We’re nearly five years into the PS4’s life cycle, which means it’s going to be all about the games at E3 2018. It’s possible some of kind of big tech or hardware may be teased, but it’s far more likely that Sony will wait on those types of announcements in favor of details for its latest games.
Here are some of the biggest PS4 games we’re assuming are going to be at this year’s E3. We hope most of them are playable, but even if some only show up as a trailer, it’s another chance to hear more about these games. You’ll notice that many of these titles have been announced, but also included are titles we’re guessing based on the list of companies on E3’s official homepage.
The first glimpse we’ll have at many of these games will be during the pre-E3 press conferences. To make sure you’re aware of the schedule as well as the location for our E3 livestreams, we have a hub rounding up all of that info for your convenience.
The following games are only a few of all the exciting titles that will come out of E3. Aside from what you see here, be sure to check out our editor’s picks for the games we’re most anticipating. What games do you hope to learn more about at the show? Let us know in the comments below!
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is the latest in Namco Bandai’s arcade jet-fighting franchise, and as the first numbered series entry in over a decade, it marks a return to the series’ roots in military and political melodrama. The lead writer from beloved entries Ace Combat 4 and 5, Sunao Katabuchi, is back for Skies of Liberation, which is a very good sign.
Ace Combat 7 was first revealed at PlayStation Experience in 2015, and we’ve seen a little bit about its story, had a brief hands-on with its campaign demo, and heard a lot about its VR mode. It’s a beautiful-looking game, with a lot of new technological work going into its clouds. But after a delay last year, we just want to know when it’s coming out. Hopefully, Bandai Namco will tell us during E3 2018.
Anthem
BioWare is one of the most beloved developers in the industry. It’s best known for single-player RPGs, but with Anthem, it appears to be trying its hand at crafting a competitor to Destiny. That’s an intriguing prospect in its own right, although at this point BioWare and EA have shared very little about what we can actually expect.
Destiny appears to be the best comparison based on what we know, which is that you’re playing in a shared world as a “freelancer” wearing an exosuit. One thing BioWare has offered reassurances about is that multiplayer is optional. It promises “you can choose to play through the story with only your friends, or even on your own.” Games have often struggled with making the story in a multiplayer game feel like you are truly the central character, but BioWare is “taking this problem head-on and structuring the entire game design to provide a specific solution for this.”
Again, that’s extremely vague, but BioWare is at least saying the right things. EA Play should provide us with a much better sense of how the studio is blending open-world action and third-person shooter gameplay, as well as whether it can avoid the pratfalls that have held Destiny back. Anthem is due out early in 2019.
The Avengers Project
We don’t know much about the upcoming Avengers Project, but there are plenty of reasons to be excited about this mysterious collaboration between Marvel and publisher Square Enix. With a terrific-looking Spider-Man game coming up soon and back-to-back blockbuster entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, anything even tangentially related to the Avengers sounds like a sure bet.
And Crystal Dynamics in particular has been earned plenty of good will. After the very good Tomb Raider, then the even better Rise of the Tomb Raider, it’s exciting to imagine what might come about from the combination of Crystal Dynamics’ development cachet and the Avengers’ effortless mix of humor and blockbuster action.
The website for the Avengers Project says it will have a “completely original story,” but it’d be great if there was some kind of crossover with the movies, especially in this post-Infinity War world. Maybe the game could offer a glimpse into stories that’d be too far-reaching for a three-hour movie to tackle.
Battlefield V
We now have a ton of information around the next Battlefield game set in WWII. Although we haven’t been able to play yet in order to confirm what was shown in the first reveal trailer, we have an extensive breakdown of what we know so far. Battlefield V introduces a large number of new mechanics that drive squads together and get them playing objectives. This includes the idea of ammo scarcity, the ability to build and fortify objectives, the ability to tow weapons with vehicles, and a new squad commander radio in order to call in powerful attacks. The campaign will focus on more personal stories from WWII, and some locations already shown are the mountains of Norway, French Countryside, and North Africa. The game will also have a co-op campaign with randomly generated elements called Combined Arms.
Battlefield V will launch for everyone on October 19 and will not have a premium pass. New content is planned to roll out on a regular schedule through the Tides of War live service starting in November. Players will be able to participate in timed events and challenges to unlock a large variety of customization for their soldiers not seen in previous Battlefield games, including individual items of clothing. We should get our first hands-on at E3.
