[Editor’s Note: This was written before the release of Kingdom Hearts III.]
Kingdom Hearts III
The game that has been fourteen years in the making is finally here! I, for one, have never played a single game in the series, but almost everyone else on our staff is eagerly anticipating this game and is all they can currently talk about! It is also one of the first big releases of the year as it drops at the end of this month. This is one game that is going to be an early Game of The Year contender even if it ends up as a bit of a disappointment after such a long wait. Luckily, the game will be released around twenty times if you miss the initial release.
Crackdown 3
Now, on to a game that has been at least five years in development. While originally slated for a 2016 release, the game saw a series of delays and many thought it would go the way of Scalebound at points. Most gamers are worried that the game will be a hot mess after all the delays, but I think the developers just needed time to make sure the crowd-powered mass-scale destruction would meet the lofty expectations they set out during the reveal. Also, Microsoft could really use a win that isn’t related to Forza, Gears of War, and Halo.
Metro Exodus
The third installment in the criminally underrated Metrovideo game series based on the Dmitry Glukhovsky novels of the same name. While this is another game that took five years to develop, it was only just revealed last year and is primed to propel the Metroseries into mainstream gaming. The game looks absolutely stunning and could be a dark horse for GotY, especially with any stumbles from the early front runners.
Devil May Cry 5
This is hotly anticipated not only for it being a beloved franchise, but also because gamers do not really know what to expect from this game. DmC: Devil May Cryleft the fans of the franchise divided, if not leaning towards more of the negative side of the spectrum. If it is not already obvious, I am a big fan of the hack-and-slash genre and was actually a fan of the aforementioned DmC: Devil May Cry, so this has me personally stoked at the very least.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
This will be FromSoftware’s first non-SoulsBourne game since 2013, not counting VR games, and their first new IP since Bloodbornein 2015. The development team is taking a huge risk here and yet their track records shows it is likely going to pay off in a big way. They are also helped by being far enough away from the February releases that gamers will have time to focus on it on release.
Rage 2
Keeping with risky releases in 2019, Bethesda is releasing the sequel to Ragenine years after the original. Not only do they have to release a good follow up to an obscure 2010 game that was first released on mobile, this will be their first game since the release of Fallout 76. This HAS to be a home run and we have faith that Bethesda can still create fantastic single-player experiences, so here we are.
Pokémon Gen 8
This will be the first mainline game on the Nintendo Switch along with being the first game since Pokémon Let’s Go showed gamers around the world what a Nintendo Switch Pokémon game can look like. Hype is growing and if GameFreak shows us even more innovation it will skyrocket the series to new heights.
Gears 5
What will likely be Microsoft’s big holiday release this year, this could be the start of Microsoft’s comeback and momentum shift as we begin to head towards a new console generation. The fact it’ll be on Game Pass from day one will mean the multiplayer base will be huge early on and be able to try to get a steady userbase as an alternative to the FPS games that dominate the holidays.
Honorable Mentions
These games are anticipated but not guaranteed to release in 2019 as of this posting: Ori and the Will Of The Wisps, Skull & Bones, The Outer Worlds, Town, Death Stranding, Ghost Of Tsushima, Mand The Last Of Us Part II. There is no way all of these release this year, and God help us if they do, but even half of these would shape 2019 into a great year. And with that, we wrap up our most anticipated games of 2019! Comment below what games you’re eagerly awaiting!
Ouch That Hertz! 