It may not have been known at the time, but in July 2008, Japan received what would be remembered as one of the greatest role-playing games of all time. Over the course of a decade, Persona 4 has become more than just an incredibly fun RPG with a refined battle system and quirky characters, though. A story about Japanese high school students confronting their worst fears, fighting for what's right, and becoming the best of friends spawned a lasting legacy that has empowered the people who played it and continually inspired new games. Our love for Persona 4 has kept it alive for so long with several fighting games, two anime adaptations, an adorable (and difficult) spin-off RPG, and even a rhythm game. And after 10 years, we're still seeing our good friends from Inaba in a new light.
For the uninitiated, Persona 4's foundation closely resembles that of its predecessor, Persona 3. You're a transfer student new to a school surrounded by unusual circumstances; supernatural phenomena that endanger your new hometown is the crux to the overarching mystery. On a typical day, you go to class, do extracurricular activities, and try to grow closer to those around town and at school. Better yourself through hobbies or take on a part-time job, it's up to you how to pass the time. In particular, Persona 4 takes you to a fictional rural town of Inaba where the biggest thing to happen before your arrival was the opening of a Junes department store (think Super Walmart, but with an infectious jingle). Even your little cousin Nanako is utterly convinced that every day's great at your Junes, and begs you and her dad to take her there like it's the greatest place on earth.
Sure sounds like all fun and games until you and your new friends become the centerpiece for a dark murder mystery and an absolutely perplexing world that lives behind TV screens. At first, it's not quite clear why outlandish versions of certain townsfolk inexplicably pop up on TV sets and go missing on rainy midnights. The one way to get to the bottom of this, to actually jump into a TV screen to enter the shadow world where the other half of Persona 4 comes into play.
Aha! Is this our chance? It's time for an All-Out Attack!
While dungeon crawling and sneaking up on shadows through randomly generated floors make up the exploration, an intricate turn-based combat system is where you'll find excellence in gameplay. Most enemies have elemental weaknesses which factor into how you construct your party and devise a tactical approach. Sounds par for the course in an RPG, but the unique press-turn system that Shin Megami Tensei is known for shines brighter than it had previously by giving you full control to pull off flashy, effective attacks. Receiving a bonus attack after targeting a weakness before enemies get a turn is endlessly satisfying, especially as dungeons become inhabited by trickier, stronger shadows.
A story about Japanese high school students confronting their worst fears, fighting for what's right, and becoming the best of friends spawned a lasting legacy that has empowered the people who played it and continually inspired new games.
However, nothing in battle matches the joy of seeing your crew team up for the most adorable, yet devastating All-Out Attacks, a franchise staple. Everyone in the party piles on heavy damage that usually puts an end to the fight, and you sense their ferocity in character portraits that pop up just before everyone jumps in. A cloud of dust erupts as they whale on enemies, sometimes popping out of the chaos only to jump back in for another hit, and all you need to do is watch as they take care of business. If you're lucky, someone will offer a follow-up attack turn-free; and it should be taken as fact that nothing is as absurdly cute as Chie's galactic punt where she literally kicks an enemy into outer space (her kung fu DVDs really paid off). Even in battle, everyone's distinct personality isn't lost or put off to the side, which highlights Persona 4's greatest accomplishment: its commitment to a relentless charm embodied by this cast of misfits.
So effortlessly does Persona 4 merge the two pillars of a social simulation and traditional RPG; nothing feels disconnected, how days are spent matters. These two realities feed into each other, and Igor--the series-long, omniscient owner of the ethereal Velvet Room--alludes to this up front: true strength is born from the bonds you form. The power of friendship is a prevalent trope in similar stories, but to have that power manifest as a tangible benefit in combat gives us further reason to invest in relationships. I call back to how Rise came in clutch to buff the party or cast healing during tough boss fights, or when Yukiko dealt the final blow casting Agidyne using her final-form persona with the last bit of SP: moments like these solidify the feeling that my companions really do have my back in times of need.
Gas up your scooter 'cause we're going on a road trip!
From the mother who wishes for acceptance from her stepson to your basketball teammate who finds it impossible to live up to his adopted family's legacy, these vignettes serve to tell very human stories. We help Nanako open up to her dad about his lack of presence and break through Uncle Dojima's hard-boiled temperament to reveal an empathetic father who constantly struggles with his wife's death and his job as a detective. In the end, a heartwarming father-daughter scene results in a newfound commitment to family. Other social links struck a more personal nerve.
This cast harbors the painful secrets that so many teenagers and young adults repress, and it carries the perceptions and labels society puts upon them. These are the burdens everyone bears throughout Persona 4, but burdens that no one has to bear alone.
When Yosuke overlooks Inaba, the town he once hated, and realizes that what makes him happy is the people he's surrounded by rather than big city glamour, I felt that. Even though Kanji maintains the tough guy attitude, he eventually embraces his sewing skills and love for cute plushies--as he began to handcraft toys for kids around town, I sensed a big, cathartic middle finger to societal expectations for masculinity. Naoto's strive for justice, as the genius detective, makes a firm statement against workplace gender discrimination. Life as an idol sure sounds great, until Rise decides she needs to walk away from stardom for her own sanity. As endearing as Chie's and Yukiko's friendship, their dynamic evolved and reached new heights after confronting their shadow-selves, leading to more open and honest relationship.
This cast harbors the painful secrets that so many teenagers and young adults repress, and it carries the perceptions and labels society puts upon them. These are the burdens everyone bears throughout Persona 4, but burdens that no one has to bear alone. The TV world and Midnight Channel work not just as metaphors for the fear of what you think everyone sees in you, but to illustrate the sense of imprisonment and helplessness that's born from it. And by navigating the maze-like dungeons and crushing enemies, the crew breaks through obstacles to finally support each other in overcoming their monumental insecurities. Many of the game's pieces sound silly on paper, but they all come together to inspire you before you know it.
When spread across 100+ hours of play-time, spanning an in-game calendar year, you're given room to breathe and let events, big and small, sink in. Moments of levity work alongside the more heartfelt revelations, which creates an ingenious balancing act. To its benefit, the game never takes itself too serious. Persona 4's greatness lies in its execution and presentation; story, gameplay, visual style, and its soundtrack all complement each other to elevate beyond the sum of its parts.
Persona 4 wouldn't be the same game without the masterful composition of series composer Shoji Meguro. A collection of J-pop, J-rock, and catchy instrumentals make for incredible tracks on their own, but the right song at the right time elevates the emotional impact. As soon as I hear the brass horns start up for the track that plays during social links, I can't help but smile and sense the fun being had between characters. The boss battle theme of "I'll Face Myself" instills a feeling of danger, but also the determination to defeat your worst enemies. And the emblematic battle theme "Reach Out To The Truth" is such an uplifting song that brings back all my memories of this game. Sometimes I look outside my own house and "Heartbeat, Heartbreak" pops into my head on cloudy days and "Your Affection" when the sun shines. Music isn't relegated to just the background, and it cannot be overstated how evocative its soundtrack has been throughout the years.
For all Persona 4's inspirational moments and pushes for social progressivism, we can't turn a blind eye to where it gets things wrong; to truly love something is to also recognize its flaws. By no means is it perfect when it comes to the portrayal of certain social groups and character conduct. Teddie himself exhibits unscrupulous behavior that can easily be interpreted as harassment, and it's never really confronted. Despite the personally uplifting story of Kanji, his sexual ambiguity is occasionally used as a punchline, and his shadow self can be seen as too over-the-top. Certain insensitive decisions can be made in relation to Naoto's struggle with gender identity; the interpretation of her character continues to be a point of contention to this day. And as time has gone on, the less amusing the cross-dressing pageant scene has become. To its credit, a Japanese game from 2008 was willing to explore subjects often seen as taboo; it misses the mark in critical moments, but there's value in its earnest effort. Regardless, some jokes weren't necessary to be humorous and it would've been much better without them.
Despite all its absurdity, Persona 4 is grounded with thoughts and feelings that so accurately resemble our own; it's a human experience, one that many games aim for, but rarely come close to capturing.
The sheer number of games that spawned afterward speaks to the love we've shared for this game. A PS Vita exclusive remaster, Persona 4 Golden, launched in 2012 as the definitive version; it refines core mechanics and includes a slew of meaningful additions. Along with new songs that perfectly fit the original soundtrack, Chie's new voice actress (Erin Fitzgerald) brought a whole new life into an already-beloved character and truly captured the spirit of Persona 4's best girl. A whole extra dungeon, an important new character, additional social link events, and new tag-team attacks round out Golden as the definitive version.
An anime adaptation premiered in 2011, and another based on the remastered game released in 2014. Although it's difficult to capture an RPG in a condensed format, the anime offered a new way to experience the journey. Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth brought along our buddies from Persona 3 into the mix in a wonderfully executed dungeon crawler RPG on 3DS--it bursts with charm as chibi versions of these two beloved casts band together to fight evil and have a good time. I'd also say Q features the best introductory theme and video in all the franchise. If the fan service wasn't already good enough, Persona 4: Dancing All Night leveraged the beautiful soundtrack for a delightful (and admittedly ridiculous) rhythm game--hearing my favorite songs remastered and remixed is a real treat.
BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle brings back our friends at Yasogami High to meet the casts of BlazBlue, Under Night, and RWBY.
Persona lends itself so well to fighting games that Arc System Works took up creating a 2D fighter in Persona 4 Arena, which remained true to both the developer's fighting game philosophy and the spirit of the source material. Persona 4 Arena Ultimax built on that foundation even further. And just this year, ArcSys circled back on Persona 4 by crossing worlds with BlazBlue, Under Night In-Birth, and RWBY in BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle. Each of these fighters introduced new characters and storylines, and were included in the fighting game community's biggest stages. Rarely, if ever, does a single entry in a larger franchise spin off in so many different directions, but thankfully, it's helped keep our Persona 4 love alive all these years later.
After becoming personally invested in their journey that started it all and pouring all that time into seeing them grow, it was genuinely hard to say goodbye as the credits rolled and the ending theme "Never More" began to play. In the decade since the original game, we were fortunate to see the charming group of knuckleheads time and time again in so many different games. It's almost silly to think that a group of fictional Japanese high school students could empower us to be better, but Persona 4 has given me, and countless others, boundless joy and also an opportunity for self-reflection. Yes, I played an incredible RPG, but what I saw was a group of best friends pulling for each other to become stronger people and make the world a better place. Despite all its absurdity, Persona 4 is grounded with thoughts and feelings that so accurately resemble our own; it's a human experience, one that many games aim for, but rarely come close to capturing.
If you've been looking to get your hands on Square Enix's biggest titles of 2018 and 2019, San Diego Comic-Con might be your chance. Square's full lineup of demos and panels has been announced, and there's plenty of Tomb Raider, Kingdom Hearts, and Dragon Quest to go around.
This year's show will feature five different demos of your favorite Square Enix titles. The only one with a time constraint is Shadow of the Tomb Raider. To play that one, you'll need to stop by The Deck at Moonshine Flats from 1 to 10 pm PST on any of the show days.
