July has come and gone, which usually signifies to most kids, (or college students on break) that summer vacation is almost over. While your hours to jump around outside is dwindling, the end of summer is actually a good sign for something else: the return of video games. I’ve never understood why video game companies don’t release more games in this time period. As I said a lot of people are on break so it’s a good time to do some gaming before hitting the books. Whatever the reason, it’s plain to see right now it’s pretty dry on retail shelves. Some small smatterings sure, but all in all it’s not the best of times at least for the big AAA stuff.
That’s okay because September is fast approaching and starting on the 4th with Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age the hits are going to keep rolling in all the way to December with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. I’m not stopping with previewing this fall’s crop either. Oh no. I’m cranking the hype levels all the way up to eleven in order to keep this excitement going into 2019 wherein we know what we’re getting for the first three months. Plus I have some tentative dates beyond that. Are all thirty of these games going to be awesome and stick to their dates? I hope so, but time will only tell. For now let’s stay positive and get back on the hype train, woo woo!
30 2018: Dragon Quest XI Echoes Of An Elusive Age
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age is coming out on September 4 for PCs and PS4. Usually, we’re way behind on Dragon Quest games, but this time it’s only a year later. This is the series’ triumphant return to a current console after IX was a DS exclusive and X was an MMO. Based on reviews from Japan this looks like it’s going to be the ultimate game in the series. I’m a bit sad the 3DS version isn’t coming over too, but I’m glad we’re getting the main course at least.
29 2019: Resident Evil 2 Remake
The Resident Evil 2 remake is coming out on January 25 for PCs, PS4, and Xbox One. This was my favorite reveal of E3 even though it was a known quantity. It was teased in 2015 with a logo. The best part is the game is so close to release! Since 2017 Capcom has been nailing it out of the park in their January slot. 2017 gave us Resident Evil VII and this year we got Monster Hunter World. Resident Evil 2 is the best classic game in the series so of course, it’s going to be awesome as a remake.
28 2018: Spider-Man
Spider-Man is coming out on September 7 for PS4. When is the last time you got excited for a Spider-Man game only to be let down by the end product? I’m guessing a lot.
There’s a web in your eye Xbox.
While this could still end poorly I have absolute faith in the developer, Insomniac. Sure they’ve had some lows just like any company, but even at their most average they still manage to bang out a good if not great product.
27 2019: Kingdom Hearts III
Kingdom Hearts III is coming out on January 29 for PS4 and Xbox One. Resident Evil 2’s remake has me pumped, but I better hurry through it, because four days later Square is launching their own opus. I’ve enjoyed the spinoffs since Kingdom Hearts II came out in 2005, but boy am I glad this series is returning to consoles once again. And it’s finally out of the PS2’s art style. It looks great plus it has new worlds that I have been dreaming about for being in for ages.
26 2018: Shadow Of The Tomb Raider
Shadow of the Tomb Raider is coming out on September 14 for PCs, PS4, and Xbox One. I’ve said it a lot in these articles, but Tomb Raider was never a series I could get into until the 2013 reboot came along. I loved it! The sequel, Rise of the Tomb Raider, was also a blast, but not as crazy of a revelation as the first. With this third entry, I don’t know. I’m excited, but my expectations are checked.
25 2019: Anthem
Anthem is coming out on February 22 for PCs, PS4, and Xbox One. I think it’s safe to say Mass Effect Andromeda disappointed some people. BioWare needs this to be a hit otherwise I think EA might boot them out the doors along with their fans.
Provided the game is relatively bug-free, at least compared to Andromeda, and it really is Iron Man meets Destiny than I think it’s going to be a hit. The story stuff is the only thing that has me iffy. Where is it?
24 2018: Valkyria Chronicles 4
Valkyria Chronicles 4 is coming out on September 25 for PCs, Nintendo Switch, PS4, and Xbox One. This is a close second to Dragon Quest XI in terms of RPGs I’m excited for this fall. Valkyrie Chronicles 4 has been a long time coming and it looks like it’s going back to its classic strategy roots. There is no crazy spinoff action gameplay and it is not about a school, or anything like that. Just pure awesome combat in the open field with tons of classes, tanks, and beautiful cel-shading that looks almost like a painting.
23 2019: Days Gone
Days Gone is coming out on February 22 for PCs, PS4, and Xbox One. Now this game has gotten a lot of flack for looking too much like The Last of Us, which I don’t necessarily disagree with. Why does Sony need two first-party zombie games? I don’t know. I’m also pretty tired of the genre, but that said I do think it’s an interesting approach. It’s not so much The Last of Us as it is Sons of Anarchy the game, but with zombies. That sounds pretty good to me.
22 2018: Life Is Strange 2
Life is Strange 2 is coming out on September 27 for PCs, PS4, and Xbox One. Dontnod, the developer, seemingly teased it during E3 twice. First they announced The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit, which is apparently in the same universe, but is not the real game.