Beyond Good and Evil 2
Beyond Good and Evil 2 is the long-awaited successor to the 2003 original by acclaimed developer Michel Ancel. Revealed at Ubisoft’s E3 2017 press conference, the game was long believed to never come out after having been stuck in development for since as early as 2007. The game takes place several generations prior to the events of the first game. You play as a space pirate of who starts the game at the bottom of the world’s social ladder.
Unlike the original, Beyond Good and Evil 2 plays more as a traditional RPG where you complete activities and increase your stats. As you progress, you assemble a crew, explore various planets, and create your own society of like-minded pirates. The game also features multiplayer elements, though not much has been revealed about how it’ll work.
Unlike recent games in its catalog, Ubisoft has been focused on involving people in Beyond Good and Evil 2’s development via the Space Monkey Program, a community forum where people can contribute ideas and offer feedback to developers. While Beyond Good and Evil 2 only entered active development only just before its reveal at E3 2017, we’re hoping that Ancel will offer another look at how the game is shaping up at this year’s big show.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
Renowned Castlevania developer Koji Igarashi is almost ready to launch his first project after striking out from Konami, and if you’re familiar with his past, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. This side-scrolling action game is set in an anime-tinged gothic world built on top of a sprawling map, with plenty of puzzles, boss battles, and upgrades to uncover.
Originally pitched on Kickstarter back in 2015 (a campaign that was fully funded in a single day), Bloodstained is currently set to launch on Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC sometime in 2018. Igarashi and his co-developers from Inti Creates might as well take advantage of E3 to keep spreading the word, but a recent surprise announcement has already captured the attention of fans of old-school side-scrollers. A few weeks before E3, an original 8-bit Castlevania-esque game was given to backers and put up on most digital storefronts for about $10.
Anyone interested in Bloodstained’s ongoing development can follow the latest announcements over at the game’s Kickstarter page. Be sure to keep an eye on the date next to the posts! Igarashi and co pulled a fast one when they announced that Bloodstained would passively mine digital currencies. Thankfully, this one was just an April fool’s joke.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
As part of the Black Ops 4’s big announcement event in May, we learned that this year’s entry in the juggernaut shooter series does not have a traditional campaign. In lieu of that, the game will offer an assortment of solo missions that revolve around each of the game’s Specialist characters. Activision says these missions–which are set between Black Ops 2 and 3–will deliver the franchise’s iconic set-piece moments, while also diving into some backstory.
In another first for the series, Black Ops 4 will offer a Battle Royale-type mode called Blackout where players will fight to the death to become the last person or squad standing. We don’t know all the details yet, but Activision is promising to do battle royale “the Black Ops way,” and we’re likely to hear more about that soon. Traditional head-to-head multiplayer is also back, along with an all-new Zombies experience. Developer Treyarch created the fan-favourite mode, and this year it looks bigger and better than ever with three distinct maps offering experiences that pull from wildly different things like the ill-fated Titanic and Roman battle arenas. Black Ops 4 launches on October 12 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC (through Battle.net).
Code Vein
Yes, the Dark Souls comparison for any game that vaguely resembles the series might be a little tired, but Code Vein is most certainly in the vein of the iconic, brutal third-person action-RPG games. From early gameplay footage it seems that Bandai Namco (which also publishes the Souls franchise) is using the same foundation beat for beat in Code Vein, and we see that as a good thing. Terrifying beasts that deal heavy damage occupy the open world, but at least you’ll have a set of supernatural abilities in addition to hulking swords and spears. A key difference here is the anime-inspired art style for character designs and post-apocalyptic setting with a vampiric theme that offers its own distinct flavor.
Code Vein is set to release sometime in 2018, and we expect Bandai Namco to feature the game at E3 this year. Bandai Namco has been trickling out new screenshots and teasing story elements throughout the year, so we have our fingers crossed for a release date announcement.
Cyberpunk 2077
It seems like CD Projekt Red has been working on this game forever. First announced in 2012, Cyberpunk 2077 is the developer’s next major game after The Witcher 3–which means it has some big shoes to fill. It, too, is a massive open-world RPG, but this one is set in the future, just like Cyberpunk 2020, the tabletop game it’s based on. The game takes place in Night City, California, a fictional metropolis between San Francisco and Los Angeles.