In addition to an exclusive demo, the creative team behind Shadow of the Tomb Raider will host a panel on Saturday, July 21 from 12:30 pm to1:30 pm PST in room 5AB. The title's lead writer Jill Murray, lead game designer Heath Smith, and performance artists Camilla Luddington and Earl Baylon will be in attendance, and Andrea Rene will moderate.
Be sure to swing by Square Enix's booth for some Bring Arts, Trading Arts and Play Arts merch, as well as some free goodies for your favorite games. Daily giveaways will include Dragon Quest XI posters and temporary tattoos, Mobius Final Fantasy hand fans, and Star Ocean Anamnesis buttons.
We're living in a battle royale world, and this week's Xbox One news is absolutely no exception. Fortnite Season 5 is upon us, and there's yet another battle royale title that's joined the fray this week.
To kick off the next season of Fortnite, we're giving away 7,500 V-Bucks. We've also got all the details you need for map changes, battle passes, challenges, and more to make sure you're getting the most out of this season. And if you're feeling really competitive, be sure to check out Fortnite's esports announcement.
Outside of the craze that is Epic Games, one more battle royale title has come to Xbox One: The Culling 2. In the realm of non-battle royale titles, Code Vein has been delayed to 2019, Darksiders 3 has a confirmed release date, and Dead Cells is coming to PC and console. No Man's Sky's multiplayer update is coming soon, and we've got all the changes since its launch.
Pokemon's next adventure is just around the corner, and this week, we got to see more details about the Switch exclusive title Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee. And of course, the Switch isn't free from the clutches of battle royale, so there are plenty of updates in that department too.
As for Pokemon, we got to see more of the game's world and characters in a new trailer, Pikachu with bangs, the return of Jesse and James, and version exclusive Pokemon. Free-to-play Pokemon title Pokemon Quest has exploded on Switch and mobile as well, hitting a major milestone this week.
As for battle royale, Fortnite is dominating headlines. Season 5 is upon us, and we've got everything you need to know about battle passes, challenges, map changes, updates and more. We're even giving away 7,500 V-bucks to celebrate the start of the new season. For all things Fortnite, among other news, keep on reading for the rest of this week's updates.
This week in PS4 headlines, there's lots of news to go around about upcoming exclusives, and also a plethora of Fortnite. So much Fortnite in fact, it has its own section this week.
Yakuza Kiwami 2's demo is now available on the PlayStation Network and Nathan Fillion might have hinted at some involvement with the Uncharted franchise. Don't get too excited to see any God of War outside of gaming; rumors about a forthcoming Netflix show aren't true...yet. This week also saw the confirmation of Darksiders 3 and Death End re;Quest, and the delay of Code Vein. Far Cry 5 will see DLC next week, Dark Souls Remastered is getting an update to boot the cheaters, and Destiny 2 has a new faction.
As far as Fortnite goes, Season 5 is finally here. Make sure to keep on reading for everything you need to know about battle passes, challenges, additions, and all of the whacky things Fortnite has to offer with its latest update. In celebration of the new season, we're giving away 7500 V-bucks.
By Anonymous on Jul 14, 2018 08:30 pm The eighth season of American Horror Story will be a crossover between Murder House and Coven. In order to get you prepped for AHS Season 8, Greg gets you all caught up on what went down in the Murder House back in season 1.
There can be a lot of pressure involved in trying to release a follow up to a much-loved game. When making a sequel, oftentimes creators have to follow the vague mantra of "bigger and better"--but as it turns out, that's not always the way to find success. Over the years, there have been many game sequels that managed to let fans down, leaving us all to wonder what went wrong.
No developer is immune from missing the mark, unfortunately. With the likes of Blizzard, EA, Capcom, Sega, and even Nintendo releasing games that didn't quite land the way we wanted, not every game in a series can be a winner. But in some cases, those missteps would eventually lead to other entries that not only surpassed the previous game, but also allowed the series to grow in ways that fans least expect.
In this feature, GameSpot dug deep and picked some titles which we believe were some of gaming's more notable stumbles when trying to make a worthy sequel. Whether it was ambition going beyond the developer's means, or an ill-advised vision that drastically changed from what worked before, some sequels just weren't able to rekindle the magic that the original title had. We've chosen a few games for this list, and broke down exactly why we think they didn't quite live up to their predecessors. While not all of these games are total flops, these particular games lacked a certain something that's noticeable when placed next to its predecessor.
After six or so hours, Assassin's Creed III eventually picks up, throwing you headfirst into the American Revolutionary War's most iconic events. Seeing a grounded, more honest depiction of George Washington was fascinating, while participating in the Battle of Bunker Hill proved to be one of the adventure's most exciting set pieces. But these moments were accompanied by inconsistent stealth, patchy AI, and inflexible mission design. Its fragmented world never did justice to the openness of its frontier premise, with activities split apart across too many different areas.
Back then I wanted very much to enjoy Assassin's Creed III, but it would often disappoint me more than satisfy. Today, I'm happy that I can better appreciate its ambition; the game proved to be a proper springboard that would inevitably set up the framework for the franchise's later entries. However, no matter which way you cut it, Assassin's Creed III failed to live up to the legacy of quality set by its predecessors. |Matt Espineli
Bioshock 2 (February 9, 2010)
BioShock is rightfully considered a classic for its eerie atmosphere and unsettling story twist. Descending into Rapture and hearing a Splicer scuttle across your biosphere still gives me a shiver down my spine, and feeling the lumbering thud of a Big Daddy is possibly the only thing from the franchise that causes me more anxiety than hearing the jaunty tune that summons BioShock Infinite's Songbird.
But before we soared above the clouds in Columbia, we returned to the depths of Rapture for BioShock 2. Despite the improvements made to the shooting mechanics, this sequel ultimately falls short in comparison to the original game. BioShock 2 is just too similar to the original. For some genres, sticking to what you know is fine, but the tone of Rapture is so closely tied to discovering its hidden horrors that it's best experienced as a stranger who's trying to understand a nightmare. You're no longer a stranger to Rapture in BioShock 2, and that makes everything far less terrifying.
As a result, Rapture just lost a lot of its mystique in BioShock 2. Most of the characters we encountered and enemies we fought are a little too similar to the deranged assortment of damaged souls we met the first time around. I have plenty of qualms with BioShock Infinite as well, but I'll admit that the new setting at least offered interesting changes to the original game's mechanics. BioShock 2 could have been way better if it had just done more to distance itself from the first BioShock. | Jordan Ramee
Crackdown 2 (July 6, 2010)
I adored the original Crackdown; it offered a take on the open-world action game that no game at the time (and very few since) have provided. A playground where you can jump high into the air, climb skyscrapers, and pick up cars over your head to throw at enemies made for a very enjoyable sandbox. The game was perhaps a bit shallow overall, with repetitive objectives and dumb enemies, but it was still great fun--just the sort of setup that makes for a strong sequel.
Rather than being developed by the same studio, Realtime Worlds, Crackdown 2 went to another developer, Ruffian Games. While there's nothing wrong with that, it felt as if Ruffian was too busy trying to recreate the basis of the first game to provide any meaningful innovations. Crackdown 2 was set in the same location, Pacific City, and made few real advancements in terms of gameplay. The story remained an afterthought, there was little variety in objectives, and the new Freak enemies did nothing to impact the game.
While the core gameplay remained enjoyable, and the addition of four-player co-op was very welcome, Crackdown 2 nevertheless felt like a disappointing retread. | Chris Pereira
Crysis 2 (March 22, 2011)
While history remembers Crysis as a benchmark for PC gaming performance, I like to think back on the original game as more of a fun solid sandbox FPS. With plenty of weapons and different powers channeled from your nanotech infused armor, you could wreak havoc across a tropical island filled with North Korean military and alien invaders. Its story was forgettable, and the characters even more so, but the game was all sorts of dumb fun, and even in 2018--nearly 11 years after its release--Crysis is still quite easy on the eyes.
Coming from Crytek, the developers behind the original Far Cry, Crysis felt like a spiritual successor to their previous game's focus on exploring and battling through a dense jungle environment. But for the follow-up, Crysis 2, the developers opted for a change in scenery and some revisions to the core gameplay, which unfortunately took away the heart of what made the original so fun. Now set in future-New York City, and armed with a more streamlined nanosuit, you're tasked with taking out a rogue military force and deal with another alien invasion. On the surface this sounds all well and good; the original game certainly didn't win any points for originality, but in practice Crysis 2 lost me when it focused on far more linear-style action with fewer options. This was all made worse by a more simplified power-up system, where certain powers were only contextual and never on command.
The original Crysis was far from a masterclass in FPS gameplay, but it still managed to let players go about missions in the way they saw fit. This was a game, regardless of tone, that let players grab chickens and throw them at enemies with "maximum strength"--as the nanosuit's AI said. The sequel, while not an awful game, lost sight of that--instead going for a more traditional FPS experience. While Crysis 3 was Crytek's attempt at offering the best of both worlds--even re-introducing jungle environments in a ruined NYC--it still never reached the same heights that the original game managed to meet. What I remember most about playing Crysis 1 was figuring out the best ways to go through several of the game's major set-pieces, which resulted in some of my favorite moments playing it. I can't recall having anything even close to those moments in both of the sequels, which is a real shame. | Alessandro Fillari
Deus Ex: Invisible War (December 2, 2003)
Believe me when I say that Deus Ex: Invisible War was a perfectly fine game. The original Deus Ex is, without a doubt, one of the greatest games of all time, and with such a high bar to clear, Invisible War had an incredibly tall order to fulfill. And because of that, it felt like a step back during the earlier years of immersive sims. At first, I noticed the RPG elements that were stripped away and the simplified (to a fault) inventory system. Spec-ing your character to a specific playstyle was entirely relegated to an either-or situation with augmentations since there were no stats or skill trees to tinker with. I couldn't shake the feeling of being funnelled through a narrow path despite having options to tackle objectives through either stealth and hacking or sheer force.
The cast was considerably less charismatic and the conspiracy aspect of the story didn't hit quite as hard as the original. And the one aspect that stood out to me the most was an unshakeable sense of claustrophobia. Deus Ex's world felt open, with space to work, but Invisible War didn't provide the same level of freedom in its level design.
Deus Ex: Invisible War did do some things right, though. The game still had its own sense of place and distinct atmosphere. Neon lights beamed across environments that served as playgrounds for emergent moments when messing with physics or the set of tools you're given. Getting tangled in a web of factions still evoked a tension that was felt throughout. However, Alex Denton's journey just didn't live up to JC's. | Michael Higham
Devil May Cry 2 (January 25, 2003)
If there's one thing to be said about the Devil May Cry series, it's that it always tries to keep things interesting. Known for its fast-paced and stylish approach to action, with an assortment of seriously cheesy moments throughout, Capcom's self-assured brawler franchise offers some of the most satisfying combat and thrills around. However, there's one entry in the series that's universally regarded as the black sheep--and no, it's not Ninja Theory's misunderstood and grossly underrated DmC: Devil May Cry.
