E3 2018 just wrapped up and there is plenty to talk about and too much to keep track of so I’ve taken the time-honoured duty of picking five games I think you should keep your eyes on.
Ghost of Tsushima
A new Playstation 4 exclusive, Ghost of Tsushima is a creative retelling of the first Mongol Invasion of Japan. The story is situated on Tsushima Island and revolves around Jin Sakai, the last samurai remaining from his clan. The game world Sucker Punch studios (developers of Infamous and Sly Cooper series) have crafted is stunningly beautiful and the open world design that they promise will allow for the freedom to explore the authentic Japanese landscape. The game promises a degree of realism that is a breath of freshness in a genre so often taken into surreal fantasy territory.
Ghost of Tsushima is grounded in a historical setting, with human characters whose loss and weakness are at the forefront of the games story. This is shown nowhere better than in the combat system. Jin Sakai is simply a man, his abilities as a samurai are clearly immense but there are no backflips or five metre long swords with spikes here. The combat seems punchy, quick and dangerous and offers a chance to master it’s mechanics to fully immerse you in the mindset of a samurai. These design choices are all to be showcased in what the developers call, “The way of the Ghost”, a fighting style that Jin will develop through the game and will combine sword play, stealth and acrobatics in this beautifully grounded world.
A release date for Ghost of Tsushima is yet to be announced so keep your ears to Sony and cross your fingers cause this one is exciting.
Sable
This beautiful little indie game developed by Shedworks looks straight from a Mike Mignola comic book with ever frame a stunning cell-shaded cacophony of contrasting colours. Described as a “deeply personal journey”, Sable calls immediate comparisons to the legendary game of the same name “Journey (2012)” released by ThatGameCompany. In Sable, you will be tasked with exploring the desert on your hoverbike as you help the people of your clan and learn the values of way of life.
Open world and epic in scale the game promises a relaxing and free experience as you climb, hover and puzzle solve through dilapidated ruins and ancient machines. Hinting at an even grander history behind the world the game promises to be indie gem in an already outstanding E3.
Look forward to Sable coming to PC and console in 2019.
Cyberpunk 2077
The new game by the creators of the massive hit Witcher 3; Cyberpunk 2077 is an immense, futuristic shooter in a world where every corner and alley will have a story. Developers CD Projekt Red is known for their giant, open world games with gameplay and story that gives genuine player choice. Based off the Cyberpunk tabletop role player games and novels the snippets release so far paint a beautifully release world of high-gloss neon and hidden grime that defines the cyberpunk genre.
CD Projekt Red has already stated the world is going to be vertically huge, with many builds fully explorable with various ways to get around. Both the player and the occupants of the world have access to a variety of creative augmentations to their body and the game features three classes that experiment with; the Solo(Which focuses combat), NetRunner (for hacking) and Techie (which use smart-weapons technology).
With so much to offer however comes still more time for polish and CD Projekt Red has stood firm on its promise to deliver the game “when it’s ready” so stay tuned for a release date on what maybe the game of a generation.
Metro Exodus
The Metro shooter series is developed by 4A games and set in Russia after a nuclear apocalypse blanketed the world in snow and ash. The series follows protagonist Artyom as he explores the Russian metro system a hugely sprawling series of reinforce subway tunnels that lie beneath most of Moscow. A hugely underappreciated series the Metro games are a through back to when shooters were more like Half-life and Deus Ex and less like the Modern Warfare series or Farcry.
These design sensibilities appear to carry on with this new addition to the franchise while still bring into next gen with better graphics, a larger world and more fluid, punchy game play. Metro is based on a Russian book series of the same name and has a wonderfully unique tone and flavour thanks to its Russian developers who have deep passion for the story. Like the previous games, expect a beautiful blend of stealth, run and gun and exploration where the world is a bigger threat than the occupants in it. Whether checking the time left on you gas mask filters, strapping a gun together from the parts you looted off Nazis or avoiding the ghosts of the past as they huddle in shadows year after the blast this game will have a lot to offer.
Expect Metro Exodus to hit stores and websites on the 22nd of February 2019 on PC, Xbox One and Ps4.
TUNIC
A one man project by developer Andrew Shouldice this loving homage to the Legend of Zelda franchise is a beautiful little isometric action/adventure game. With a stunning low-poly artstyle, the player will control a cute anthropomorphic fox through the dangerous temples and forests all the way to frozen peaks and ancient towers. With its roots in the Zelda series you can expect to be fighting monsters, exploring dungeons and solving ever more elaborate puzzles.
Its combat offers punchy, real time swordplay that still manages to look adorable. However the games bosses threaten to be a genuine challenge and the enemy design hints at a greater mystery behind the world and story than appears at first glance. TUNIC promises to live up to expectations set by its famous predecessors; which is reason enough to watch out for this game.
This classic throwback can be expected to launch in 2019 on Windows and Xbox One.
Article by Jeremy McConnachie