The developer has been fairly tight-lipped about Cyberpunk 2077 since the initial announcement, but we do know it’s aiming to be even bigger in scope than The Witcher 3 and will support some kind of multiplayer component. But CD Projekt Red has been clear that fans of Witcher-style solo campaigns don’t need to worry–it will still feature a meaty single-player experience. CD Projekt Red is confirmed as an E3 2018 attendee, so we hope to learn more soon.
Days Gone
We first learned about Days Gone during Sony’s press conference at E3 2016. The publisher showed an announce trailer and a gameplay demo that revealed a somber game about a biker trying to make his way in a post-apocalyptic Pacific Northwest. You play as Deacon St. John, a bounty hunter traveling through a broken world that’s infested with zombie-like creatures called Freakers.
What caused the apocalypse is a mystery, as is much of the game’s plot. But we’ve seen plenty of the enemies, which sure do look like zombies, despite developer Bend Studios swearing up and down that they’re not. These creatures lust for blood and have a tendency to group together in fast-moving hordes, just like the zombies in World War Z.
Though it was originally set to release in 2018, Sony announced in March that Days Gone would be delayed until 2019. That’s where we stand now, but we hope to see more of the game at E3 2018.
Death Stranding
Hideo Kojima is in a class of his own when it comes to making you want something you know next to nothing about. Ever since the debut of Death Stranding at E3 2016, the year following his very public post-Metal Gear Solid V departure from Konami, we’ve been trying to understand what exactly is going on with Norman Reedus and the enigmatic and near-lifeless world where the laws of time and space are in flux. So far we’ve seen only three incredibly cryptic trailers that showcase some amazing visuals, but they have left us even more confused.
According to Kojima, his upcoming game–published by Sony and running on the same engine as Horizon: Zero Dawn–is an open-world action game with online elements. Other than that, we have next to no clue regarding how it will play. What we do know is that Norman Reedus plays a character named Sam who’s exploring a world where the very rain–known as Timefall–will cause people to rapidly age upon exposure. Oh yeah, and there’s a baby in a high-tech container, and Mads Mikkelsen–who can control a group of skeleton soldiers wielding weapons from World War II–may or may not be the villain. It’s really bizarre stuff, yet all of it is strangely alluring.
It was recently confirmed that Death Stranding will be one of the four major titles to be presented at Sony’s E3 2018 press conference, and Kojima himself has even been sharing some teases of the game on social media. We’ll likely see some actual gameplay of Death Stranding this time around, and we’ll probably be just as confused as before. And that’s OK. The three trailers have left a spellbinding effect on the audience, and we’re looking forward to Kojima sharing some even more ridiculous and grotesque footage with everyone.
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
Will the eleventh core entry in the Dragon Quest saga finally be the one to break through to mainstream western success? The last major DQ game was back in 2010–Sentinels of the Starry Skies on the Nintendo DS–and Nintendo’s 3DS handhelds have gotten reissues of the earlier entries in the series since. But outside of the offshoot Dragon Quest Heroes games, this’ll be the first entry on home consoles since the PS2 era and the first time the series will be available on PC (in the West) ever.
The alliterative title illustrates Dragon Quest’s playful nature, and the colorful enemies and turn-based combat are mainstays of the series. But longtime fans know that Dragon Quest’s charm comes from its endearing stories and puns that rival Monster Hunter’s loquacious wordplay. And the possibility of yet another great game on Switch makes the wait for DQ11 all the more difficult.
The Division 2
2016’s The Division got off to a hot start, but it quickly fell off the map due to lingering issues and other problems that pushed players to different games. To its credit, Ubisoft kept updating The Division to make it better, releasing more content to keep existing players pleased. Many would agree that the game eventually got to a better place. But for many others, that ship had sailed. With The Division 2, which is in the works at the same developer–Massive Entertainment–fans will be hoping for a better-realised, more fully fleshed out multiplayer shooter experience. The first game did many things well, from its intuitive co-op and matchmaking, to its tense and thrilling Dark Zone. It was set in a post-disaster Manhattan and offered a faithfully recreated version of the iconic city. We don’t know yet if The Division 2 will also be set in Manhattan or what other advancements it may make, but it’s definitely one of our most anticipated games.