Releasing only 16 months after the original game, Devil May Cry 2 was Capcom's attempt at capitalizing on the surprise success of DMC1, and it almost immediately became the quintessential example of how not to do a sequel. I was a big admirer of the original game, and watching the early trailers and previews for DMC2, which showed off more stylish moves, a cooler outfit for Dante, and a new secondary campaign with newcomer Lucia--in her first and only appearance--made me very excited for what was to come. However upon release, the game's more serious tone and revisions to gameplay ended up rubbing fans, myself included, the wrong way. The game's combat also saw a noticeable downgrade from DMC1's sharp and responsive mechanics, made worse by the glaringly subdued difficulty. When stacked up with its predecessor, the sequel showed a stark drop in overall quality, which made clearing through its two campaigns a chore.
While it did have some bright spots, which include real-time weapon swapping, mission select, and the Bloody Palace mode--all of which are now mainstays of the series--DMC2 was a poor attempt at chasing after the original's success, which ultimately resulted in a game that was far too easy, muddled in its approach to stylish combat, and, well, boring. Personally speaking, I was more annoyed that I wasted a weekend and some allowance powering through the game over the course of a weekend.
Though the sequel missed the mark, the Devil May Cry series would eventually find its footing again with the release of Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening, which reaffirmed its status as a top-tier action game. While fans have had many intense debates about what their personal rankings are for the series, one thing is rarely disputed--Devil May Cry 2 was where the series hit rock-bottom. | Alessandro Fillari
Diablo 3 (May 15, 2012)
Blizzard rarely rushes to release new games, and Diablo III was no exception. It came 12 years after its predecessor, yet--long wait or not--proved to be a huge disappointment. Diablo II was not known for having a terrific endgame--I spent a huge chunk of my adolescence doing Baal runs, where you endlessly repeat the same final boss fight--but Diablo III likewise failed to provide anything worth doing once the credits rolled.
The lack of PvP hurt in that regard further, but worse than anything was the way the item economy worked. High-quality items were handed out at a ridiculously infrequent pace, and the best way to obtain good gear was the game's controversial auction house where you could spend real-world money. For a game all about the loot grind, it was hugely off-putting (as was an always-online requirement preventing offline single-player).
While I didn't share every complaint others had--I enjoyed the change in art style--it was undeniable that I was not just disappointed, but I wasn't even having fun. For the follow-up to what was at the time my favorite game ever, that was astounding.
Thankfully, unlike many of the other games on this list, things did turn around. The shutdown of the auction house and release of the Reaper of Souls expansion and a major free update all paired to turn the game around. Quality items were no longer rationed out at a snail's pace, an Adventure mode provided variety in the endgame, and years of further updates have ultimately turned Diablo III into not only a worthwhile sequel, but one that in many ways surpasses its predecessors. | Chris Pereira
Dragon Age 2 (March 8, 2011)
The acclaimed RPG developer BioWare has gone through many changes over its 20+ years in the business. With games like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and the Mass Effect franchise pushing it to the forefront, many diehard fans longed for a return to its classic CRPG titles like Neverwinter Nights and Baldur's Gate. 2009's Dragon Age: Origins ended up being the happy mix of its modern design sense it developed working on Mass Effect, with the old-school sensibilities of its early hits. In the framework of a traditional fantasy-RPG, you would create a unique character, become one of the last Grey Wardens, and have their choices shape the land of Ferelden forever. Truth be told, the first Bioware game I played was KOTOR, and I mostly followed their modern movement since then. I ended up getting into their CRPG beginnings sometime later.
I did, however, play the original Dragon Age, which I ended up liking far more than I thought. After the game's completion, I was already looking forward to seeing more from the series. And just two years later, BioWare's sequel Dragon Age II was released--but it ended up making some big changes that I couldn't get over. While you could import your saves from the original game to carry over important decisions--which was very important to me--the sequel focused on the exploits of an entirely new character named Hawke, a human exile traveling to the city of Kirkwall, far away from the original's main setting. By and large, Dragon Age II was a much more cinematic and action-focused game, a big shift from Origins' more traditional fantasy adventure.
By focusing on a more defined character--even removing options for backstories and different races to choose from--it resulted in a game that took the role-playing aspect of the original game less seriously, which ironically was what placed BioWare on the map. Moreover, the action-focused gameplay ultimately didn't mesh well with the original's tactical framework, which felt like busywork when coupled with the new system. Coming off of Origins, I found getting into Dragon Age II to be quite jarring. Throughout Hawke's story, you could see moments where the developer struggled to balance the expectations of a more accessible action-RPG with its traditional role-playing style.
After its release, Dragon Age II received several updates and expansions that sought to refine the game further. But eventually, BioWare cut its losses and moved on, even cancelling the final DLC episode, The Exalted March. The developer then began work on the next installment in the series, Dragon Age Inquisition, which ended up being a better evolution of the studio's role-playing lineage, and even justifying Hawke's place in the overarching story. Still, Dragon Age 2 comes off more like an odd diversion in the grand scheme of things, that feels a bit too inconsequential for the series it's a part of it. It certainly makes me feel like I won't miss much by skipping out on it during my eventual revisit of the series. | Alessandro Fillari
Final Fantasy Tactic Advance (September 8, 2003)
Final Fantasy Tactics wasn't a great game solely because of its deep tactical combat; it also told a great story that featured more backstabbing and heroics than a season of Game of Thrones. The setting of Ivalice was so notable and well beloved that it graduated into something bigger: a mainstay of the Final Fantasy series at large.
Games like Final Fantasy XII and XIV gave the concept of Ivalice room to grow, but the basis for their version of Ivalice more closely resembles the Final Fantasy Tactics follow-up game, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. It's medieval, it's got decent tactical combat, but it also sets itself up as an imaginary dream world living between the pages of a modern children's fantasy novel.
That's all well and good in isolation, but as a "sequel" to a game that thrived in part because of its characters, many of whom were sadistic adults hell-bent on accruing power by any means necessary, a children's fantasy hardly fits the bill. Oh and that tactical combat? Every battle has some limitation decided at random by a judge. It's not awful, but it strips away the sense that you're playing tightly orchestrated battles that are being fought for an unavoidable purpose in service of the plot. | Peter Brown
Mass Effect: Andromeda (March 21, 2017)
We waited a long time for Mass Effect: Andromeda--five years to be exact, so expectations were high. BioWare promised an ambitious science-fiction adventure fit for the current generation of consoles, one that would allow you to explore an uncharted galaxy with an entirely new cast of characters.
What we got was underwhelming to say the least. Considering we saw very little of the game until a month before release, we shouldn't have been surprised. The characters were dull, the worlds were barren, the story fell flat, and the game was rife with bugs. Many of the glitches have been ironed out at this point, but Andromeda's problems run much deeper.
The one thing Andromeda had going for it was the combat. Zipping around combat zones with your jetpack while mixing and matching different abilities felt fantastic. Unfortunately, for a franchise known for its characters and storytelling, it takes more than flashy gameplay to leave a lasting impression. | Jake Dekker
Metroid II: Return of Samus (November 1991)
Metroid II suffers the same fate as Zelda II--it tries to be great by doing something different, but loses the appeal of the original title. Its one saving grace is its legacy: giving Samus her iconic Varia suit design. But it's not like we knew that suit was going to stick around back in the day.
Pretty much every Metroid game focuses on one of Samus' missions where she has to traverse dangerous environments and find different types of weapon and suit upgrades to explore new areas and take on more formidable threats. Metroid II is the one exception, where Samus acts as a bounty hunter instead of a super soldier. It's an ideal mission on paper--Samus is a bounty hunter after all--but it's ruined in practice by Metroid II's repeated use of the same type of prey. Sure, the Metroids come in five different forms, but you'll face each of those forms numerous times in the exact same type of fight. Metroid II's 3DS remake, Samus Returns, works so well because the game implements new bosses to break up the humdrum of hunting the same thing for hours on end.
Metroid II was also just limited by technology when it first released in the early 90s. Launching on the original Game Boy meant Metroid II lacked the vibrant color palette of its NES predecessor, and the musical score couldn't be as complex either. | Jordan Ramee
Perfect Dark Zero (November 22, 2005)
Rare had some expectations to live up to with Perfect Dark Zero; it had been five years and two console generations since the original game by the time Zero came around. Perfect Dark was a spiritual follow-up to the iconic Goldeneye 007 and certainly took console shooters to new heights during the N64's lifecycle, but games had evolved drastically in that five-year period, and the franchise didn't feel like it changed with the times. That didn't necessarily sour the entire experience, though.
Perfect Dark Zero released right around the launch of the Xbox 360, and it was exciting to see Joanna Dark back in action with an incredibly fun cooperative mode and some good single-player moments. The game was also a decent showcase of the console's graphical prowess at the time, and really leveraged that shiny-surface look of this era. However, it lacked a compelling narrative and fluid gameplay seen in some of the top-tier shooters from Microsoft's previous console. While many other games honed in on smooth movement and shooting mechanics, Perfect Dark Zero seemed like it adopted the antiquated feel of older games and stayed true to its roots to a fault. | Michael Higham
Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity (January 8, 2008)
The original Sonic Riders remains one of my favorite racing games to this day. It knocked the blue blur and the rest of his friends off their feet and onto Extreme Gear--a collection of hoverboards, skates, and bikes--which they'd use to race against the avian Babylon Rogues. I had a blast weaving between traffic on Metal City or careening through the sky on Babylon Ruins. The story isn't the best, but the campaign challenges you to master balancing your speed against fuel consumption.
A sequel, Zero Gravity, made way too many changes to the original game's winning formula. Taking shortcuts became dependent on which Gear a character was riding, not the character themselves. The Extreme Gears also used an upgrade system that relied on rings, but since rings took such a long time to respawn, whoever was in first place would get all their Gear upgrades first. Made their lead even bigger. If I'm in first place by the end of the first lap on a race, it's practically impossible for anyone to catch up to me. And that's no fun. I want a race, not a blowout.
Zero Gravity's worst offender is the gravity mechanics. In the original Sonic Riders, deciding when to give up a massive chunk of fuel for a speed boost made for some of the closest, most stressful competition I've had with my friends. In Zero Gravity, boosts are replaced with Gravity Dives, which let a player careen ahead at breakneck speeds. However, each course only has one place where players can really use a dive (the game even lets you know when to use it). There's no strategy to fuel consumption in Zero Gravity, so the game just can't produce the same heart-pounding races I love in the original. | Jordan Ramee
Star Craft 2 (July 27, 2010)
By no means is StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty a bad game; its expansion packs, Heart of the Swarm and Legacy of the Void, were welcome additions to the base game. But having to be a sequel to the most iconic real-time strategy game ever, StarCraft 2 was more of a victim of circumstance. The sequel had a healthy competitive scene for a while and the community was very active in the game's heyday. However, it's near impossible to match the impact of StarCraft and StarCraft: Brood War (both released in 1998), which still get competitions to this day.
