1.DOOM Eternal
The sequel to id Software’s smash hit reboot DOOM, released in 2016, fans will be hoping for more of the same from DOOM Eternal. Set for release some time in 2019, the player will once again take on the mantle of the Doom Slayer, tasked with destroying the demonic forces from Hell who have come to take over the world. Pretty standard stuff for this series. We expect to see the DOOM series’ trademark enormous arsenal of explosive weapons and gear, with our ‘hero’ being even more kitted out than ever before this time around. A grappling hook-like attachment will be available to add to the Super Shotgun, giving you access to mobility options both in combat and in exploration. Mobility seems to be the order of the day with DOOM Eternal, as new abilities like wall-climbing are also set to be implemented. Of course, the much-loved ‘glory kill’ system will be returning to the series, as well as the iconic, noisy soundtrack so loved by fans.
Eternal will have twice the number of demon types as the 2016 game, throwing extra challenges in the face of unprepared players. A new ‘invasion’ mode will also be present, allowing players to attack other players’ campaign modes as demons in a Dark Souls-esque disruption technique. Players can enable and disable this as needed.
DOOM Eternal is highly anticipated as a sequel to one of the pleasant surprises of 2016, but the expectations of fans will be far higher. Let’s hope id Software can deliver.
2. Halo Infinite
Not much is known about Halo Infinite as of yet. Introduced at E3 2018, it showcased a brand new engine demo that got fans speculating. 343 Industries are developing the return of the Master Chief, and no one is certain what kind of game we should expect. Is it an open-world adventure, or something more akin to the rest of the Halo series? We’ll no doubt find out more closer to release, but one thing we do know: the game will look absolutely stunning. The new Slipspace engine gave us a glimpse at amazing landscapes, sweeping angles of a vast world, and a hilarious-looking shot of Master Chief’s helmet being held by his side that, at first glance, looks like his head is peeking sideways into the shot.
Despite how little we know about Halo Infinite, such a beloved franchise is always going to cause a stir, and this one is no exception.
3. Death Stranding
Speaking of games we have no idea about but are excited for regardless, here’s Death Stranding. Set to feature a superstar cast of actors including Mads Mikkelsen, Norman Reedus and Lea Seydoux, Death Stranding will be the first foray back into the industry for Hideo Kojima after his departure from Konami back in 2015. The famously enigmatic Kojima has said a number of things about the game that fans have been trying to piece together. What we know so far, boiled down is that Death Stranding will be an open world action game with multiplayer elements, and a thematic emphasis on life and death. When the protagonist dies, they are moved to a different world – an upside-down ‘world of the dead’ submerged in water, and any actions taken in the living world will be permanent.
Aside from this, very few details are known about how this game will actually play. This has frustrated and intrigued fans in equal measure, with some wondering if Kojima can live up to his own lofty expectations. Only time will tell. No one’s quite sure how much time either. Kojima has stated that Death Stranding will release before the 2020 Olympics, so there is a chance it will be sprung on us in 2019. Let’s hope it can do what Metal Gear did for gaming once again.
4. Kingdom Hearts 3
Fans have been waiting for a main entry into the Kingdom Hearts series since 2005, and in 2019 it will finally arrive. Starring Joe Keyblade (also known as Sora) along with a vast cast of Disney characters, Kingdom Hearts 3 has been on show for a fair while, causing hours of queues in conventions across the world filled with people wanting to feed their appetite for fantasy adventure mayhem. Well, the wait is almost over.
Set for release in Japan on January 25th and elsewhere on January 29th 2019, Sora will be joined by Donald Duck, Goofy and the gang as they go back to the roots of Kingdom Hearts with hack-and-slash gameplay and venture around the various worlds featured in Disney creations. An emphasis will be placed on newer films and stories; the worlds of Frozen and Tangled will join original stories from the Toy Story and Big Hero 6 universes. A huge cast of fully-voiced characters will feature, and it will be a relief for long-time fans of the series that Kingdom Hearts 3 will be bringing everything to the table that they expect.
5. Anthem
BioWare’s new action RPG will be released on February 22nd 2019. Since first being teased at E3 2014, the developers of the Mass Effect series will hope that this new IP is adored as much as its last effort. After the release of Mass Effect 3 in 2012, development began on this new game, and it looks like it’ll finally be ready to play next year. According to the developers, Anthem will continue to be updated and supported long after its release, with Patrick Söderlund claiming that Anthem’s launch will be ‘the start of maybe a 10 year journey for BioWare’.
