With 2017 just a few weeks away, it’s time to look ahead to the games set for release in the new year.
There’s plenty to be excited for, across major AAA titles to crowd-sourced indie-releases. Whether you’re excited to see reboots of long-running series, original concepts, or long-awaited sequels, 2017 looks set to have something for everyone.
Let’s take a look at 15 of the most exciting games heading our way …
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
We’re really excited to see how this turns out when it’s released next year. What we’ve seen and played so far is damn impressive, giving the Resident Evil series a much-needed kick up the butt.
First-person gameplay, no QTE’s, a claustrophobic atmosphere, and VR-compatibility – it might just save the franchise and make us remember why we fell in love with it in the first place.
Injustice 2
The first Injustice was a great fighting game, using heroes and villains from the DC universe brilliantly.
A sequel’s finally heading our way next year, and it should provide more of the same with some interesting new twists. The Gear System lets characters upgrade, using bits and pieces looted from battles.
We’ll also get to fight as Gorilla Grodd, Supergirl, Blue Beetle, and Deadshot, as well as many others.
Mass Effect: Andromeda
Mass Effect: Andromeda takes the series into a whole new galaxy, with a new ship, a new group of characters, and new enemies.
We’ll also get to explore planets in an all-new open-world style. This will be a completely different experience, but with the same quality we’ve come to expect from BioWare.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Breath of the Wild looks like a classic in the marking, bringing a new open-world structure and a more ‘realistic’ approach to the iconic franchise. Link can climb, cook food, and go snowboarding on his shield, making this look and feel like a big change to previous Zelda games.
The gameplay footage released so far looks stunning, so there’s plenty to look forward to.
Shenmue III
After years of speculation, fans were ready for Shenmue 3 when it reached Kickstarter. After just eight hours, the game hit its target of $2m.
Considering how far ahead of their time the previous games were, Shenmue III’s got a lot of expectation riding on it. However, there’s no reason to think this will be anything less than amazing – fingers crossed!
Vampyr
After the unique Life is Strange, developers Dontnod are bringing a dark, mysterious game to the market in 2017.
Vampyr is set in 1918, as London is struck down by a flu pandemic. You’ll play as a doctor who also happens to be a vampire, a condition he’s struggling to come to terms with. London will be free to explore, and you’ll get to choose whether or not you kill people to feed on their blood.
It’s a fascinating concept for a game, and could be one of the most original titles on the market when it’s launched next year.
Horizon Zero Dawn
Horizon Zero Dawn takes place in a futuristic world ruled by machines. Players take on the role of Aloy, a hunter with a knack for archery and stealth.
This looks absolutely gorgeous, and exploring the open environments should be a lot of fun. You’ll also get to meet various tribes, adding all kinds of depth and texture to the game’s world.
God of War
This new God of War is a soft reboot, shifting the series into Norse mythology after spending so much time in Greece.
Bizarrely, though, you’ll still play as Kratos, who’s now lumbered with a young son. He’s also packing a trendy beard, too (Kratos, not the kid).
Another big change is the over-the-shoulder perspective, which shows the incredible new visuals and will no doubt be more comfortable than some of those fixed angles in previous games.
Having a new helper should bring a great new dynamic to the action, and the son will probably be back in future instalments – maybe replacing Kratos himself?
Tekken 7: Fated Retribution
Tekken’s one of the most beloved fighting-game series ever, and fans are looking forward to bringing the seventh numbered instalment home next year. This introduces Rage Art, a mechanic allowing fighters to unleash more powerful attacks, while Power Crush gives you the ability to carry on attacking enemies while still taking damage from their hits yourself.
Other systems and mechanics have been added, while the usual game modes return. Story-wise, we’re told this will be the end of the Mishima family’s plot, while Akuma from the Street Fighter universe will show up too.
Red Dead Redemption 2
After much speculation, Red Dead Redemption 2 was finally announced a few weeks back. The first game remains an absolute masterpiece, giving us the Western we’ve always wanted to play – but will the sequel be better?
It’s possible. We don’t know a huge amount about this yet, but it’s sure to expand on the original, making the West feel even more real and immersive. We hope to see some customisation options, a deeper job-system, and a refined duelling mode.
Star Wars Battlefront 2
Information’s thin on the ground for Star Wars Battlefront 2, but we’ve been told it’ll come with new material from the movies … which would probably go without saying!
Still, it’s likely that EA will use this to rectify some of the mistakes they made with the first game. Hopefully, they’ve paid attention to players’ critiques regarding more single-player content and playable characters, and expand on the game’s good parts.
We imagine there will be some Rogue One characters showing up, and hopefully Rey, Poe, Kylo Ren, and other newbies will be available to play as too.
Persona 5
The Persona series has always been one of the most distinctive RPG experiences on the market, and the new game’s Japanese version has received great reviews.
A Western release is coming in spring, so those of us who didn’t buy it on import can dive into the adventures of the latest arrival at Shujin High School. You’ll get to enjoy the usual RPG and social aspects of living at a school and having a job, all against a supernatural backdrop.
South Park: The Fractured But Whole
Another South Park game in the vein of The Stick of Truth, the cheekily-titled Fractured But Whole is a superhero romp starring everyone’s favourite foul-mouthed kids.
This borrows elements from such in-fighting arcs as Civil War, with characters splitting into two groups. The first game was a success, capturing the series’ humour nicely, so hopefully this will give us more of the same.
For Honor
This stunning hack-and-slash game throws three awesome historical groups together into one adventure: knights, samurai, and Vikings.
Already pre-ordered your copy? We’re not surprised. An action game based around any of these would be appealing enough … but ALL of them?!
Hopefully, For Honor’s gameplay will actually live up to its concept. It all looks good so far, and it’ll hit the market in a couple of months anyway.
Cuphead
Cuphead looks like it could be one of the most original games ever made. This is designed to resemble cartoons from the 1930s, with all the creepy big-eyed characters you’d expect. This is a series of boss battles, which may end up being a record-breaker for its high number of head honchos.
You’ll never have played a run and gun game like Cuphead, and while the promised ‘retro’ difficulty level might be divisive, this is definitely one to watch out for.
What games are you most excited to play in 2017? Let us know!
