With so many great games having been announced recently, it can be difficult to decide on what games to be excited about!
That’s why we’ve done the hard work for you, and picked the biggest and best titles set to land this year and beyond.
There’s something for everyone – racers, sports, shooters and adventures.
Strange Brigade
Platform(s): Xbox One, PC, PS4
Release date:August 28, 2018
This 1930s co-operative survival horror game is shaping up to be one of the year’s more intriguing prospects.
Here, you and three others team up to take on a bunch of ‘strange’ supernatural forces – lurking in treacherous tombs and forgotten civilizations.
Gameplay is fast and frantic as you battle against hordes of nasties – harking back to zombie shooter, Left for Dead.
Bring it on.
PES 2019
Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: August 29 2018
Konami’s football game will arrive a couple of months before FIFA 19 – which may help it bag a few early sales.
This year’s game takes player individuality to the next level by introducing a variety of new skill traits. These include cross overturn, no-look pass, controlled chip, dipping shot and rising shot.
Thanks to ‘Enlighten’ software, true-to-life visual effects and 4K HDR is supported across all platforms.
Real-time ‘Global Illumination’ lighting and shadows results in better crowd detail, real grass textures and the return of the popular snow weather effect.
You can read more about PES 2019 here.
Spider-Man
Platform: PS4
Release date: September 7, 2018
Marvel and Insomniac Games have teamed up to create a brand-new and authentic Spider-Man story, which we saw more of during Sony’s show.
This isn’t the Spider-Man you’ve met before, or seen in a movie.
This is an experienced Peter Parker who’s more masterful at fighting crime in New York City.
At the same time, he’s struggling to balance his chaotic personal life and career while the fate of nine million New Yorkers rests upon his shoulders.
Want. Want. Want.
Fishing Sim World
Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release Date: September 18th, 2018
FIFA 19
Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: September 28, 2018
The Champions League has made a sensational return to EA after UEFA parted ways with Konami earlier in the year.
The Frostbite engine will once again return, so don’t expect a huge visual overhaul. However, there are a load of new gameplay tweaks.
Passing has been re-worked to feel more natural, while an active touch system allows for better first touches from different parts of the body.
It also opens up the possibility of a feint attack – where, as the ball approaches, you can shift your weight one way, before going the other.
Shooting has been tweaked, too.
If you tap Circle or B just as your foot hits the ball, you massively increase the chance of striking it into the top corner.
It’s all about timing, so get it wrong and you’ll be punished with a scuffed shot.
Check out everything you need to know about FIFA 19 here.
Assassins Creed Odyssey
Platform(s): Xbox One, PS4 and PC
Release date: October 5, 2018
Ubisoft has kept most details under wraps, but we now know it’s set in ancient Greece.
For the first time in the series, you need to choose to play as either a male or female. The world will respond differently depending on your choice.
Early reports say the combat system has been tweaked – to allow for faster, more fluid fighting.
There are now special abilities, such as a 300-style kick or a rain of arrows to damage targets from a distance.
Naval battles have also made an epic return. After the popularity of ‘Black Flag’, footage from the game has shown players being able to control recruitment and customisation of your ship.
Battlefield V
Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: October 11, 2018
As suspected, Battlefield V is set during World War II.
The game has no loot boxes and all the maps will be free (well played, EA).
For the first time, you’ll be able to shoot grenades out of mid-air or drag a downed soldier out of the line of fire to heal them.
You’ll also be able to fortify your encampments with things like sandbags or stationary weapons.
Add to the mix a new Grand Operations mode – battles set across multiple stages – and a co-operative campaign, and you’re on to a winner.
The big reveal from Gamescom was a new trailer highlighting the new Battle Royale mode.
The trailer showed a ring of fire closing in on fighting WW2 soilders.
Close to the Sun
Platform(s): Xbox, PS4 and PC
Release date: 2019
Looking at the trailers and gameplay footage it seems as though developer Storm In A Teacup’s new IP Close to the Sun draws inspiration from the first few Bioshock titles.
The game’s premise, however, is completely original.
Set in an alternate version of history in the 1980’s, you play as a young journalist who has boarded a ship full of the greatest minds in the world at the height of Nikola Tesla’s career.
However, it quickly becomes obvious that something has gone terribly terribly wrong.
With lots of enemies, riddles, puzzles and areas to explore, this game is going to be one worth keeping close to your wish list.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: October 12, 2018
This is the first COD to ship without a single-player campaign.
Instead, it focuses on various online multiplayer experiences, including a new battle royale mode called Blackout.
Zombies will also return, with co-operative play, while Treyarch also announced classic maps – such as Nuketown – will feature.
Single player was scrapped after stats revealed a tiny proportion of gamers played it – with most jumping straight into multiplayer.
Still, it seems such a shame. The beta lands on 3rd August.
