Last month I looked back at my Top 10 Games of 2018. Now it’s time to look into the future for what 2019 holds for gamers.
Animal Crossing (Switch) – Although no official release date has been set, Nintendo has said the Switch version of the popular collectathon / life simulator is coming in 2019. Get out those shovels, axes, and fishing rods; it’s time to pay off your mortgage from Tom Nook once again.
Anthem (PC, PS4, XB1) – From developer BioWare (creator of “Mass Effect” and “Dragon Age”) comes the latest entry in the “Destiny” looter / shooter genre. This third-person shooter is being billed as an Iron Man simulator because of its emphasis on flight and a variety exoskeleton suits, which resemble the Marvel hero. We don’t have to wait much longer because “Anthem” launches Feb. 22.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night (PC, PS44, Switch, XB1) – This former Kickstarter game is scheduled to finally see its release sometime in 2019. This game is a spiritual successor to the “Castlevania” series of games, which haven’t seen a new entry in five years. Former “Castlevania” series producer Koji Igarashi is in charge of “Bloodstained” and is best known for his work on “Symphony of the Night” and the GBA and NDS “Castlevania” games.
Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 (PC, PS4, XB1) – I liked the first “Division” game so much, I played it on PlayStation 4 and again on Xbox One. This is another third-person looter / shooter in the same vein as “Destiny.” The first game has you playing as a Division Agent (a secret government agency) sent in to New York City to restore law and order after terrorist biological attack. The second game continues the story from Washington, D.C. You can pick up “Tom Clancy’s The Division 2” on March 15.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps (PC, XB1) – The sequel to 2015’s “Ori and the Blind Forest,” “Ori and the Will of the Wisps” has been on my radar for a few years now. This is another Metroidvania-style game (just like “Bloodstained” above) which takes its gameplay style from “Super Metroid” and “Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.” There is no set release date yet for “Ori and the Will of the Wisps,” but it is scheduled for 2019.
Honorable Mention:
Onimusha Warlords (PC, PS4, Switch, XB1) – A remake of the PS2 classic.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (PC, PS4, XB1) – From the makers of “Bloodborne” and “Dark Souls.”
Crackdown 3 (PC, XB1) – Will it actually come? Who knows? Let’s find out.
Days Gone (PS4) – Post-apocalyptic zombie fun!
Gears 5 (PC, XB1) – Don’t know too much about this one yet. But come on, it’s “Gears”!