StarCraft 2 had sensible modernizations for how you command units so you weren't held to the same limitations from all those years ago. There was considerably less emphasis on micromanagement, which gave newcomers an avenue to jump into an RTS franchise that was often seen as intimidating, but there was still substantial depth to strategy. Regardless, it wasn't able to maintain the same competitive scene as its predecessor; many factors, like the rise of MOBAs or the attachment to the purity of Brood War's gameplay, are part of the equation. High-level players also had frustrations with some of the more intricate changes with balance and unit abilities. | Michael Higham
Valkyria Chronicles 2 (August 31, 2010)
Valkyria Chronicles on PS3 (now remastered on PS4 and PC) remains a console strategy treasure, a unique take on turn-based tactics that melds top-down sandtable strategy with the satisfying real-time component of third-person positioning and attacking. Its signature watercolor-style visuals are gorgeous and understated, a timeless look that perfectly serves the game's somber tone and wartime themes.
Valkyria Chronicles 2 was a great game too--it was proof that the tactical system was stalwart, and it was one of those games that I sunk dozens and dozens of hours into. But it failed to reach the same kinds of heights as the original game, and despite some positive tweaks in gameplay, fell short in many respects.
A lot of that boiled down to the fact that the series had moved onto Sony's PSP handheld, and the limitations that came with that. Superficially, the visuals just couldn't compare. Without the crispness of textures and 3D fidelity, its interpretation of the game's art style didn't have the same impact. The large battlefields were now split into smaller maps, presumably to reduce the strain on hardware resources, requiring you to capture encampments before being able to continue on. It was fine, but another chip away at the grandeur established in the original.
But the big disappointment for me personally was its decision to crank the anime knob to 11. The narrative turned away from the human effects of political and international warfare, and towards the dynamics of a military academy--basically, a high school, featuring an increased number of obvious character archetypes, loud personalities, and even more fanservice (though that felt more at home here than in the original). It's the kind of Japanese-style teenage drama that you've likely seen a ton of before, which isn't the worst thing in the world, but a bit of a shame after I was so impressed with the tone of the original.
I enjoyed Valkyria Chronicles 2 a lot--it's the perfect series for a handheld system--but the thing I remember most about my time playing it is how much I wanted to go back and play the original Valkyria Chronicles once I was done. A lot of time has passed since then, and I still revisit Valkyria Chronicles every so often. Its sequel? Not so much. | Edmond Tran
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (January 14, 1987)
The original Zelda is fun to play today, but in the 1980s it was a revelation. For a generation of gamers who were used to playing repetitive arcade games, The Legend of Zelda was an almost unimaginably epic adventure. With its vast open world rife with secrets and Link's expanding set of abilities, this game exploded our sense of what a video game could be. What new wonders could its sequel possibly bring? I could hardly imagine.
Zelda II: The Adventures of Link didn't bring unimaginable wonders. Instead of polishing the almost perfect gameplay of the original, it made big, sweeping changes, nearly all for the worse. In place of a fully open world is one in which your progress is gated to make for a more linear adventure. Instead of the satisfying top-down action of the original, we get awkward side-scrolling combat hampered by Link's toothpick-sized sword. And don't even get me started on the knights who can block your every attack, no matter how fast you duck and stab.
But let's end on a high note: at least the music is rad. | Chris Reed
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To celebrate the launch of the game's DS9-themed PC update, Victory is Life, you have a chance to win an exclusive ORIGIN Millennium Gaming Desktop, featuring artwork from Star Trek Online. The grand prize package also includes a poster signed by original cast members from Deep Space Nine and a Gamma Vanguard pack for the PC version of the game.
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Star Trek Online is a free-to-play massively multiplayer online game where players can pioneer their own destiny as Captain of a Federation starship or champion the Empire through the far reaches of the galaxy as a Klingon Warrior. Following major expansions, players are also able to rebuild the Romulan legacy as the commander of a Romulan Republic Warbird, or carry out daring missions on behalf of the Dominion as a Jem'Hadar soldier. In Star Trek Online, players have the opportunity to visit iconic locations from the popular Star Trek universe, reach out to unexplored star systems and make contact with new alien species. Star Trek Online is currently available on PC, PlayStation®4 and Xbox One.
To download and play Star Trek Online today for free, visit www.playstartrekonline.com.
Star Trek Online is licensed by CBS Consumer Products.
The Xbox One launched in November 2013 and Microsoft has managed to secure a fair amount of quality exclusives for the console. With games like Halo 5: Guardians, Cuphead, and Forza Motorsport 7, the console offers a wide variety of fantastic experiences you can only get on Xbox, as well as PC thanks to Microsoft's Play Anywhere program. And thanks to the Xbox One X, the Xbox One family features the most powerful console on the market.
Microsoft has been criticized often for its lack of exclusives, which Xbox boss Phil Spencer has acknowledged in the past, saying "We need to grow, and I look forward to doing that. Our ability to go create content has to be one of our strengths. We haven't always invested at the same level. We've gone through ups and downs in the investment."
He commented further: "That meant we had to stop doing some other things in order to create room for that. And that's just kind of the nature of running a business," Spencer said. "One of the things that I wanted to do when I came into this job ... one of the things was our first-party and how I thought about needing to--this is an unfair word, but I'll say 'rework' our first-party. Regretfully, that meant certain things that we were doing, I thought we needed to do something different. It meant getting back to what I think is a core and building from that." However, Microsoft recently took action at E3 2018, announcing it has acquired or established five new studios to work under the Microsoft Studios umbrella.
While Microsoft might be looking to improve its first-party output, Xbox One does have a lot of quality games you won't find on any other console. Click ahead to view GameSpot's highest-rated Xbox One exclusives since the console's launch. The titles listed here are in alphabetical order and in no way reflects our own personal editor rankings of each game. The list only includes games we've awarded an 8/10 or higher. In addition, we've limited the feature based on console exclusivity, so you'll see a few games in this gallery that are also available on PC; remasters are all fair game too.
While the Xbox One is home to a variety of awesome exclusive games, you can also play a wealth of past-generation exclusives thanks to the console's backwards compatibility feature. A few notable standouts are Crackdown, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings. But if you're curious what other Xbox and Xbox 360 exclusive games you can play on Xbox One, be sure to check out our feature detailing the 36 best backwards compatible games.
What are some of your favorite Xbox One exclusives? Doesn't matter if they're critically acclaimed or super underrated. Let us know about them in the comments below. Be sure to check out our lists of the best Nintendo Switch console exclusives and PS4 console exclusives as well.
#IDARB
We gave the game an 8/10.
In our #IDARB review, Tyler Hicks wrote, "For me, the game's thrilling competition is more than enough to earn the stamp of approval. #IDARB doesn't look like much, but it brings a feast to the table. It stands as proof that all it takes to make a fantastic game, even with today's available technology, is a solid set of core gameplay mechanics with inherent depth."
Cuphead
We gave the game an 8/10.
In our Cuphead review, Peter Brown wrote, "Cuphead has been a longtime coming, and it's great to see that it lives up to its initial promises. It's beautiful to look at, and with a pitch-perfect soundtrack, it flawlessly captures the era its developers so clearly revere. It's also an intense action game that pulls no punches. It could benefit from a few tweaks, and two-player co-op doesn't feel like the valuable addition you might imagine, but Cuphead remains a rare, unique game that truly stands out."
Dance Central Spotlight
We gave the game an 8/10.
In our Dance Central Spotlight review, Shaun McInnis wrote, "Indeed, Dance Central Spotlight feels like an admission that sometimes you just can't be all things to all people. Rather than beef up the feature list, Harmonix has taken the opposite approach: it's slimmed down the game, offered way more value, and removed the obstacles between you and just getting out there and dancing. It's a different take on Dance Central, but the party is just as fun as ever."
Fantasia: Music Evolved
We gave the game an 8/10.
In our Fantasia: Music Evolved review, Kevin VanOrd wrote, "I wish for more from Fantasia: Music Evolved, but that's because it is already such a delight to watch, to hear, and to perform. The game is more pop than Pachelbel; I have visions of entire Mahler symphonies released as future downloadable content, even though I know that Avicii and Lady Gaga are DLC priorities. Until that dream comes true, I am more than content with Fantasia, which makes me feel like a graceful performance artist, a skillful sorcerer, and a master musician all at once."
Forza Horizon 2
We gave the game an 8/10.
In our Forza Horizon 2 review, Kevin VanOrd wrote, "Forza Horizon 2 is hardly lacking in stuff to do, though the best events extol the driver/car relationship, either by demanding precise control, or by reminding you, once again, of its virtual mantra: "Cars are awesome and you're awesome!" Forget the forgettable jams emanating from the various rock and electronica radio stations you can tune to; that's music for Gary, but not for me. No, Horizon 2 is about careening into the sunset while Beethoven symphonies blast from your speakers, as if you might leap off the edge of the Earth and straight into the arms of God."
Forza Horizon 3
We gave the game a 9/10.
In our Forza Horizon 3 review, Miguel Concepcion wrote, "With Forza Horizon 3, Turn 10 and Playground Games affirm the series' status as the driving game for everyone. The new emphasis on off-road options isn't at the expense of traditional races, thanks to the sheer volume of activities. All the while, Playground Games' calculated kitchen-sink design philosophy and rich reward system persistently tempt you to explore beyond your comfort zone, whether it's gifting your first Ariel Nomad buggy or reminding you that stunt races can impress thousands of fans. Enhancing your own brand might feel like a strange motivation to hit the road, but pulling off sick e-drifts on a mile-long series of curves makes the PR work worthwhile."
Forza Motorsport 6
We gave the game an 8/10.
In our Forza Motorsport 6 review, Miguel Concepcion wrote, "As merely the second installment for the Xbox One, Forza Motorsport 6 not only keeps up with the high bar set by Forza 5, it capitalizes on that foundation of quality. The Mod system and the weather effects are reasons enough for Forza 5 enthusiasts to seriously consider this sequel and the abundance of difficulty and assist options makes Forza 6 an immensely accessible driving simulation for newcomers."
Forza Motorsport 7
We gave the game a 9/10.
In our Forza Motorsport 7 review, Miguel Concepcion wrote, "By the time I had logged a couple dozen hours in Forza 7, the confluence of environmental and driving realism unexpectedly inspired me to recreate real-life racing events like the famous 1996 Zanardi pass at Laguna Seca. These are the kinds of experiments that Forza 7 inspires, thanks in part to the game's variety and flexibility. Even with an imperfect roster and a selection of modes that doesn't compare to the comprehensiveness of Forza 6 at launch, Forza Motorsport 7 is still a feature-rich and competition-diverse bundle of racing events that keep you coming back for more. The ability to control the weather to create rich, painterly cloudy backdrops goes a long way in making up for the lack of zombie modes and the Toyota MR2."
Halo 5: Guardians
We gave the game an 8/10.