With the release date pushed back from late 2018 to early 2019, gamers will hope that the delays have helped create a good gaming experience and a platform to push ahead from. On the gameplay reveal trailer, Anthem features loads of cool customisation features for each player to show off their sweet exo-suit with co-op partners, as well as different playstyles that can be used depending on your preferences, ranging from huge tanks to mobile fighters. We’ll see if Anthem can differentiate itself from other games with similar concepts, as open-world RPGs seem to be all over the place these days.
6. Metro Exodus
Metro Exodus is set to be released on the exact same day as Anthem: February 22nd 2019. A first-person shooter with stealth elements, Metro Exodus should be an experience that differs significantly from that of Anthem. The game will take place in a far more linear world, with levels interspersed with open sandbox sections. Set two years after the events of Metro: Last Light, the player will have to navigate an unkind post-apocalyptic world, journeying from Moscow to the far east of Russia.
Development began in 2014, and many are excited to travel the beautiful yet harsh landscapes over the year-long odyssey the story takes place in. A full day-night cycle and in-depth weapon customisation will add a variety of ways to play despite the linear gameplay, with different ways to accomplish each of your goals. It should be a delight to play – keep your eyes peeled.
7. Days Gone
2019 looks to be a year of post-apocalyptic game releases. Days Gone will feature an apocalypse of the zombie variety, a couple of years after a global pandemic wiped out all of human society. These zombies, or ‘freakers’, are fast-evolving creatures that take both human and animal forms, and the gameplay will largely revolve around surviving in a world that’s constantly trying to kill you. There should be several ways to accomplish your goals, from using stealth to avoid the freakers and humans who wish to harm you to blowing up everything in sight. As you play as a bounty hunter who’s always on the road, many have compared this to the recently released Red Dead Redemption 2, but Days Gone appears to have enough differences in setting and feel to set it apart. Fans of zombie games who want to overcome cruel environments will be looking to pick this one up on April 26th 2019.
8. Psychonauts 2
Tim Schafer’s cult classic Psychonauts will finally have a sequel. After years of stalling due to lack of funds, Double Fine Productions are releasing Psychonauts 2 in 2019. The player character is once again Raz, who has now graduated as a Psychonaut, exploring the mental worlds of characters, much like in the original. The gameplay is 3D platforming again, so some are worried that this style of game won’t translate well in the modern day. In this age of open worlds and grand scale, standard platforming is seen by some as a step backwards. Still though, it is possible to make this kind of gameplay work, as seen with the recent success of the remastered Spyro trilogy. Also, with the creative genius of Schafer behind this game, it’s hard to see it going badly. Fans of the original will absolutely love it I’m sure, and hopefully it can appeal to new audiences too with its intriguing way of telling its story.
Also, according to Tim Schafer, Raz will learn what a ‘girlfriend’ really means, which should be… interesting.
9. Cyberpunk 2077
From CD Projekt Red, creators of the critically adored Witcher series, comes something very different. The scale of this game appears to be even larger than that of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, and the setting is obvious from the title. It is an adaptation of the tabletop game Cyberpunk 2020, set in a fictional city in California, and played from a first-person viewpoint. Designer Miles Toast claimed in an interview that there will not be content designed just to pad out the runtime, which is a common worry for fans of open-world games and a frequent issue that games in this genre have had. A completely customisable player character and enormous world to explore are the order of the day, with mouth-watering aesthetics that will be the envy of rival game studios.
The developers also say that interest in Cyberpunk 2077 is even more anticipated than the final Witcher game, so expect a huge amount of attention and scrutiny when this game does come out (release date: ‘when it’s ready’).
10. Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes
Finally, something completely different. No More Heroes was a hack-and-slash Wii game that, whilst not the most polished thing on the market, was praised widely for its beautiful artwork, engaging gameplay, and wacky, quirky story. That was in 2007. Coming on January 19th 2019, Suda51 and Grasshopper Manufacture are back. Protagonist Travis Touchdown returns with his ‘beam katana’ (kind of like a lightsaber that doesn’t cauterise the wound) and must fight more of his fellow assassins to the death. The father of Bad Girl, an assassin Travis killed in the past, is sucked into a video game console with Travis, and they must fight through various video games inside the console.
Sounds ridiculous, huh? Well, that’s Grasshopper for you. This top-down action adventure will be out for the Switch next year, so here’s hoping for a killer game.
What games are you looking forward to in 2019? Leave us a comment!