Just Cause 4
Just Cause 4 has yet to be revealed, but its name did show up in a recent Walmart leak. The same was true of Rage 2, which has already proven to be real and lends some credence to the possibility that Just Cause 4 exists. With a movie happening (with Aquaman/Khal Drogo himself, Jason Momoa, set to star), it’s not hard to imagine there being plans for a game to go along with it.
Series developer Avalanche Studios has been fairly quiet since the release of its big 2015 open-world games, Just Cause 3 and Mad Max. Just where it could go with a potential Just Cause 4 is unclear, but we do know multiplayer mods for the last two entries have proven popular, and that multiplayer is something Avalanche has discussed. With GTA Online proving to be such a success for Rockstar, some kind of way to play Just Cause with friends would make for an exciting reveal.
Final Fantasy VII Remake
Since it was announced in 2015, the most notable headline regarding the Final Fantasy VII Remake was that Square Enix’s partner studio on the project, Cyberconnect2 (.Hack, Asura’s Wrath, Naruto Shippuden) would be relegated to the sidelines. This shift was the result of a decision to make the remake a multi-game project in order to avoid making cuts to the original story. The current aim is to make each game roughly the same size as Final Fantasy XIII.
The best look we’ve had at the game thus far was the PSX 2015 trailer, which landed a mere few months after the game’s announcement. In that two-minute-plus trailer, we got a look at the opening scene where Cloud, Barret, Biggs, and Wedge infiltrate an energy plant, as well as a glimpse at the real-time combat system. By all appearances, Final Fantasy VII Remake will play a bit like Final Fantasy XV, but it’s difficult to say without hands-on experience, and there’s no telling what’s changed since Cyberconnect2 handed over key development to Square-Enix. Hopefully, if we end up seeing Final Fantasy VII Remake at E3, we will have more definitive answers.
Ghost of Tsushima
Since Infamous: First Light released in 2014, the public has been kept in the dark as to what developer Sucker Punch Productions has been working on. Sony had confirmed in 2015 that the studio was working on a new game and that it was playable. We finally learned what it has in development at Paris Games Week 2017 when Sucker Punch Productions unveiled Ghost of Tsushima, an open-world samurai-themed action game.
Ghost of Tsushima is set on the island of Tsushima during the Mongol invasions of Japan in 1294. You play as a lone samurai turned vengeful assassin–likely fighting to drive out the Mongol army from Japan. The game appears to take you to numerous locales across Tsushima, which includes rural villages, bamboo forests, and wide-open fields. A brief instance at the end of the teaser showcased the ability to throw bombs and surprising enemies with a jumping attack from above.
Sony hasn’t said much about Ghost of Tsushima since its initial reveal trailer half a year ago. However, the company has confirmed that it’ll talk more about Ghost of Tsushima at its E3 2018 press conference.
Kingdom Hearts III
It’s important to remember that the original Kingdom Hearts came out in 2002. Back then, the absurd premise was initially laughed off as a too-weird-to-work idea, but upon playing it, players were introduced to an incredibly heartfelt and charming story that coupled the cheerfulness of classic Disney with some engaging action-RPG gameplay. While exploring several classic Disney worlds with Sora, Donald Duck, and Goofy, they’d battle some well-known Disney villains and discover the almighty power of friendship. As cheesy as that sounds, it all worked, and Kingdom Hearts is a game that stuck with many fans over the years.
Its direct-sequel was released in 2006, and while we’ve had a number of games that covered several side-stories and events with Sora and his friends, Kingdom Hearts III was officially announced at E3 2013. It’s been many years since we’ve seen Sora and crew in a mainline entry of the series, and their time away has shown us some remarkable growth. We recently had the chance to play some of Kingdom Hearts III, and we were surprised at how much the game has not only kept its charm, but its story and characters have gotten a bit better with age. With many of Kingdom Hearts’ most diehard fans growing into adulthood, Sora has grown up as well, showing a newfound level of maturity.
It’ll interesting to see how E3 2018 will turn out for Kingdom Hearts III. We’ll likely see more gameplay and the reveal of some upcoming worlds at the show, but there is one thing coming up that will excite fans even more. During a recent event, Kingdom Hearts’ director, Tetsuya Nomura, stated that the official release date will be revealed at the upcoming show. It’s been a long time coming for the next major game in the series, and it now looks like the end is in sight.