In our Halo 5: Guardians review, Mike Mahardy wrote, "In some ways, Halo 5 is the boldest Halo yet. The franchise's multiplayer is at its peak, with a mode I'm sure I'll return to several times over. But then there's the campaign, which introduces fluid new movement and open level design, yet can't tell a coherent story to match. There are signs of a phenomenal shooter here, but certain narrative aspects feel underdeveloped, holding the franchise's newest sequel back from true excellence. Like Spartan Locke and his team, 343 is chasing after something bigger than itself, and with Halo 5: Guardians, it comes close. Now if only it could reach out its arm and take hold."
Sunset Overdrive
We gave the game an 8/10.
In our Sunset Overdrive review, Peter Brown wrote, "Insomniac Games has crafted an excellent game in Sunset Overdrive. It's not without a few niggling issues, but you'll be too busy enjoying yourself to care. You can compare it to games like Crackdown, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, and Ratchet and Clank, but by combining the best elements of those games into a single package and injecting it with an anything goes, rock and roll attitude, you'll never think of it as anything but a singular achievement that stands tall on its own merits. It's one of the best games on the Xbox One, and a refreshing shot of merriment."
Ori and the Blind Forest
We gave the game a 9/10.
In our Ori and the Blind Forest review, Kevin VanOrd wrote, "It's important, however, not to mistake Ori and the Blind Forest for being simply beautiful. It certainly is--but it is also unceasingly clever. It consistently surprises you with new tricks: gravitational divergences, new ways to move through its spaces, and carefully designed levels that require you to think quickly and respond. It is not as snappy as, say, a typical Mario platformer, seeking instead a broader gameplay arc stretching across a single, interconnected world. It's a superb and thematically consistent approach that allows Ori and the Blind Forest to build joy on a bed of heartache, adding a new layer of mechanical complexity with each ray of hope."
Rare Replay
We gave the game an 8/10.
In our Rare Replay review, Peter Brown wrote, "Much of Rare Replay is old material, but that's OK when so many of Rare's games easily stand the test of time. Getting the chance to play its classics in an easily accessible package is worth celebrating, whether you've played them before or always wished you could. And you should, if you haven't had the chance. Rare's games have a way of speaking to you with respect. They embrace video game conventions and rarely take themselves too seriously. Expressive characters warm your heart and catchy and complex soundtracks stick with you long after you turn off your console. Rare Replay is a great way to experience some of the best games from the studio's past, and the new videos that document Rare's storied history are the icing on the cake; it's just a shame that you can't access them from the start."
Both PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds and Fortnite have experienced massive success. As a result, battle royale games are quickly evolving, moving past the genre's humble beginnings as mods for large-scale survival games, like Minecraft and ARMA 2, and into fresh new territory. More and more new games in the genre are getting released every week; this year alone is packed with a slew of new battle royale games that aim to push the genre further by expanding its foundational elements and mechanics.
To ensure you're kept up to date on all the latest battle royale games, we've compiled 19 of the biggest battle royale games releasing in 2018. Below you can find a full list releasing this year. In addition, you find out more details on each game in the feature ahead by clicking through to their game pages.
While there's plenty of battle royale games out there, we've decidedly narrowed it down in our list above to the ones most worth looking into this year. Many of the latest battle royale games are expanding upon it by throwing new mechanics into the mix. Some games add in spectator elements and dynamic environmental effects, while others are taking the experience to VR. It's exciting to see how some developers are pushing the genre to entirely new directions.
There are also battle royale games this year are opting for a more traditional approach. Games like Europa and Mavericks: Proving Grounds are sticking to the last person standing approach but across different scales and with additional mechanics, like dynamic environmental effects and higher player counts. These games offer veteran players fascinating situations to test their skills.
Even the biggest gaming franchises are incorporating battle royale into its repertoire. The upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 and Battlefield 5 have battle royale-like modes. We can only imagine what other popular franchises plan to introduce the mode at E3 2018.
Regardless of what you prefer, it's safe to say that there is likely a new battle royale game for you. But which one are you looking forward to the most? Let us know in the comments below. And be sure to check back often as we update this feature with even more new battle royale games as they get announced.
The Culling 2
The Culling 2 approaches the battle royale formula with real-world weapon ballistics, a more complex melee combat system, and customizable perks. It supports up to 50 players.
Release Date: Available July 10
Battlefield 5 | PS4, Xbox One, PC
During EA's E3 2018 press conference, Battlefield V developer DICE confirmed that a battle royale mode will be available in the game at some point. DICE creative director Lars Gustavsson stated that games like Fortnite and PUBG are popular among the developer's employees. The idea to add a battle royale mode to Battlefield V came from conversations DICE developers were having about the game inside the studio as opposed to being a directive that EA handed down to the studio, he suggested.
Release Date: TBA (Mode expected to release sometime after October 11 launch)
Fear the Wolves | PC, PS4, Xbox One
Fear the Wolves is a battle royale game set in an apocalyptic Chernobyl-like wasteland. It brings an interesting twist to the formula by introducing unpredictable weather cycles. In addition, there are radioactive zones that players can only explore with the proper gear.
Release Date: PC Early Access TBA 2018 (Console version expected to launch in 2019)
Rapture Rejects | PC
Rapture Rejects is an upcoming battle royale game set in the popular Cyanide & Happiness cartoon universe. Unlike its contemporaries, the gamesets players in a hellish otherworld where God has abandoned humanity, and the only option left is to kill until only one person is left standing.
Release Date: TBA 2018
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 | PS4, Xbox One, PC
The upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is going to feature a battle royale mode. Dubbed Blackout, the new mode pits players against each other in a fight to be the last one standing. Where it differs from other battle royale games, however, is that it draws heavily on previous Black Ops titles. Developer Treyarch says it wanted to create a battle royale mode "the Black Ops way," and to that end, it has incorporated elements from the entire series into the mode.
Release Date: October 12
Battlerite Royale | PC
Battlerite Royale is an upcoming mode for the team-based arena brawler where 20 players fight on a map 30 times larger than the game's standard arena mode map. You can play solo or as a pair, with 27 distinct heroes to choose from. The rules are standard fair as a battle royale game: drop in, gather supplies, kill people, and come out as the last person alive.
Platforms: PC | Release Date: Summer 2018 (Standard Game is Available Now)
Maelstorm | PC
Maelstorm offers an interesting spin on the battle royale genre. Rather than take on the format of a first-person or third-person shooter, the game focuses on naval combat in a fantasy setting. You're pitted against 15 other players in a a battle to be the last "ship" standing. While you fight off other players and NPC ships, there are also sea monsters to worry about that'll attempt to sink you. And if the game's premise isn't enough to pull you in, it also offers progression and loot systems to keep you invested in and outside of battle.
Release Date: Available Now via Steam Early Access
Egress
Egress is an RPG battle royale game with a Soulsborne-like combat system. It's set in an alternate universe that combines visuals elements from Victorian-era architecture, Lovecraftian mythology, and Retrowave.
Release Date: TBA 2018
H1Z1 | PC (PS4 and Xbox One Versions Coming Soon)
Formerly known as H1Z1: King of the Kill, H1Z1 is the battle royale version of the zombie-survival sandbox game, Just Survive. It pits 150 players against each other in a last-man-standing deathmatch; players can choose to play solo, with a partner, or in groups of five. In addition to the game's standard battle royale mode, H1Z1 features a mode called Auto Royale, where four players drive a car into battle, collecting power-ups in order to emerge the last team driving.
Platforms: PC | Release Date: Available Now
Proxima Royale
Proxima Royale is a sci-fi-themed battle royale where up to 60 players duke it out in a last "robot" standing conflict on an alien planet. The game is in early access, having had a few closed alphas over the past month or so.
Release Date: TBA
SOS | PC
SOS offers something unique: it requires a microphone, and your social skills and sense of showmanship will be put to the test. Each player has to present themselves in an interesting way to stand out and earn the favor of a live audience. Each game is broadcast live online via the social gaming platform Hero, with spectators voting on possible in-game events like supply drops or bombing runs. The main goal is to find one of four relics spread across the map, and then signal for extraction and make it onto a helicopter. This sounds simple on paper, but 15 other players are also striving to accomplish the same goal, and with only a few seats on the helicopter, you're going to need to be clever and ruthless if you want to survive.
Release Date: Available Now via Steam Early Access
Realm Royale | PC, PS4, Xbox One
Realm Royale is a 100-player battle royale spin-off of Paladins: Champions of the Realm. It takes on qualities similar to other battle royale games, but attempts to redefine them by introducing mechanics from hero shooters, with myriad playable characters, each with their own unique skills and abilities. In addition, it emphasizes cooperative play, as it's designed to be played primarily in four-person squads.
Release Date: Available Now via Steam Early Access
The Darwin Project | PC, Xbox One
The Darwin Project is a third-person competitive multiplayer battle royale game with more of an emphasis on survival than its competitors. In order to win, you must endure extreme weather conditions, while tracking opponents and setting up traps in order to be the last one left alive. It's most noteworthy quality is that it incorporates reality TV show elements into its gameplay, like spectator interaction and a show director who controls varying aspects of the arena.
Release Date: Available Now via Steam Early Access and Xbox One Game Preview program
Mavericks: Proving Grounds | PC
Mavericks: Proving Grounds is an first-person battle royale game where up to 400 players do battle in a highly dynamic environment. For example, you can set fire to a map, tactically spreading it to others parts of the map to either damage other players or cut them off. In addition, the game promises more intelligent mission systems, social hubs, and a player-driven narrative that informs your experiences playing the game.
Release Date: TBA 2018 (Beta opens Summer 2018)
Islands of Nyne | PC
Islands of Nyne is a sci-fi-themed first-person battle royale game that's more skill-driven than its competitors. Based on how well you play, you'll earn special armor sets and weapon skins for your character. There's also a player betting system, which allows you to use in-game credits to place bets on individual players or teams during a match to win more equipment or skins.
Release Date: TBA 2018 (Currently in Closed Alpha, which you can get into by pre-ordering the game)
Dying Light: Bad Blood | PC, PS4, Xbox One
Dying Light: Bad Blood is a standalone battle royale-esque expansion of the critically acclaimed Dying Light. It seems an almost unexpected release, but apparently it was made by developer Techland due to numerous fan requests. In Bad Blood, six players are dropped into random locations around the map in a race to acquire enough samples from several powerful infected zombies. As you take down these special zombies, you'll collect samples and potentially level up your character--boosting their health, agility, and attack power. The first one to acquire all the samples and escape in the evac chopper wins.
Release Date: TBA 2018 (a Global Playtest is schedule for sometime this year, which you can sign up for via the Dying Light website)
Europa | PC
Europa is Chinese publisher Tencent's contribution to the battle royale genre. Unlike its competitors, the game will feature real-time weather, underwater exploration, environmental kills, and destructible cover. Whether Europa releases anywhere besides China remains to be seen.
Release Date: TBA 2018 in China only
Survival Games: Battle Royale | PC
Survival Games: Battle Royale retains the genre's tried and true premise, but provides some twists of its own. Maps are procedurally generated and you must keep track of your stats and hunger as you fight to be the last one standing. In addition, the game sports a map editor that allows you design your own custom battle royale arenas.
