The best upcoming games of 2018

The late summer months can feel a bit like a games drought - but it's mostly because we know so many exciting new games of 2018 on the near horizon. Highly hyped sequels like Red Dead Redemption 2, Fallout 76, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate are all coming later this year, making the wait for the new games of 2019 and beyond that much easier. Whatever you're playing on, from console to the best gaming laptop, there are plenty of games worth checking out in the weeks and months to come.

We've gone ahead and collected the standouts for your viewing pleasure, updated weekly with new additions. Override and Starlink have been added to the lineup, while Call of Cthulhu finally has a release date. Browse our list, which is ordered by release date, and see what you need to start saving up for ASAP - then be sure to let us know in the comments which games you're most excited for.

Overcooked 2

Platform(s): Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: August 7, 2018

The original Overcooked became an instant co-op classic, sure to turn any party into a ruckus of virtual chefs shouting out tasks in a fervent mix of joy, anger, and excitement. Overcooked 2 keeps all the spicy chaos that made the first one so great, and simply adds in even more flavor with a fresh campaign, plenty of themed kitchens, additional recipes, and a host of cutesy chefs to choose from. You and up to three other cooks can serve up orders online or in couch co-op, and the level designs of the kitchens look particularly inventive this time around. It's never as simple as taking the ingredients directly to the pan, plate, and patron - you'll probably have to run through traffic, charter a raft, or cross a perilously windy bridge in the process.

We Happy Few

Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: August 10, 2018

We Happy Few is practically a must-play based on the concept alone, which somehow manages to blend a BioShock-style society of deranged drug addicts and the kitschy 1960s whimsy of Austin Powers into one delightfully creepy survival game. You play as one of several residents of the fictitious English city of Wellington Wells, navigating in first-person through a society where residents are forced to take a daily dose of the hallucinogenic pill known as Joy. You've refused to take your medicine and have been labeled a kill-on-sight Downer, forced to flee from the mind-altered citizens and coppers while crafting and scavenging for anything that might help you survive. All the while, you're taunted and oppressed by Uncle Jack, a live-action TV host who's like a sinister, pill-pushing Mr. Rogers.

World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth

Platform(s): PC
Release date: August 14, 2018

Blizzard's touchstone MMO is still going strong after almost 14 years worth of content, and its seventh expansion, Battle for Azeroth, is something of a throwback to the classic conflicts between the Alliance and Horde factions that trace back through Warcraft history. Leaders on both sides have risen, fallen, and been replaced, and now things are gearing up for what could very well be the turning point after years of animosity. Besides the potentially faction-altering impact of this expansion's plot, its biggest feature is the addition of Allied Races - NPC races you can earn the right to play as - and two massive new zones, Kul Tiras and Zandalar. Of course, there will also be a bevy of fresh dungeons and raids to tackle as you work your way to the raised level cap of 120 and strive to get the latest must-have gear.

Death's Gambit

Platform(s): PS4, PC
Release date: August 14, 2018

We've been keeping tabs on this grandiose 2D action RPG for some time, so it's nice to see publisher Adult Swim Games finally lock down an August release date. With the scope and heavy combat of Dark Souls and an art style akin to Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Death's Gambit has you battling your way through the fantastical realm of Siradon (which clearly evokes Lordran). With any luck, Death's Gambit will be right up there with Hollow Knight in the renaissance of modern Metroidvanias with rich stories, captivating visuals, and steep challenge.

Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate

Platform(s): Switch
Release date: August 28, 2018

Monster Hunter World was a perfect gateway game for legions of players earlier this year, enticing plenty of series greenhorns with its slick visuals that put the PS4 and Xbox One to the test. Switch owners might've felt left out at the time - but now the Switch-exclusive Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate is here to fix that, with a substantially upgraded port of the 3DS entry from 2016 (complete with save data importing if you already played it back then). Veterans who thought World's endgame content and exotic bestiary felt a bit lacking compared to previous entries will be overjoyed to hear that Generations Ultimate has the largest monster list of any game in the series, so it'll be hundreds of hours before you and your multiplayer hunting party have seen everything. The aesthetics of Generations Ultimate are definitely more in line with its portable predecessors - but that look could easily be a plus for anyone who prefers supersaturated colors and simpler environments in their Monster Hunter.