The Last of Us Part II
Naughty Dog’s follow-up to 2013’s The Last of Us may be one of the most highly anticipated games of E3 2018. The Last of Us Part II sees the return of Ellie and Joel, with Ellie as the main playable character. A brutal trailer unveiled at last year’s Paris Games Week didn’t show Joel or Ellie at all, though; it instead featured an unknown young woman who is tortured by a mysterious group of people, and it concluded with Infected rushing the scene.
We haven’t seen much of the game itself, but we do know some background details. The first game’s director, Bruce Straley, isn’t returning to direct the sequel. Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann has also stated that if the first game’s theme is love, the theme of Part II is hate–and that neither Joel nor Ellie is safe from harm.
Left Alive
Square Enix caught many people off-guard with the surprise announcement of Left Alive at Tokyo Game Show 2017, and while details remain scarce, an eye-catching trailer and list of notable developers was all it took to grab our attention.
Both the teaser trailer and gameplay trailer released at the show set the stage for a sci-fi epic with war as a central theme. With Metal Gear artist Yoji Shinkawa on board, it’s no surprise that Left Alive bears some resemblance to Hideo Kojima’s iconic stealth series. But don’t confuse it for a spiritual successor, as the brief glimpse of gameplay we’ve seen so far is solely focused on gunplay, and there’s another series known for examining the realities of war that’s confirmed to be the basis for Left Alive’s setting.
According to producer Shinji Hashimoto, a longtime Square Enix employee with a long list of beloved games under his belt, Left Alive is connected to Square Enix’s Front Mission series. The typical grid-based mechanics are out, obviously, but the series’ iconic Wanzer mechs are back. Chances are you will eventually get to pilot one (we hope) but in an interesting twist, we know for sure that at some point in the game you will have to face towering mechs as a soldier on the ground. The odds aren’t in your favor, but this is part of the appeal thus far: What will it take to come out on top? Hopefully, Square Enix intends to tell us at E3 2018.
Madden NFL 19
Madden Season may still be a few months off, but it’s never too early to get excited about the next instalment in EA Sports’ football series. Last year’s Madden 18 was generally great, praised for its advancements to gameplay and visuals along with its brand-new single-player mode, Longshot, featuring Oscar winner Mahershala Ali. The game’s Franchise mode lacked significant updates and improvements, so hopefully EA can give more attention to it with this year’s game. Another interesting wrinkle is that Madden’s creative director for the past half-decade, Rex Dickson, has left the company, teasing in his departure notice that some changes would be coming to the Madden formula this year.
Mega Man 11
For several years, it seemed Capcom wouldn’t be releasing any more new Mega Man games. Since the character creator Keiji Inafune’s departure from Capcom, little had been announced for the fan-favorite blue bomber. However, Capcom has since focused more on supporting Mega Man, having since released several collections of the character’s most iconic games on modern platforms. This ultimately paved way for the upcoming Mega Man 11, which was announced late last year to commemorate the character’s 30th anniversary.
Unlike past games, Mega Man 11 features 3D polygonal characters and environments. Aside from the new visual style, the game seems to play like classic games in the series. Since its reveal trailer, we’ve heard little about Mega Man 11. However, if there’s any time that Capcom should talk about the game, it’s E3. After all, the game is scheduled to release later this year, so we’re hoping to that Capcom goes into more detail about the blue bomber’s latest adventure.
Metro Exodus
Metro Exodus continues the legacy of the post-apocalyptic first-person shooter series from Ukrainian developer 4A Games. What makes Metro special is its foreboding atmosphere; the underground metro tunnels are home to the human race as the surface is far too hostile and radiated, and the setting truly evokes a sense of vulnerability and desperation. Exodus appears to be continuing this tradition by picking up two years after the events of Last Light’s “good” ending. However, it seems as though series protagonist Artyom is spending much more time on the surface as he flees the Metro system alongside fellow rangers to head eastward and start a new life.
But it wouldn’t be Metro without irradiated beasts roaming the surface, in and around the city streets that once harbored human life. The challenge has always been surviving radiation by scavenging for gas masks and conserving your limited ammo, all while managing the threat of the deformed creatures.