They also revealed Twin Mirrors, which has the same narrative gameplay style, but isn’t related. Then, almost a month after E3, they debuted the real trailer with the date, but only showed a logo. Why are they being so coy?
21 2019: Tom Clancy’s The Division 2
Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 is coming out on March 15 for PCs, PS4, and Xbox One. The Division 2 is looking like it’s going to be more my jam compared to Destiny 2. I mean I did like the first game better than the original Destiny as well. Well, realistically I like things about each and if those better parts were merged into a new title it’d be great. That’s some weird wishing, but anyway this is looking stellar is all I want to say.
20 2018: Mega Man 11
Mega Man 11 is coming out on October 2 for PCs, Nintendo Switch, PS4, and Xbox One. The style of the game is giving me flashbacks to Mighty No. 9. It wasn’t as bad as most reviews said, but it still wasn’t spectacular either. Anyway, art design aside I’m so ready for another Mega Man game. It’s weird that Capcom has held a lot of the stages close to the vest so far, but the less we see the better I guess.
19 2019: Wolfenstein Youngblood
The main thing to take away from Wolfenstein: Youngblood is that the enemies have taken BJ in the 1980s and it’s up to his twin daughters to rescue him. It’s going to feature co-op and it was teased for an unspecified time period in 2019.
The thing I’m most curious about is if this is going to be A Way Out style of game where co-op is mandatory. That would be a cool, bold twist for the franchise.
18 2018: Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is coming out on October 5 for PCs, PS4, and Xbox One. I actually almost hesitated putting this on the list. Assassin’s Creed Origins was a great game for trying something new with the series aka adding in more RPG elements. Now Odyssey has even more like dialogue trees. Thing is this isn’t Assassin’s Creed anymore. It’s a whole new thing, which is upsetting to me on a name basis, but that’s just me. As a game, it looks gorgeous.
17 2019: Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
This is supposed to come out Holiday of 2019. Respawn Entertainment is working on it aka the Titanfall team. It will take place before Episode III and IV. There will be Jedi involved, but here’s the thing I’m not sure about. Are we Sith hunting Jedi, or are we Jedi running away from Sith. Either way, it sounds a lot like The Force Unleashed, which was good, but did not live up to the hype. That said I have complete faith in Respawn after Titanfall 2.
16 2018: Starlink Battle For Atlas
Starlink: Battle for Atlas is coming out on October 16 for Nintendo Switch, PS4, and Xbox One. Admittedly I thought this game was going to be swept into the ether after the Toys to Life genre all but shuddered in 2017. Why would Ubisoft be crazy enough to make a game like that in 2018?
Well, they are and the most exciting part about it is the collaboration with Nintendo. This could be the best Star Fox game since the N64. That’s what really has me jazzed about it.
15 2019: Metroid Prime 4
Not a lot to talk about here. We saw a logo in 2017 during Nintendo’s E3 Direct, but literally nothing else since. I can’t confirm if it is a 2019 game, but based on rumors it sounds like a sure thing. Other rumors, as long as I’m at it, suggest Bandai Namco Singapore is working on it. Former team members were apparently part of Star Wars 1313. Does this mean Samus could go Tomb Raider/Uncharted on us? That sounds like the best thing ever!
14 2018: Battlefield V
Battlefield V is coming out on October 19 for PCs, PS4, and Xbox One. The Battlefield series was never my thing until Battlefield I. Thanks to its stunning graphics and unique story perspectives it blew me away more than Call of Duty that year. I’m excited to see where they take the World War II concept. I hope it doesn’t make the mistakes Call of Duty made last year with WWII. I know some fans are upset about the women soldiers, but to them I say, well, it’s too inappropriate to write here, but you get the idea.
13 2019: Control
Control also has no specific release date other than a tentative 2019 window. Remedy Entertainment, the developer, is known to delay games, but this time I’m not so sure it will have that curse. Alan Wake was their most notorious delay having announced it in 2005 and it came out in 2010.
Their next big game was 2016’s Quantum Break. Based on that trajectory we may be looking at a 2020-2021 actual launch, but now that they ditched Microsoft for Sony perhaps Sony will lend more help.
12 2018: Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption 2 is coming out on October 26 for PS4 and Xbox One. The first game is the best Western ever made. For video games that is. I always wanted a sequel much more than anything related to Grand Theft Auto. My wish has finally come true and now that I know it’s a prequel, well, I’m less excited. It’ll have that typical Rockstar polish of course, but something feels off. I’m waiting for that next trailer to blow me away. My feelings aside this is going to dominate in sales.
11 2019: Sekiro Shadows Die Twice
I admire the Dark Souls games for what they are, but I never really fell in love with any of them. Bloodborne, on the other hand, was my jam. It was more fast and fluid than the more clunky combat of Dark Souls. That’s why I’m pumped for Sekiro. Even though it’s not Bloodborne 2 the idea that this is a new “Souls” type game, but with ninjas, has me excited. Ninjas and samurai are making a comeback in 2019!