Yakuza Kiwami 2

Platform(s): PS4

Release date: August 28, 2018

Just as Yakuza Kiwami remade the first game in this long-running, open-world crime series, Yakuza Kiwami 2 is a spruced-up version of Yakuza 2 from way back in the PS2 days. Our debonair lead Kazuma Kiryu must once again bust some heads on the streets of Tokyo and Osaka as he attempts to defuse a gang war before it even begins. The plot follows Yakuza 2 closely, but the gameplay includes most of the niceties and refinements from more recent games in the series, making for a modern take on a cult-classic beat-'em-up.

Strange Brigade

One look at Strange Brigade, and you'll wonder why nobody thought to make a co-op monster shooter set in the 1930s sooner, because you need it in your life immediately. As one of four intrepid adventures braving the heat and sand of early 20th century Egypt, you'll have to fend off hordes of mummies, zombies, animated statues, hulking minotaurs, and all manner of supernatural creatures that want you dead. Each Indiana Jones-esque environment is loaded with secrets to seek out, and traps you can use against your rotting enemies. Strange Brigade comes to us from Rebellion, makers of the cult favorite Sniper Elite: Nazi Zombie Army trilogy, so you can bet it'll deliver plenty of intentionally campy, mummy-mutilating fun.Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: August 28, 2018

Destiny 2: Forsaken

Bungie has to regain a lot of good will for its shared-world shooter, with many Destiny 2 players tapping out in frustration over the current state of the game - but the Forsaken expansion could win a lot of those lapsed Guardians back. Revenge might be motivation enough, after beloved hero Cayde-6 met his untimely end at the hands of Uldren Sov in Forsaken's cinematic trailer. Each Guardian subclass has a new Super Ability to try out, and the introduction of the Bow weapon class will be a treat for any would-be space Legolases (Legoli?). Besides the story, the main reason to jump back in for Forsaken is Gambit, a fresh competitive mode that blends elements of PvE and PvP into one colossal, enemy-filled battlefield. Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: September 4, 2018

Spider-Man

Platform(s): PS4
Release date: September 7, 2018

This open-world superhero game should be an interesting departure for Insomniac Games, the studio most famous for the Ratchet & Clank series. You'll be web-swinging between buildings and beating up thugs as your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, dealing with the likes of Kingpin and Mister Negative in your efforts to keep the peace in the Big Apple. This game isn't tied to any specific comic or movie, so the creators aren't bound by an existing storyline; here's to hoping we don't have to see any origin stories play out for the umpteenth time.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: September 14, 2018

Lara Croft will be struggling to survive once more in Shadow of the Tomb Raider, the third and final game in the reboot trilogy following Lara's origins. There's a strong emphasis on stealth this time around, as Lara is greatly outnumbered by Trinity forces in the thick of a South American jungle. She also just so happens to have triggered a li'l ol' apocalypse thanks to her somewhat selfish actions, which seems out of step with her character; hopefully this hardened iteration of Lara will eventually win us over like in the previous games.

Spyro Reignited Trilogy

Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One
Release date: September 21, 2018

Not to be outdone by the revival of Sony's other would-be mascot in Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, everyone's favorite purple dragon Spyro is getting his very own three-pack remaster. Spyro Reignited Trilogy features the first three games in the series (i.e. all the best ones) rebuilt from the ground up with wildly improved Unreal Engine 4 visuals and a refined control scheme. We'd be shocked if this oft-requested trilogy didn't eventually make its way to Nintendo Switch as well, so for anyone who missed them back in 1998, Reignited Trilogy will be a great way to enjoy a beloved slice of 3D platforming history.

FIFA 19

Platform(s): Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Release date: September 28, 2018

EA is constantly iterating on its virtual version of The Beautiful Game, and FIFA 19's major new feature is the introduction of the UEFA Champions League (now that Pro Evolution Soccer lost the rights to use it). The Europa League and Super Cup competitions are also here, along with a substantial Career mode that serves as the grand finale for Alex Hunter, the star of The Journey that started back with FIFA 17. As for the footie gameplay itself, numerous tweaks are being made to give players more direct control, most notably the Active Touch System which allows you to fake trap the ball, and the Timed Finishing mechanic, where you can tap the kick button twice to fine-tune your timing.

Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise

Platform(s): PS4
Release date: October 2, 2018

Even if aren't familiar with the classic manga and anime Hokuto no Ken / Fist of the North Star, you've surely heard one of its best lines: "Omae wa mou shindeiru," or "You are already dead." It's the death knell for any bandit thug who dares to cross Kenshiro, a martial arts master roaming a post-apocalyptic wasteland in search of his lover. Ryu ga Gotoku Studio, the folks behind Sega's fan favorite Yakuza series, are turning an alternate-canon version of Kenshiro's journey into a very Yakuza-looking brawler - which is practically a guarantee that it's going to be amazing whether or not you're a longtime fan. Along with the option for full English or Japanese voiceovers, our version in the West gets extra gore that was deemed too much for the Japanese market, so you can really appreciate people's heads exploding like nitro-filled watermelons after Kenshiro hits all their pressure points with a classic "ATATATATATA!" barrage.

Forza Horizon 4

Platform(s): Xbox One, PC
Release date: October 2, 2018

Forza Horizon 4 looks to deliver the same fun, open-world, photorealistic racing you've come to expect from Playground Games, now with a heavy emphasis on the changing of the seasons. As you cruise around the UK in all kinds of high-end rides, the roads and environment will reflect seasonal conditions: icy pavement in winter, fall foliage in autumn, light drizzles in spring, and so on. And in a first for the series, Forza Horizon 4 is primarily a shared-world racing game, so the roads will be constantly be populated by your fellow drivers. You're free to befriend, challenge, or ignore them as you see fit, but there's definitely a push to make Forza Horizon 4 a more social racing experience.

Mega Man 11

Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Release date: October 2, 2018

After Capcom all but ignored its legendary Blue Bomber for years, the mainline Mega Man series is finally getting a new entry - and it's looking like a pleasant mix of old and new. Just over 30 years since the original NES game, Mega Man 11 is going fully 2.5D for a charming aesthetic that totally eclipses the lacklustre look of failed competitor Mighty No. 9. You already know what to expect from this platforming shooter: new abilities absorbed from defeated bosses, colorful levels full of inventive gimmicks, and oodles of old-school challenge. But there's also a fresh gadget called Double Gear, which lets you briefly slow down time or overcharge the Mega Buster for extra firepower.

Assassin's Creed Odyssey

Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC

Release date: October 5, 2018

If the classic "This. Is. SPARTA!" kick didn't make it clear enough, Assassin's Creed Odyssey takes the series to Ancient Greece circa 431 BC. No matter which protagonist you choose - female Kassandra or male Alexios - your story in Odyssey will be one of redemption after you're cast out of Sparta as a child. There's a bigger focus on RPG elements this time around, with collectible gear, dialogue options during cutscenes, ample combat abilities to choose from, and multiple endings based on your choices. Naval exploration and warfare also make a comeback, and you can now take part in massive 150-versus-150 battles in Conquest skirmishes.

Super Mario Party

Platform(s): Switch
Release date: October 5, 2018

If you've had a hankering for multiplayer minigames and last-minute star-count upsets, you're in luck. Super Mario Party is bringing Nintendo's storied party game series to Switch, with more brightly colored board game buffoonery for up to four players. The core gameplay gets back to the classics, with a focus on multiple boards to explore and 80 new minigames to mix things up. But a nifty new gimmick this time around is the ability to link up two Switch screens in certain minigames to create an extended level of your own design. And because everyone can easily play with a sideways Joy-Con, two Switches is all it takes to get a full party started.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4

Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: October 12, 2018

Treyarch is back with Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, dropping you into near-future warfare rife with heavy ordinance and intense shootouts (but without all the jetpack jumps and wallrunning). A huge change for the series this time around is the total lack of a single-player story campaign; in its place, Black Ops 4 will feature a battle royale mode called Blackout (no doubt in response to the massive popularity of Fortnite and the like). Multiplayer brings back the unique characters and abilities of Black Op 3's Specialists, featuring a mix of soldiers old and new, while the Zombies mode chronicles three time-traveling adventures (now with AI-controlled bots if you want to play solo). Ditching the traditional campaign is quite a gamble, so we're interested to see if Blackout mode pays off or the dedicated COD playerbase prickles at the idea of lost value. Black Ops 4 is also following in the footsteps of Overwatch and Destiny 2, as it'll be part of Blizzard's Battle.net platform on PC.