Although it was recently announced that Metro Exodus’ launch was delayed to early 2019, publisher Deep Silver is going to be present at E3 2018, so we expect to see a bit more of the game at the show. Exodus was first revealed during Microsoft’s Xbox press conference at E3 2017 and will also be launching for PS4.
NHL 19
Though it doesn’t get as much attention as EA’s other big-name sports franchises like FIFA and Madden, the company’s NHL series is still a hit each year. NHL 18 was a fantastic, genuine recreation of the sport, and with its 3v3 mode, it offered a simpler way for new players to pick up the game and learn the basics. Every year EA continues to surprise and impress with the incredible level of detail it pours into recreating hockey in a video game, and we expect this year’s entry to be no different. It’s likely that NHL 19 will be officially announced during EA’s briefing, and it should be out in September for home consoles.
Rage 2
Maybe it’s a coincidence, or maybe it’s impressive damage control on Bethesda’s part, but the recent reveal of Rage 2 and the release of two trailers came hot on the heels of the unusual leak from Walmart just weeks prior to E3.
So what has Bethesda shown thus far? A lot, surprisingly. The first trailer didn’t feature any gameplay, but set the stage for Rage 2’s new tone with a fun track by rocker Andrew W.K. and a lot of neon-tinted actors in punk-ish, post-apocalyptic armor rocking out. The gameplay trailer was obviously more revealing and gave us a glimpse into a dreary yet-oddly enticing wasteland. Compared to the original Rage, the sequel doesn’t seem to take itself too seriously, and will take advantage of that fact by giving you access to outlandish vehicles and weapons with which to battle twisted mutants and other deranged survivors.
All of this is set to take place in an open world. The gameplay seen thus far seems reminiscent of Destiny or Borderlands’ first-person action, but with Avalanche Studios behind the wheel it’s safe to say that Rage 2 will have a feel all its own. For a more reasonable example of what the team may do with the world, we can look to two of its previous projects: Just Cause 3 and Mad Max. It’s also been confirmed that id Software (Doom, Rage, Quake Champions) will co-develop Rage 2, hopefully to keep an eye on the shooting mechanics. We should find out a lot more during Bethesda’s E3 press conference on June 10.
Skull & Bones
Inspired by the best part of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag–the sailing–Skull & Bones is a standalone adventure on the high seas. While there will be a multiplayer treasure-hunting component, and you’ll also be able to challenge other pirates in their customized galleys, S&B will include a single-player campaign if you’d prefer to go it alone.
Ubisoft has revealed very few gameplay details so far, and there’s little chance that the game will even be released this year. But for anyone who might’ve gotten a taste for piracy in Sea of Thieves (or who really miss AC4), there are going to be a lot more looting adventures to learn about during E3.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Rockstar typically doesn’t have a big presence at E3; the company’s games are big enough to draw hype on all their own without the need to share the spotlight with other companies. But there’s always the chance that there’ll be a new trailer or feature announcement during someone’s stage show for Red Dead Redemption 2.
As many teases as we’ve seen around the game’s Western story, there are even more unexplored mysteries. What’s the gunplay like? What new features will the game introduce? And most importantly, how will multiplayer work? Don’t expect to get a full demo or even to see much gameplay, but another Red Dead tease is always possible.
Resident Evil 2 Remake
Resident Evil 2 Remake was confirmed in 2015, a year after a fan-made version was first shown off (Capcom even asked for feedback on the fan-made remake). The team behind the Resident Evil HD Remaster was confirmed to be tackling 2, but the last we heard from them was in April 2016, when producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi discussed the impact of Resident Evil 6 feedback on the remake project.
Two years later and the project remains veiled in secrecy. Heck, we still don’t know if the Resident Evil 2 Remake will retain the original’s camera angles or adopt the first-person perspective from Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. However, it’s likely that we’ll hear more about the game at this year’s E3. After all, 2018 marks Resident Evil 2’s 20th anniversary, which should be ample reason for the remake to finally release. We’re crossing our fingers for a release date at least.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider
Shadow of the Tomb Raider is the third entry in the Tomb Raider reboot series. Square Enix officially revealed the game was in development March 2018, though it was technically leaked last year when a Square Enix employee was spotted in a subway train working on a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation with the game’s name. While the game will be developed primarily by Eidos Montreal, it’s worth noting that original reboot developer Crystal Dynamics will provide additional development on the project.