Release Date: Available Now via Steam Early Access
Stand Out: VR Battle Royale | PC (Oculus Rift, HTC Vive)
Playing a battle royale game in VR sounds like a huge challenge, but developer raptor lab is looking to make it happen with Standout: Battle Royale VR. In order to survive a match, you'll literally have to crouch down to avoid enemy and lean in and out of cover to get a clear line of sight on opponents; you can even reach out and snatch a magazine from a player's hands.
Release Date: Available Now via Steam Early Access
Fractured Lands | PC
Fractured Lands sets the 100-player battle royale formula in a Mad Max-inspired post-apocalyptic wasteland. The game features classic genre mechanics, like resource management and tactical first-person shooting. However, it also sports an emphasis on car combat and vehicle customization.
Release Date: Available Summer 2018 via Steam Early Access (Available now in Closed Beta)
We don't have much information on Respawn's Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order, but here's what we do know. The game will star a young Jedi Padawan who escaped Order 66 after the events of Revenge of the Sith when, as Respawn CEO Vince Zampella puts it, the galaxy was at its darkest. As a Jedi apprentice, you will have access to a lightsaber. It's not much to go on, but it's enough to make an educated guess as to who and what we might see in Jedi Fallen Order.
By the events of Star Wars Rebels (5-1 years prior to A New Hope), the Rebellion is already on the rise and large populations of the galaxy are already turning away from the Empire. Hope is beginning to spread; not exactly the galaxy's darkest moment. Even in Solo, which takes place approximately eight years before Rebels, the first seeds of rebellion are beginning to sprout.
That leaves the six years between Revenge of the Sith and Solo. The Empire may still be young, but it's quickly sweeping across the galaxy, along with the Emperor's "humans above all" propaganda. Remnants of old Clone Wars' feuds still rage, and some worlds, like Geonosis, face planet-wide genocide. The Jedi Order has been hunted to near-extinction, and Force-sensitive children are either killed or raised as psychopathic agents of the Emperor. We think it's within this six-year period that Respawn's Jedi Fallen Order takes place.
So now that we have a more exact period of time to work with, here's who and what we want to see in Respawn's Star Wars game.
Ahsoka Tano's Early Years As A Rebel Informant
Ahsoka "Snips" Tano, the apprentice of Anakin Skywalker, first appeared in 2008's Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated film. She went on to become a main character in the The Clone Wars animated series, before reappearing in Star Wars Rebels and starring in her own novel.
Ahsoka is one of Star Wars' most well written characters, debuting as a naive 14-year-old teen, slowly growing to understand the galaxy at large through her adventures with Anakin and Obi-Wan, and choosing to leave the Jedi Order at 17 without becoming a Jedi Knight. She's nearly 20 in the Ahsoka Tano novel and closer to 30 by Rebels. She's one of the few Star Wars characters we've seen grow up. Jedi Fallen Order could earn some major points with fans by including Ahsoka, and it would really make us happy if Ashley Eckstein returned to voice her.
About 18 years prior to A New Hope, Ahsoka endures an Imperial occupation that inspires her to become an intelligence agent that redistributes the balance of power back to the people. We see Ahsoka again in Star Wars Rebels as the covert operative known as Fulcrum, but it's still unclear how she went from deciding to spy on the Empire to becoming one of the galaxy's best informants. Jedi Fallen Order could be the perfect way to catch us up to speed.
Ahsoka's early career as Fulcrum could be the creation of a Jedi "underground railroad" that shepherds Jedi who escaped Order 66 into seclusion. It would be a clever way for her to meet the protagonist. If Ahsoka/Fulcrum is a major part of Jedi Fallen Order, she could be the one talking into the protagonist's ear throughout the game and offering hints, tutorials, and mission objectives.
Ahsoka/Fulcrum could easily be the protagonist for Jedi Fallen Order too.
Imperial Inquisitors
Star Wars fans got their first good look at the Empire's Inquisitors in Star Wars Rebels. These Jedi hunters are the result of Vader turning ten Jedi to the dark side. Most beings with a talent for the Force were killed under the Empire's watch, but those who showed an aptitude for channeling their hate were allowed to live to hunt anyone who escaped the Order 66 purge.
A large part of being a Jedi after the events of Order 66 is being consumed by fear. If Respawn wants you to constantly worry about looking over your shoulder or keeping a low profile, introducing an Inquisitor who's hunting the protagonist could be an effective way to do it. The jaunty tune that summons Songbird in BioShock Infinite and echoing footsteps that signals the arrival of the SA-X in Metroid Fusion are still terrifying to this day. Both of those enemies hunted players relentlessly throughout their respected games. Even if the encounters were scripted, you still had no way of knowing when you'd be plunged into another life-or-death chase. Imagine that same unsettling unease permeating every fiber of Jedi Fallen Order.
Because Jedi Fallen Order most likely takes place so close to the end of Revenge of the Sith, it's unlikely we'd see all ten of the monstrous hunters that Vader groomed. However, the Jedi Temple guard who became the first Inquisitor would still prove a terrifying menace, especially if Respawn can get Jason Isaacs to voice him again. And even if we don't fight them all, it would still be absolutely horrifying to be sneaking through an Imperial facility only to stumble upon Vader cutting body parts off and out of the young Inquisitors during their lesson on the meaning of loss.
A True Display Of The Destructive Power Of The Force
The Force has been used by Jedi and Sith alike to perform spectacular feats throughout the Star Wars films. But these moments are nothing more than mere party tricks when compared to the destructive power Galen "Starkiller" Marek has at his disposal in The Force Unleashed. One of the most notable examples is when he uses the Force to rip an Imperial Star Destroyer out of the sky.
Despite their differing ideologies, both the Jedi and Sith preach control over the Force. The Jedi suppress emotion to temper themselves, while the Sith focus their powerful emotions as a conduit. The Force Unleashed showed players what the Force can do when its wielder abandons control. Instead of simply being pushed away, enemies are flung like ragdolls. Force lightning isn't just blocked by lightsabers, it can be infused into the blade. Massive shockwaves, called Force Repulse, destroy almost everything.
The Force connects everything, but that means it can be used to destroy everything too. Marek happened to be particularly adept at doing so, but we've seen Darth Vader and Kylo Ren perform similar feats. We have no idea how powerful the protagonist of Jedi Fallen Order is, but it could be pretty cool to play as a powerful Force user who hasn't mastered how to control the Force yet and brandishes it as a heavy club instead of wielding it like a scalpel.
Coruscant 1313
We only got a glimpse of one of Coruscant's deepest levels in the gameplay trailers for Star Wars: 1313 before the game was canceled. But what we saw offered a side of the city planet that's absent from the movies. Gone are the towering skyscrapers and brilliant lights. In the belly of Coruscant, it's dirty and violent and the only inhabitants are survivors and criminals. There's no law, and firefights are a common occurrence.
Not even a Jedi would dare call attention to themselves by using a lightsaber within such a hotspot of scum and villainy. Despite the risk of fighting without one, a lightsaber creates too much unwanted attention. Considering Coruscant is the center of the Galactic Empire, it's not a place Jedi Fallen Order's protagonist would want to stand out. Level 1313 is a great location to hide out from the authorities, but Palpatine and Vader are close enough to easily respond to rumors of a lightsaber user.
Visiting Coruscant 1313 would be a great mission for Jedi Fallen Order to test the player's ingenuity and creativity. Without the use of a lightsaber, players would need to rely on a blaster and fancy tech to get past enemies, circumnavigate obstacles, or survive deadly traps. Plus, the level would be a nice nod to the Star Wars bounty hunter game we never got to play.
A Nightmarish Darth Vader
The ending to Rogue One is one of the most terrifying scenes in any Star Wars movie. Watching Darth Vader effortlessly swat aside rebel fighters like they're nothing was a clear reminder that the Sith Lord is one of the most feared beings in the galaxy. He might have been evil in the original trilogy, but in Rogue One he was the rebellion's fear given physical form.
In Star Wars, Darth Vader is supposed to be the boogeyman. You never want him to be the one who's sent after you. Unfortunately, we have few examples of how scary Vader can be. He chokes people all the time, but we rarely see him inspire genuine fear in everyone around him. We want to see what it's like for Vader to be hunting his prey.
Vader has had more chances to prove how monstrous he is in Rebels, when his mere presence made Kanan and Ezra feel cold, and again when he fought his former apprentice Ahsoka Tano in one of the most heart-wrenching lightsaber duels in the franchise. It's the sort of face-off we'd like to see more of, especially given that Vader is a bone-chilling monster at this point.
If Jedi Fallen Order would rather go hot than cold, then the game could cover the immediate aftermath of Revenge of the Sith when Vader is wallowing in his sorrow over killing Padme. We imagine Vader would have been especially viscous during this part of his life, as he buries his pain for his dead wife under the bodies of his victims. Imagine facing a Vader like that in Jedi Fallen Order. He'd probably fight like a demented animal with nothing to lose.
A Broken Jedi Order
One of the best aspects of Star Wars The Force Unleashed was witnessing how the surviving Jedi coped with the destruction of their order. Rahm Kota resists the Empire through guerrilla tactics in a desperate bid to draw Darth Vader to him for a final showdown. Kazdan Paratus goes insane and builds a mock Jedi Temple with a council composed of discarded pieces of junk. Shaak Ti, much like her fellow council members Obi-Wan and Yoda, retreats into hiding on an unimportant planet.
The Force Unleashed is no longer canon, but these examples of the Jedi's decay is no less memorable. With a few exceptions, like Qui-Gon and Anakin, the Jedi Order seems mostly uniform in mind and spirit during the prequel trilogy. The Force Unleashed let you see the members of the Jedi Order as individuals who needed to survive on their own. It highlighted just how much the Jedi need to rely on others to survive, as opposed to the Sith who can endure on their own for centuries.
There are no true examples in Disney's recent Star Wars films of Jedi living on their own without friends, family, or any sort of support. Luke Skywalker, who's both broken and ashamed of his failure as a teacher in The Last Jedi, comes close. But he can return to a sister and friends if he wanted to. His exile is his choice, not one brought about by necessity.
To See The Weirder Aspects Of The Force
The Force has been able to pull off some pretty weird stuff in the Star Wars films, like creating ghosts, but that only scratches the surface of what it can do. A vast majority of the stranger parts of the Force come from holocrons, Sith sorcery, and locations where the Force pools together. With the exception of that last one, we haven't seen many of those examples in the films, as most have passed into noncanon.
We have seen a few of these examples reintroduced in The Clone Wars and Rebels though, and it could be cool to see Jedi Fallen Order expand on any one of them. The Clone Wars reintroduced us to The Ones: The Father, a god-like being with unprecedented control over the Force; The Son, the living embodiment of the dark side; and The Daughter, the living embodiment of the light. Perhaps Jedi Fallen Order could touch upon The Servant/The Mother, the mortal woman who became the monstrous Abeloth prior to the events of the prequel trilogy. An immortal shapeshifter with a mastery over both the light and dark sides of the Force, Abeloth's incessant need for companionship has put her into direct conflict with both the Jedi and Sith for centuries. Exploring her lore would make for an excellent collection of side quests.
