things in an unknown wasteland. Bullets are set to fly from February 20 2018 onwards for the US, and the
following two days for Japan and Europe respectively.
SPIDER-MAN
As the world knows, Insomniac is going to take that awesome Sunset Overdrive game engine of theirs and make a Spider-Man game out of it. Going by the recent trailers, it will have its own in-line-with-the-comics continuity and a tonne of swinging-andparkour-and-web-slinging action. We’re guessing it’ll be out in the second half of 2018. Let’s hope the Parker luck is NOT with us on this.
METRO: EXODUS
Well, let’s start with this one first. Basically, this is the sequel to Metro: Last Light. The heroes from the last game leave Moscow to explore new, and possibly dangerous, territories to expand and continue surviving. Exploration time is unconfirmed but it’s certain it’ll in this late-half of 2018.
DREAMS
Media Molecule, the folks behind the LittleBigPlanet series, are coming back with their own brand of user-generated content spiel in this new adventure game. Instead of Sackboy, this time players follow an imp that must solves puzzles, traverse ephemeral landscapes, and come across and befriends various characters. The game’s real kicker will be its community-created levels. Hopefully no phallic-shaped ones this round. This new open world that encourage pure creativity will startup within 2018.
MECHWARRIOR 5: MERCENARIES
The team behind Mechwarrior Online will be creating a brand new single-player campaign for the BattleTech universe. It will features up-to four-player in co-op mode and will provide loads upon loads of BattleMechs from the beloved eras of this long-running franchise. All of this just to give Mechwarriors one more chance to saddle up and blaze their way into the glory of 31st Century combat. 2018 is certainly the era for fans to live up to the catchphrase: No Guts, No Galaxy!
MEGA MAN 11
Now here’s a lovely surprise: a new Mega Man 2D platformer from Capcom is being released. It will feature 2.5D graphics and gameplay, just like the last few Mega Man X entries, a slew of new Robot Masters, and game design work from long-time Mega Man developers, Koji Oda and Kazuhiro Tsuchiya. Hopefully, it won’t make you cry like an anime fan on prom night. Most expectations are high that Mega Man 11, Rockman 11 to the Japanese, will be out by this time in 2018.
ANTHEM
EA and Bioware are attempting an action-adventure shooter with RPG and loot-hoarding mechanics set in a far future. Obviously, it will be on alien world(s). Only in this instance, they’re using the power armour hook. Personally, it’ll more than likely come out at the tail-end of the year with the other AAA blockbuster games that are set to come out then. Will it be a big deal? Well, let’s see!
THE LAST OF US PART 2
Set five years after the original storyline, this game will play from the perspective of the first game’s heroine, Ellie. Naturally, we don’t know much about the game’s plot but we can expect the same stealth-based gameplay along with an equal amount of violent action sections from the first game.
There is no fixed date yet but many are guessing it’ll be by the year-end.
YOSHI
Yoshi’s Wooly World for the Wii U had been an adorable and deceptively tough platformer; pity no one really paid any attention to that console. Hopefully, with the Nintendo Switch’s success worldwide, at least outside of Southeast Asian regions, this sequel will get the love and adoration it deserves. While long awaited, 2018 is more than appropriate for Yoshi to shine!
KINGDOM HEARTS III
Yeah, we’re confident that this long-awaited action RPG, featuring the Magical Kingdom and Square Enix’s universe, will finally appear this year. With brand-new worlds and universes like Big Hero 6, Tangled, more Toy Story, and Monsters Inc, this Disney and Square Enix mash-up is sure to please fans who have been waiting since god-knows-how-long. Key-blades will have meaning again in Q4 2018.
ONE PIECE: WORLD SEEKER
The pirate-filled story of One Piece will finally have its first open-world action adventure game, with Luffy being the main character. Should be fun for the fans out there since they get to visit the towns and meet the colourful folks that populate the manga and anime. End-2018 feels more awesome already with the chance to properly interact with the Straw Hat Pirates will be a true experience of awe and wonder.
MY HERO ACADEMIA: ONE JUSTICE
As if Naruto fighting games aren’t enough, now the world will see the launch of a game based on the hit superhero manga/anime series about a boy trying to make it big in a superhero school without powers of his own. This has all the power beat’em up aspects the show of the same name is known for and then some. It’ll be pretty awesome to close off 2018 with some DETROIT SMASH!
SKULL AND BONES
Well, the Ubisoft Singapore team HAD to do something with that awesome naval combat engine from Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag and Assassin’s Creed: Origins, right? Point is, any new IP dealing with pirates and swashbuckling is very much welcomed in our books. Open sea gunfights and clashing of swords any day over dreary adventuring. This may be a turning point for Ubisoft Singapore if this game does well. Skull and Bones Set sails for the high-seas in late 2018.
TRAVIS STRIKES AGAIN: NO MORE HEROES
Welcome back, Travis Touchdown. We’ve missed you. The beam katana action-adventure meta-narrative game is back for the third time. If that trailer last year is of any indication, we’re in for an insane ride once more into the mind of its creator, Suda 51. Even if there is no release date yet, fans and eager gamers will be able to go back into action with Travis this year.
LEFT ALIVE
This Square Enix shooter features art and concepts from renowned Metal Gear artist, Yoji Shinkawa. Apart from a lot of shooting, players can explore a new sci-fi world and even pilot mechs. That’s pretty much all we know so far. Details will likely show up in the coming months and will do away with the ‘In 2018’ placeholder.
SOULCALIBUR VI
The tale of souls, eternally retold, is now storied again to make amends for the fifth game. Bandai Namco is taking another stab (or slice, heh) at its 3D swords-filled fighting game franchise by going back to the past; Mitsurugi and Sophitia in that end-of-year trailer did look like their Soul Edge counterparts, don’t you think? Also, while they’re at it, here’s to hoping they can bring back the awesome Chronicles of the Sword single-player mode from past titles too! It’ll certainly be a hack and slash fest for 2018!
PROJECT OCTOPATH TRAVELER
The folks who did the Bravely Default series is turning heads with this new RPG. Featuring 2D sprites with a stylised 3D perspective and eight protagonists with their own stories and gameplay mechanics, this one is for the RPG fans who yearn for an experience akin to the SaGa games. The adventuring will begin for these eight in 2018…sometime.