You once again play as Lara Croft, who is on an expedition to Latin America in search of a Mayan relic. However, Trinity, a paramilitary organization who tried to hunt down Lara in the previous game, is also seeking the relic for its own gain. During the expedition, Lara sets off a Mayan apocalypse, which throws her down a journey to save the world.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider sports a few key additions to the series formula, which includes revamped swimming controls for underwater exploration as well as more sophisticated stealth and AI systems. The game is scheduled to release on September 14, but we’re hoping Square Enix intends to offer more details about the game at this year’s E3.
Shenmue III
During the same Sony press conference Final Fantasy VII Remake was announced, it was revealed that Shenmue III was in the works. Revered Sega developer Yu Suzuki would finally get the chance to close out the trilogy he planned decades ago. Sega had given Suzuki the greenlight; he just had to get the game funded independently. The first Shenmue was originally conceived for the Sega Saturn, but the series would ultimately debut on Sega’s next console, the Dreamcast, followed by a sequel which was also ported to the original Xbox. In other words, it’s been a long time since Shenmue II left fans hanging; 17 years, so far.
In the three years since the initiative was announced, Shenmue was funded in part by a controversial Kickstarter campaign and was picked up by publisher Deep Silver. Both Sony and Sega continue to support development, according to Suzuki. We don’t know when Shenmue 3 will ultimately be released, though it was recently announced that enhanced HD ports of the first two games will be released for PlayStation 4 in 2018.
While Suzuki and his various teams have released semi-regular updates on the game, the media released thus far has left some concerns in the minds of fans. But given that all footage is from early in development, it’s not surprising that it’s a little rough around the edges. If Sony has anything new to share, we should get a glimpse during its E3 2018 press conference on June 11.
Splinter Cell
Fans have been waiting for the better part of five years for a new Splinter Cell game. Ubisoft has not yet announced one, but CEO Yves Guillemot has made comments in the past year that certainly tease the possibility of a new entry. E3 might finally be when we see the game emerge.
If Ubisoft hoped to catch everyone off-guard with a Splinter Cell announcement, it hasn’t done the greatest job. The first big update of Ghost Recon Wildlands’ second year featured a Splinter Cell theme, complete with an appearance by Sam Fisher. In a key move, Ubisoft brought back Fisher voice actor Michael Ironside, who did not appear in the most recent game, Blacklist. It’s possible Ubisoft had plans for more than just a small cameo for Ironside, and his brief appearance is capped off with what could be the setup for a new game’s plot. Combined with the Walmart Canada leak, which correctly listed Rage 2 and also listed a game called “Splinter Cell,” maybe it’s really happening.
Star Wars | Respawn
Titanfall developer Respawn Entertainment is working on a new third-person Star Wars game that’s being directed by a of War III director Stig Asmussen. According to publisher EA (which owns Respawn as of last year), the game is an “all-new third-person action-adventure game set in the Star Wars universe.” That’s all we know about the game for certain, but it’s intriguing to think about what the team behind one of the most trailblazing shooters in recent years may do with such a big and beloved sci-fi license. Fans may be happy to know that Respawn boss Vince Zampella met with The Force Awakens director JJ Abrams to talk about their respective works; oh to be a fly on that wall. EA would do well to give an update on all of its upcoming Star Wars projects at E3 this year, so hopefully we will know more about Respawn’s game soon.
Star Wars Project | EA Vancouver
We actually know quite a bit about the Star Wars project that’s in development with EA Vancouver–at least, the history of what it was, thanks to a detailed Kotaku report. But it’s very likely that the single-player adventure game, codenamed “Ragtag” and formerly led by Uncharted director Amy Hennig, has gone the way of Star Wars 1313 and all but completely evaporated. In late 2017, the primary studio behind the Ragtag project, Visceral Games, was sadly closed. It had been working on this untitled Star Wars adventure since 2013, but the original game it set out to make has been effectively cancelled.
EA Vancouver has since taken over completely and will pivot the game to become a “broader experience” and one that will “deliver an experience players will want to come back to for a long time to come,” according to executive vice president of EA Worldwide Studios Patrick Söderlund.