Rebels reintroduced time travel into the Star Wars canon with the world between worlds, a mystical plane where every moment exists in tandem and Force users can both travel to and change any event from the past or future. The world between worlds has already been used to explain how Ahsoka Tano survived until the events of Return of the Jedi, and could be used as a scapegoat for Respawn to tell an original story. The world between worlds dismisses any inconsistencies in Star Wars lore by separating certain events and characters into different timelines. Even if Respawn chooses not to create a story separate from Disney's Star Wars Universe, we'd love to see the world between worlds used to pull off a time traveling mission similar to Titanfall 2's stellar "Effects and Cause" level.
To See How The Rebellion Came Together
The original creation of the Rebellion was a part of The Force Unleashed. Galen Marek's sacrifice made him a martyr to several freedom fighters, who united under Marek's old family crest. This origin was lost when The Force Unleashed became noncanon.
Even if Jedi Fallen Order primarily takes place during one of the galaxy's darkest moments, there's nothing to suggest the entire game stays in that specific sphere of time. Time skips could place later chapters closer to the events of A New Hope and the start of the Rebel Alliance. Both Rebels and Solo touch on how the Rebellion started as a system of rebel cells that eventually came together, but leaves out what exactly transpired to unite them. Jedi Fallen Order would be a great way for Respawn to tell that story.
No Skywalkers
Most of the canonical Star Wars stories revolve around a Skywalker or someone related to a Skywalker. But the Star Wars universe is vast, and there are plenty of other characters Jedi Fallen Order could focus on.
At the time of Jedi Fallen Order, Luke and Leia are the only Skywalkers. Anakin has been "killed" by Darth Vader. Although it could be a cute Easter egg to toss in a mission or two that puts the protagonist into contact with a young Luke or Leia, the game shouldn't. Leia's story begins in Star Wars Rebels and Luke's arc starts in A New Hope. Jedi Fallen Order shouldn't bend over backwards to show us a toddler Leia running around her palace, or a teenager Luke learning to pilot a speeder. We've got enough Skywalker stories and don't need another.
To Play As A Woman
When Disney erased most of the Star Wars Expanded Universe from the canon, the company wiped out pretty much every notable women who's been a Jedi. Across all three Star Wars trilogies, Rey is the only woman who's earned the title of Jedi and been a main character. Other women, like Shaak Ti and Aayla Secura, were present in the prequel trilogy but pushed to the background and given zero scenes to actually speak.
It's not like women can't be Jedi. Before the Expanded Universe was made noncanon, Han and Leia had twins, one of which was Jaina Solo. She would go on to be one of Luke's greatest students. Jaina's brother would fall in love with Tenel Ka Djo, a princess who rejected her royal title to focus on body building and training as a Jedi. Even losing one of her arms didn't stop her from becoming a formidable warrior, as she rejected a prosthetic arm and developed her own style of combat that incorporated kicks instead of Force pushes. Jedi Knight Etain Tur-Murkan fought for clone trooper rights during the later years of the Clone Wars, even giving her life to protect troopers during the Jedi Purge.
Many women could be reintroduced into Star Wars canon if Jedi Fallen Order were to tweak their backstories. Mara Jade would be perfect. Mara is a fiercely sarcastic and cunning Force-sensitive assassin who vows to avenge the Emperor by killing Luke Skywalker. Eventually she comes around to the light, becomes a Jedi Master, and marries Luke. Though it would make her about 10 years older than how she was originally written, Mara could be the protagonist of Jedi Fallen Order. She was introduced in the same book as Admiral Thrawn, who was recently given a slightly different backstory so he could be a regular antagonist in Rebels. No reason Mara can't undergo the same treatment.
Imagine playing as the young padawan Mara Jade who's slowly corrupted throughout the events of Jedi Fallen Order before becoming an agent to Palpatine in the final moments of the game. Reintroducing her back into the canon would add another level of tragedy to Kylo killing off most of Luke's new Jedi Order as well. Disney wouldn't need to confirm or deny it, but there would always be the lingering question of whether one of the Jedi that Kylo killed was Mara, someone Luke would have been particularly close to.
Explain What The Emperor Wanted With Maul
"Do not worry. I'm not going to kill you. I have other uses for you." These are the last words Palpatine says before maliciously electrocuting Maul in the final season of The Clone Wars animated series. We don't see Maul again until a brief cameo in Solo. He's seen again in Rebels, now free of the Emperor and filled with hatred for the man who was once his master.
According to the Ahsoka Tano novel, Maul fled from the public eye during the confusion of the Jedi purge. Where he went and what he did after that is still a mystery. Palpatine had plans for his former apprentice but it seems like Maul was able to escape before those plans bore fruit. It would be nice to learn what Palpatine had in mind and whether or not he enacted his machinations through someone else.
Viewers were pleasantly surprised when The Clone Wars revealed Maul survived his injuries in A Phantom Menace, and were ecstatic to see the former Sith warrior return in Rebels to engage an elderly Obi-Wan in a old western-style duel on Tatooine. Seeing Maul again, and possibly even facing him, in Jedi Fallen Order would be some stellar fan-service.
Those are the 11 characters, places, and themes we want to see in Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order. Let us know if you've figured out how Jedi Fallen Order could allude to Knights of the Old Republic's Darth Revan, deduced how Respawn can give Jar Jar Binks the heroic death he rightly deserves, or thought of any other Star Wars characters or places that need to be in this game. Comment down below with what you want (or definitely don't want) to see.
PC is one of the best platforms to play games. Not only does it allow access to an immense library of games across multiple generations, but it also offers the potential to play them at their best. But if you're looking for some new games, there's an abundance of great-looking ones coming exclusively to PC this year alone.
On consumer platforms like Steam and GOG, there are hundreds of exclusive PC games released every day. Since rounding them up would prove unwieldy, we've narrowed the field down to this list of some of the most high-profile exclusives.
Below you can get a glance at some of the biggest PC exclusives releasing in 2018. We'll be updating this list throughout the year as more games get announced, as well as tinker our placeholder entries with confirmed release dates and additional information when new announcements are made.
If you're curious about other platforms, you can check out our features on PS4 exclusives, Switch exclusives, and Xbox One exclusives. In the meantime, which PC games are you looking forward to the most? Let us know in the comments below.
Rust
Facepunch Studios' Rust is a multiplayer survival game where players are tasked with satiating their in-game needs, such as hunger, thirst, and warmth, with items and materials that can be scavenged from the expansive world or stolen from other players.
Developer: Facepunch Studios | Release Date: February 8
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II: Kai
Although this remaster is available for PS4 in Japan, the rest of the world can only play The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II: Kai on PC. Like the original game, Trails of Cold Steel II is a traditional JRPG with turn-based battles. Unlike the original, this sequel is focused on traveling across a fantastical world as opposed to attending a magical combat school.
Developer: Nihon Falcom | Release Date: February 14
Developer: Forgotten Empires | Release Date: February 20
Hunt: Showdown
Hunt: Showdown is a competitive first-person PvP bounty hunting game with heavy PvE elements. It takes the thrill that comes with survival games and combines it with the action heavy combat of a match-based shooter.
Chuchel is a puzzle game developed by Jaromir Plachy & Amanita Design, the creators of Botanicula, Machinarium, and the Samorost games.
Developer: Amanita Design | Release Date: March 7
Long Gone Days
Long Gone Days is a 2D RPG that follows the adventures of Rourke, a soldier who decides to abandon his post, which leads him on a journey where he'll collaborate with allies from different parts of the world to overcome the peril of an inescapable war. While a traditional RPG at its core, the game also features elements from visual novels, puzzlers, and shooters.
Developer: BURA | Release Date: March 28 (Early Access)
Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire
Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is the successor to the critically acclaimed 2015 original. It features an expansive multiclassing system, which allows players to build unique characters that tie both into personal playstyles and stories. It also gives you access to a ship that you can use to sail across the game's world. You'll need to continually upgrade it to better survive perilous encounters.
Developer: Obsidian Entertainment | Release Date: April 3
Total War Saga: Thrones of Britannia
Total War Saga: Thrones of Britannia is the latest spin-off game in the popular Total War franchise. In contrast to the mainline games, Thrones of Britannia is a turn-based strategy game that takes place in the aftermath of the Viking invasion of Britain.
Developer: Creative Assembly | Release Date: April 19
Frontpunk
Frostpunk puts players in charge of a city that's trying to survive a volcanic winter. This city-building survival game comes with three different scenarios. Each has its own story and will test the morals and decision making skills of the player in different ways.
Developer: 11 bit studios | Release Date: April 24
BattleTech
BattleTech is a turn-based strategy game based in the universe of the popular tabletop and science-fiction franchise of the same name. You assume the role of a mercenary commander leading a team of powerful giant robots called battlemechs.
Developer: Harebrained Schemes | Release Date: April 24
Dauntless
Dauntless is a free-to-play action-RPG that plays similarly to Capcom's popular Monster Hunter series. It takes place in a world where a cataclysmic event has torn the world apart, releasing monster-like Behemoths that prey on the surviving humans. You play as a Slayer, a special warrior tasked with taking down the Behemoths.
Developer: Phoenix Labs | Release Date: May 24 (Open Beta)
Underworld Ascendant
Underworld Ascendant is an action-RPG made by developers that worked on the Ultima Underworld series. Like those games, it focuses on player choice while taking you on a journey across a fantasy realm packed with danger and intrigue.
Developer: Otherside Entertainment | Release Date: September 2018
MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries
MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries is the first numbered mainline entry in the once popular mech-sim series to be released in nearly 16 years. In keeping with MechWarrior tradition, you customize and pilot your own personal BattleMech across a new conflict set within the universe of the popular BattleTech franchise.
Developer: Piranha Games | Release Date: Winter 2018
Anno 1800
Anno 1800 is the latest entry in the long-running real-time strategy Anno series. It takes the series back to the past, allowing you to build and manage metropolises during the industrial revolution.
Developer: Ubisoft Blue Byte | Release Date: Winter 2018
Griftlands
Griftlands is the latest game by developer Klei Entertainment, the studio behind Don't Starve and Mark of the Ninja. Unlike its previous efforts, Griftlands is an action-RPG that emphasizes player choice and charting your own journey through an in-depth negotiation system.
Developer: Klei Entertainment | Release Date: TBA 2018
Aquanox: Deep Descent
Aquanox: Deep Descent is a first-person shooter where you control a submarine through undersea caverns in the dystopian world of Aqua.
Developer: Digital Arrow | Release Date: TBA 2018
Quake Champions
Quake Champions revives the classic Quake style of arena shooter gameplay but with a new character/class system. While not a major factor, these characters do feature their own distinct movement speeds, health pools, and a special ability.
Valve's DOTA 2 card game, Artifact, incorporates most of the mechanics of MOBA-based digital collective card games like Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft. The game differs from most traditional card games by incorporating three "lanes" for possible attack.