Seriko: Shadows Die Twice
Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: March 22
Seriko: Shadows Die Twice is an exciting new story-driven RPG developed by FromSoftware, who have previously made Bloodborne and the Dark Souls games.
Set in 16th century Japan you play as a Ninja Shinobi who’s arm has been cut off by a clan of samurai.
After awakening you find yourself boasting a prosthetic arm chock full of gadgets and a katana.
The combat in the game is perhaps the best part, instead of lowering an enemies health you strike until you find an opening and finish an enemy off with one blow.
Fallout 76
Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: November 2018
Fallout 76 will be the biggest Fallout game ever made – and played online – much like RUST and DayZ.
It’s set before any of the other games in the Fallout timeline – a little more than 20 years after the bombs dropped.
You’ll play one of the first survivors of the Great War – which reduced the planet to an irradiated wasteland.
That being said, it’s going to be far more colourful than the previous games – with the trailer showing off plants and trees of all colours and types.
Bethesda’s Todd Howard says the game’s rendering engine has been given a major overhaul.
“We always start with the world,” he said at E3. “This time, it starts with new lighting, rendering and landscape technology.”
Ambitious? Check. Excited? You betcha!
Just Cause 4
Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: December 1, 2018
Another game Avalanche is working on promises to be one of the most fun shooters ever created.
Just Cause 4 adds extreme weather, including blizzards, tornadoes, lightning and sandstorms.
There are a load of new vehicles, too – including wrecking balls and car transporters.
Oh, and the handy grapple has been upgraded to allow for some spectacular moments.
New footage from Gamescom has revealed some crazy tornado chasing scenes.
Yoshi
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Release date:TBC 2019
Another big release from Nintendo will see the return of egg-gobbling dino, Yoshi.
Here, you’ll guide Mario’s trusty sidekick through a load of different worlds – all brought to life via a paper-craft style.
Two-player co-op has also been confirmed.
Don’t let its childish looks fool you – this will be far tougher than it looks.
Days Gone
Platform: PS4
Release date:February 22, 2019
There may be a host of zombie games around right now, but this PS4 exclusive should be a dead cert for your collection.
You play Deacon who has the unenviable task of trying to survive in a world overrun by ‘Freakers’ – infected humans who have gone feral.
The incredible thing about this gem is just how many zombies appear on the screen at once.
It’s developed by the team behind the brilliant Syphon Filter games – so expect plenty of action and a well-paced narrative.
Sadly it’s been pushed back to 2019… hopefully, it’s worth the wait.
Metro Exodus
Platform(s): Xbox One, PS4, PC
Release date: February 22, 2019
Metro Exodus is the third instalment in the popular first-person shooter series.
Set in the post-apocalyptic wasteland of the former Russian Federation, you must battle to survive mutated creatures and psychopathic humans.
While the last games were quite linear, Exodus promises to be a lot more open world.
Plus, there’s a dynamic weather system and a day/night cycle to help add a new challenge to the combat.
Deadly dogs and wolf-like creatures roam the woods – while you’re encouraged to explore game worlds in search of useful gear.
Perhaps our favourite feature is that the environments change depending on what season it is.
The Division 2
Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: March, 15 2019
One of Ubisoft’s most exciting announcements was the return of The Division.
Taking place in Washington, The Division 2 focuses on a civil war between survivors and villainous bands of marauders.
Like the last game, it’ll be played from a third-person perspective, with players (offline / online) having to work together to complete objectives.
It’s far more colourful than the snow-covered original, which we think really helps.
Halo Infinite
Platform(s): Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2019
“With Halo Infinite we will join Master Chief on his greatest adventure yet to save humanity,” head of Xbox Phil Spencer said after the initial trailer was revealed at Microsoft’s E3 event.
The game will be powered by the “Slipspace Engine,” a new engine for the game series, which works across Microsoft Windows and Xbox.
“The team also heard feedback loud and clear on the amount of time spent playing as the Master Chief in Halo 5,” developer 343 Studios said in a blog post.
“In Halo Infinite, the game will focus on the Master Chief and continue his saga after the events of Halo 5.”
Want to see more? Read more details about Halo Infinite here.
Devil May Cry 5
Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: Spring 2019
At long last DM5 made its E3 debut – and stars Nero, the main character from the last game.
As expected, gameplay looks smooth and stylish, coming “complete with its signature blend of high-octane stylized action and otherworldly and original characters the series is known for,” according to a press release.
However, there are rumours that the game will have some sort of Playstation exclusivity which is bad news for Microsoft fans.
It’s set for a spring 2019 release.
Cyberpunk 2077
Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2019
Read more about Cyberpunk 2077 here.
Doom Eternal
Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2019
Bethesda had an amazing E3 showcase and Doom Eternal was one of the highlights.
The 2016 reboot took combat back to its basics – locking you in a room with a load of demons, and not letting you escape until they were all killed.