SoulCalibur VI
The announcement at The Game Awards of SoulCalibur’s return was a big, awesome surprise. The weapons-based fighter was once a leading series, and the original was the game to have for every Sega Dreamcast owner. But the series was relegated to secondary status for years while Bandai Namco’s other franchises dominated the spotlight. With SoulCalibur VI, it’s getting a new lease on life that many would argue is justly deserved. It’s also got a few new tricks up its sleeve.
Following in the footsteps of other contemporary fighting games, the introduction of the Reversal Edge mechanic in SoulCalibur VI is designed to give players a more accessible and punishing means of fending off their opponent to turn the tide of battle. It’s the biggest addition to the SoulCalibur formula that we know of so far, but there’s one big surprise to look forward to: Geralt of Rivia is joining the cast.
There’s no word on a specific release date yet, but SoulCalibur VI is on the books for 2018, and that hopefully means we will get a bunch of new info during E3.
Spider-Man
Though Spider-Man has had a spotty history when it comes to video game adaptations, Sony’s upcoming exclusive looks to be one of the rare standouts. Developed by Insomniac Games–the creators of Spyro the Dragon, Ratchet and Clank, and Sunset Overdrive–the studio has paired its talents for open-world action and solid-platforming mechanics with the agility and finesse of Spider-Man’s moves. Fun and verticality are some of the key things to have in a good Spider-Man game, and those are on full display in the upcoming one. It truly looks like it will be a blast to play.
According to the developer, we’ve only seen a fraction of what you can expect to do in the game. It picks up with Spider-Man at the top of his crime-fighting game, and the wallcrawler will still have his work cut out for him when new villains start popping up in New York City. But when he isn’t battling multiple armed robbers and stopping super-powered bad guys, he’ll stop to take selfies with civilians and help the locals out with their errands. Though helping kids find their balloons doesn’t seem to be a thing in the game, Marvel’s Spider-Man looks to fulfill the fantasy of being web-slinger quite accurately.
Valkyria Chronicles 4
If you ever wanted an anime-esque tactical RPG in the modern era, you’ll want to dive into the Valkyria Chronicles series. It’s known for a unique blend of real-time controls within a turn-based strategy framework, but also for how it draws inspiration from World War II and European military history for its fiction. Valkyria Chronicles 4 continues the series’ story of the Second Europan War fought on the continent of Europa between Atlantic Federation and the Eastern Imperial Alliance, but it instead focuses on the smaller stories taking place throughout the conflict.
This will be the first mainline Valkyria Chronicles entry for major platforms since the first game, which released in 2008. Valkyria Chronicles 2 and 3 were exclusive to the PlayStation Portable, and the third game never came to North America. An action-RPG spinoff called Valkyria Revolution came out in 2016 but didn’t come close to filling that void. Needless to say, we’re hoping to see more from Sega about the localized version of Valkyria Chronicles 4 at E3 2018.
The game is already out in Japan for PS4 but is set to release in worldwide on October 16 for PS4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One.
Yakuza Kiwami 2
2018 is the year of Yakuza, and Kiwami 2 is going to be one of the key components for spreading the good word of Kazuma Kiryu. As a remake of the second entry, Yakuza Kiwami 2 will tell the story of how Kiryu’s friends in the Tojo Clan are on the brink of destruction due to a coup that took place within their Omi Alliance rivals. The sinister Ryuji Goda seizes control of the Omi, but that’s only scratching the surface of the gripping drama of Yakuza 2. A foreign mafia meddles in Japanese affairs, and uncovering the mystery as to why and how alongside the Osakan detective Kaoru Sayama becomes the game’s narrative focus.
Yakuza games wouldn’t be the same without everyone’s idol Goro Majima, and Kiwami 2 brings a brand-new campaign called The Truth of Goro Majima that delves deeper into the backstory of the beloved, eccentric character. You’ll learn of the events that occurred between the first two games and how Majima’s ridiculous journey led him to become a construction business tycoon in Yakuza 2.
Kiwami 2 released in Japan for PS4 back in December 2017, but it was recently announced for the West and is set for an August 28 launch. We hope to get our hands on this reimagination of one of Kiryu’s most wild rides, especially since it’s made with the Dragon engine which powered Yakuza 6: The Song of Life and brought Kamurocho to life like never before.