An isometric RPG, Pathfinder: Kingmaker is a spinoff to the original Pathfinder franchise. The game takes place in the Stolen Lands, which is a part of Golarion, the default setting of 2009's Pathfinder.
In 2017, Nintendo soared back into the limelight with the Switch--the fastest selling console in US history. Incredible exclusives like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey proved Nintendo still remembered the strengths of its franchises and the importance of taking risks. For an overview of all the Switch games we reviewed last year, head over to our Switch review page.
Already, Nintendo is using 2018 to build upon the company's successes and produce more fantastic-looking follow-ups to fan-favorite franchises, like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Kirby Star Allies. A number of new IPs, like Octopath Traveler, round out Switch's library of exclusives for 2018 library. You won't find these titles anywhere else.
There are plenty of exciting exclusives for Switch this year. Below is a full list of the biggest ones, and for more information on each game, click through to the slides ahead to find out what each game is and its release date.
We've compiled every one we know of so far here, and will continue to update this gallery with new games as they get announced. Be sure to check back often as we update this gallery with more exclusives. And if you're curious about other platforms, you can check out our features on PS4 exclusives, Xbox One exclusives, and PC exclusives. In the meantime, which exclusives are you most looking forward to? Let us know in the comments below.
Bayonetta and Bayonetta 2
When Nintendo revealed Bayonetta 3 at The Game Awards, the company also confirmed a popular rumor: Bayonetta 2 and the original Bayonetta were on their way to Switch. The sequel headlines the physical packaging of the game, but every copy of Bayonetta 2 includes a download code for the original.
We gave the original Bayonetta an 8/10. Check out our Bayonetta review.
We loved the follow-up even more, giving it a perfect 10/10. Check out our Bayonetta 2 review.
Developer: PlatinumGames | Release Date: February 16
Kirby Star Allies
Kirby made his debut on Switch in Kirby Star Allies. This title provides a multiplayer twist on traditional Kirby action, allowing four players to party up and tackle platforming stages and boss battles together. Like Kirby, his allies use powers absorbed from lesser enemies.
Developer: HAL Laboratory | Release Date: March 16
Nintendo Labo
Nintendo Labo is a series of kits that include cardboard cut-outs and other materials that are assembled in combination with the Switch and its Joy-Cons to be played with special game software and vice versa. The series' first two kits--the Variety Kit and the Robot Kit--released in April.
We gave the Nintendo Labo and its first two kits a 7/10. Check out our Nintendo Labo review.
Developer: Nintendo | Release Date: April 20
Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze
Continuing the tradition of updated Wii U games that get Switch ports like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Pokken Tournament DX, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze launched on Switch in May. The game adds a new playable character, Funky Kong, who introduces his own unique twist on the original's platforming gameplay.
Developer: Retro Studios, Monster Games | Release Date: May 4
Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition
The revamped version of Hyrule Warriors comes to Switch with all of the maps, missions, characters, and DLC from both the original Wii U release and the expanded 3DS version. Even Yuga and Ravio from A Link Between Worlds joined this Dynasty Warriors-style game. Both Link and Zelda get new Breath of the Wild-themed costumes as well.
The Bit.Trip games from developer Choice Provisions rank among some of the best throwback experiences of the past decade. Nintendo Switch owners have exclusive access to the series' newest game, Runner3, which continues the tradition of linking rhythmic timing and platforming, while also promising plenty of new tricks to stump returning players.
Developer: Choice Provisions | Release Date: May 22
Pokemon Quest
The original 151 Pokedex returns in Pokemon Quest, a free-to-play spin-off to Nintendo's popular pocket monster franchise. The game differentiates itself with its blocky art-style. Gameplay for Quest is separated into four parts: catching Pokemon, training your team, managing your base camp, and adventuring into the unknown in story missions.
Mario Tennis Aces from developer Camelot--the team behind the GBA game Golden Sun as well as numerous other Mario sports titles--launched on Switch this past spring. Mario's newest run at tennis includes a challenging story, three tournaments, and new special abilities.
Our review of the game is still in progress, but we're currently giving it an 8/10. Check out our Mario Tennis Aces review.
Developer: Camelot | Release Date: June 22
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
The incredibly adorable puzzler, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is finally on Switch. It includes an added Super Mario Odyssey-themed level modeled after that game's New Donk City location. You can also play with a friend--each using one joy-con--where one controls Toad and the other can shoot turnips to attack enemies.
Square Enix and developer Acquire's Octopath Traveler is a retro RPG that mixes 2D and 3D graphics in an effort to bridge the gap between 16-bit and HD. They game encompasses eight different main characters who each have their own personal story.
Developer: Square Enix, Acquire | Release Date: July 13
Code Of Princess EX
Originally for 3DS, Code of Princess is coming to Nintendo Switch in July. This hack and slash game features a few RPG elements you can explore with its cast of over 50 playable characters. There are two multiplayer modes as well: co-op missions and a Versus mode.
Super Mario Party marks the 11th time Mario and his friends have gotten together to beat each other up, steal from one another, and willingly participate in a diverse assortment of tiny death traps. Or as they like to call it: a party. Like the Mario Party titles that released for Wii and Wii U, Super Mario Party will feature mini games and challenges that utilize both traditional button controls and motion controls.
Super Smash Bros. is finally coming to Nintendo Switch, and you won't have to wait all that long for it: it's coming this holiday season. Every fighter from every previous Smash Bros. game is coming to duke it out in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and a few newcomers like Daisy, Ridley, and Inkling are joining them.
Light Fingers is a turn-based multiplayer board game where your goal is to gather loot and progress across the board, all while your opponents play cards and manipulate mechanical obstacles in an effort to trip you up. The game is coming to Switch sometime this year.
Developer: Numizmatic | Release Date: TBA 2018
Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes
The third game in the No More Heroes series from infamous developer, Goichi "SUDA 51" Suda, is scheduled to land on Switch later this year. Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes is a revenge tale against frontman Travis, who finds himself confronted by Badman, father of Travis' first assassination target, Bad Girl. Before they get into a scuffle, both characters are drawn into a video game system. From within, they will have to confront a handful of fictional video games, supposedly inspired by real-world hits like Hotline Miami.
The latest game from the team behind Mega Man Zero, Mega Man 9, Mega Man 10, and Azure Striker Gunvolt is coming exclusively to Switch this year. Dragon Marked for Death looks like another action-packed 2D side-scroller with intricate sprites, but Inti Creates is experimenting by adding in four-player local co-op and progression systems that give the game an action-RPG feel.
Developer: Inti Creates | Release Date: TBA 2018
The World Ends With You - Final Remix
The hi-res version of Square Enix's The World Ends with You is coming to Switch, along with a "sizable" new story scenario. This anime-inspired game is set in modern day Tokyo and created by the same team behind Kingdom Hearts III. The Final Remix version was announced during January's Nintendo Direct Mini, and is due sometime this year.
In 2017, Microsoft managed to enhance its latest and a few pre-existing games with upgraded visuals thanks to the release of Xbox One X. However, the publisher's roster of exclusives last year was small. There were a few noticeable standouts, like Everspace and Cuphead, but Microsoft just couldn't compete against Sony and Nintendo's larger libraries. Fortunately, Microsoft kicked off this year with a solid array of exclusive triple-A and independent games.
We expected to see titles like Sea of Thieves and State of Decay 2, but Microsoft managed to surprise us with sequels to fan favorite franchises, like Forza Horizon 4, and phenomenal new experiences, like Full Metal Furies. And that's only the beginning. Microsoft's E3 2018 press conference revealed the company has plenty of exclusives on the way. With so many great-looking games coming to the console that you won't find anywhere else, we've compiled a list of all the exclusive games coming to Xbox One in the coming months.
Make sure to check back often, as we'll continue to update our entries with specific dates and info when new announcements are made. If you're curious about other platforms, you can check out our features on PS4 exclusives, PC exclusives, and Switch exclusives.
It's worth noting that there are a few games in this feature that are also on PC. Given Microsoft's Play Anywhere program and the company's hand in both console and PC gaming, these games have been included. But which Xbox One games are you looking forward to the most? Let us know in the comments below.
Full Metal Furies
This action adventure places an emphasis on teamwork. You and three friends each take control of one of four different heroes and adventure into a world filled with deadly enemies, vicious traps, and mind-boggling puzzles. You might want to grab a fifth person to keep track of all the clues and puzzles with pen and paper. For Full Metal Furies, you'll need it. Trust us.
Developer: Cellar Door Games | Release Date: January 17
Deep Rock Galactic
Deep Rock Galactic is a first-person cooperative sci-fi shooter where up to four players explore procedurally generated, destructible environments to complete in a variety of missions. As a team of Dwarven space miners, you work together to blow up cave walls and mow down enemies.
Developer: Ghost Ship Games | Release Date: February 28 (Early Access)
Pit People
Pit People is an action-RPG developed by indie game developer The Behemoth. It released in Early Access last year, and officially launched this past March. The game continues the wacky humor of The Behemoth's previous titles and unites Alien Hominid, Castle Crashers, and BattleBlock Theater into one shared universe.
Sea of Thieves is the first original, non-Kinect game by iconic developer Rare in years. It's a first-person multiplayer action-adventure game that allows you to live out the life of a pirate with your friends. You work together to navigate the sea by ship while hunting down treasure and fending off competing players.
State of Decay 2 is a multiplayer zombie survival game featuring an open-world environment and co-op gameplay with up to three other players. Unlike the original, the game allows you to control anyone in your crew of survivors, who each have their own unique strengths and weaknesses.
Forza's popular spin-off returns for another installment in Forza Horizon 4. The open world racing game is doubling down on the weather effects this time around and implementing drastic changes to each track depending on whether the race occurs in the spring, summer, fall, or winter. The game will feature 450 licensed cars.
Developer: Playground Games | Release Date: September 28 (Ultimate Edition), October 2 (Deluxe and Standard Editions)
Black Desert Online
The incredibly popular PC MMORPG Black Desert Online is making its way onto Xbox One this year as a timed-exclusive. Thanks to the power of the Xbox One X, the upcoming console port can be played in 4K.
Ashen is an action-RPG where you play a wanderer in search of a place to settle. However, the game's hostile world is filled with malicious scavengers and deadly creatures who ensure you won't stay in one place for long. Ashen challenges you to explore, create settlements, and seek out other adventurers to improve your chances of survival.
Darwin Project is a free-to-play third-person competitive battle royale with an emphasis on survival. In order to win, you must endure extreme weather conditions, while tracking opponents and setting up traps.
Developer: Scavenger Studio | Release Date: TBA 2018
The Last Night
The Last Night is a 2.5D cinematic platformer where you play as Charlie, a lower-class citizen in a society where computers and machinery have taken over menial work. You explore the city, talk with its various inhabitants, and discover its secrets.
The eighth season of American Horror Story will be a crossover between Murder House and Coven. In order to get you prepped for AHS Season 8, Greg gets you all caught up on what went down in the Murder House back in season 1.
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