The trailer suggested play areas may be less linear – although developer ‘id’ won’t want to stray too far away from what made the last game such a killer hit.
Expect plenty of blood and some seriously creative melee combat.
Gears of War 5
Platform(s): Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2019
One of the big announcements from Microsoft – although not surprising – was Gears 5.
This time, Marcus Phoenix et al. take a back seat and the main character is Kait Diaz, the daughter of Reyna Diaz, who was an Outsider of Locust descent.
In Gears 5, you’ll be able to travel across various terrains – from glaciers, deserts and sunken ruins.
To help build out the universe, there’s a turn-based strategy called Gears Tactics that’s inbound for PC, while mobile users will get a mobile game called Gears Pop.
Interesting.
Elder Scrolls 6
Platform(s): Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2019
Bethesda brought the roof down when they revealed a new Elder Scrolls game was inbound.
There’s next to nothing apart from a vague trailer to go on, but expect to see a few more details emerge from Gamescom in August.
A winter 2019 at this point seems likely.
Beyond Good and Evil 2
Platform(s): PC, PS4, Xbox One
Release date: TBC 2019
Jade, the star of the original game , will once again take on the lead role here.
You’ll start the game at the ‘very bottom of the social system’ – rising through the ranks from pirate to a legendary captain, leading ships into huge battles.
Much like the 2003 original, gameplay will be a mixture of action and adventure – with puzzle solving and stealth-based elements.
Ubisoft said they’re partnering with HitRECord, a company run by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, to let fans directly contribute “music and visuals” to the development of the game.
Rage 2
Platform(s): PC, PS4, Xbox One
Release date: June 2019
Rage 2 is not your average corridor first-person shooter. Far from it, in fact.
ID Software, best known for their brilliant FPS Doom, have teamed up with Avalanche – the developer behind the eccentric, open-world Just Cause series.
The result is exactly what you’d expect – a vast world, that’s free to explore, backed up with ID’s tight, frenetic and fast-paced shooting mechanics.
So, what makes Rage 2 such a blast?
As well as host of guns, from shotguns to assault rifles and machine guns, there are a handful of abilities that help keep the action feeling fresh.
These range from being able to ‘force push’ enemies out of the way or rush them down with a superhuman dash.
Our favourite, ‘Overdrive’, acts much like Doom’s Quad-Damage perk, causing devastation to anyone nearby.
There’s also the Wingstick – which, when thrown correctly, can instantly decapitate a foe.
Should it make decent-enough contact, it’ll stick to them, spin around menacingly, before exploding – reducing an enemy to small, crimson chunks.
Thankfully, enemy AI is up to the task – and will regularly suss you out if you keep attacking the same way.
There’s a clear emphasis on pushing forward, much like Doom, but in Rage 2, you’re not punished for taking your time and planning your attack – largely helped by clever, multi-tiered level design.
Crackdown 3
Platform(s): Xbox One, PC
Release date:February 2019
The third instalment of the popular Crackdown series was meant to be an Xbox One X launch title – but has been delayed yet again to February next year.
Gameplay sees you play as a cop tasked with ‘cracking down’ on the city’s growing crime problem.
Microsoft has promised the environments will be fully destructible, thanks to cloud computing technology. Don’t get too excited, though.
The game relies on Microsoft Azure for all the mayhem – so mass destruction will only be available in multiplayer – not in the single-player campaign.
Death Stranding
Platform(s): PS4
Release date: TBC 2019
Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima is keeping his cards very close to his chest with regard to Death Stranding.
Even though we were finally treated to some gameplay, it’s very hard to get a a gauge about what to expect.
All we know right now is that is stars the Walking Dead’s Norman Reedus and Hannibal’s Mads Mikkelsen.
Oh, and that it looks absolutely amazing. Don’t worry – Kojima assured fans it’s coming to PS4 – not PS5.
The Last of Us: Part 2
Platform: PS4
Release date: TBC 2019
Yet another massive PS4 exclusive – and one that seems to have taken an age to materialise.
Fans were finally treated to some gameplay – which was every bit as brutal as we expected.
There’s no release date as yet, but expect more to news to drop at Gamescom.
Bayonetta 3
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Release date:TBC 2018
The witch is back in the latest action shooter from PlatinumGames.
Weird, sexy and with hyper-stylised gameplay, Bayonetta 3 will build on what made the last two games hits.
There’s no firm release date as yet, so be sure to check out the original and brilliant sequel, which both arrived on Switch earlier this year.
Anthem
Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2019
Another game to be pushed back to next year.
This stunning sci-fi open-world RPG sees you and three friends work as ‘Freelancers’ – warriors tasked with exploring dangerous new worlds.
Graphically, it’s one of the most impressive games we’ve ever seen.
To make things more interesting, developers Bioware has added massive world-altering occurrences – including ferocious storms.