Starlink: Battle for Atlas

Platform(s): Switch, PS4, Xbox One
Release date: October 16, 2018

It might've seemed like third-person space shooters featuring a team of spunky pilots died out after the disappointing Star Fox Zero floundered on Wii U. But Ubisoft has stepped in to carry the torch, even leaning on its good ties with Nintendo to include Fox as a Switch-exclusive character. Starlink is a new attempt at the toys-to-life genre, with a neat twist: the optional figures you can buy are actually customizable ships you can mount onto your controller, complete with different parts you can swap on the fly. You'll be able to cruise around the wide-open Atlas star system, then seamlessly enter a planet's atmosphere to explore and shoot down hostiles near the surface. With its fun premise, vibrant visuals, and two-player split-screen co-op, Starlink seems like it'll be a great game for anyone who thinks of Star Fox fondly.

Battlefield 5

Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: October 19, 2018

Battlefield 5 is taking the series back to its World War 2 roots, with infantry, tanks, and aircraft aplenty locked in combat across massive multiplayer skirmishes. Choose your preferred class between Assault, Medic, Recon, and Support, then master your role to turn the tide of battle one spawn location at a time. Veterans should be aware of a few key tweaks this time around: now any class can revive downed allies, so no more ignoring cries for help when you're getting your snipe on. The classic spotting mechanic now highlights general areas rather than individuals, encouraging you to seek out enemies yourself without immediately flagging a target for death. And there's a strong focus on Squad play in Battlefield 5, which rewards you for sticking with a designated group of men and women (including your very own customizable soldier). As in Battlefield 1, War Stories provide some single-player action, while the multiplayer does away with the traditional Season Pass in favor of Tides of War, a system modelled around Fortnite's Battle Pass featuring limited-time events.

Soul Calibur 6

Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: October 19, 2018

Welcome back to the stage of history! Fighting game fans have long awaited the return of Bandai Namco's long-running Soul series, starring weapon-wielding warriors locked in flashy one-on-one duels. Soul Calibur 6 looks to bring back the beginner-friendly, surprisingly deep fighter in all its 3D, eight-way-running glory. So far, we've seen Sophitia and Mitsurugi clashing swords again just in time for Soul Calibur's 20th anniversary, and recaptures the fast pace and tight feel of the timeless Soul Calibur 2 while furthering the light-trail-filled aesthetic last seen in Soul Calibur 5. It's even got The Witcher's Geralt as a guest character!

Red Dead Redemption 2

Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One
Release date: October 26, 2018

Red Dead Redemption 2 has a lot to live up to, so it's reasonable that Rockstar Games wanted a generous amount of time to get this open-world, Wild West sequel just right. Set before the first RDR, you're filling the cowboy boots of Arthur Morgan, an outlaw in the employ of familiar villain Dutch van der Linde. Morgan seems to be a rougher, thornier character compared to the stoic John Marston - but we'll surely get to know him better across dozens of hours spent moseying across quaint plains, hunting for wild animals (now with a new bow and arrow combo!) in verdant mountain regions, and carrying out many a high-stakes train heist.

Call of Cthulhu

Hitman 2

Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: November 13, 2018

Hitman 2 sees the return of expert assassin Agent 47, and though the series has switched publishers from Square Enix to WB Games, it's still being developed by the dedicated folks at IO Interactive. As always, there will be plenty of exotic locales to explore, hilarious disguises to don, and high-value targets to eliminate through ingeniously crafty or violently direct means. You simply haven't lived until you've knocked out a guard with a coconut while wearing a flamingo mascot outfit.

Fallout 76

Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: November 14, 2018

First things first: though Fallout 76 takes place in the same '50s-esque, post-apocalyptic setting the series is known for, this isn't a new single-player-focused story from the folks at Bethesda. Instead, Fallout 76 is a shared-world survival game set in in the irradiated expanses of West Virginia, 25 years after the conclusion of the Great War. You don't necessarily have to play with others, but they'll be out there, gathering resources, killing mutated beasts, building their own encampments, and possibly even launching nukes from silos found all around the map. Fallout 76 is reportedly four times bigger than Fallout 4's map, and it'll be fascinating to see how players interact in a Fallout that doesn't revolve around a single wasteland hero.

Pokemon: Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee

Pokemon: Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee are two versions of the same game (in classic Pokemon style) that are set to make a splash on Nintendo Switch - but they're not the core RPG you might've been expecting. Instead, think of this outing as a mix between the classic Pokemon Yellow on Game Boy and the megahit mobile game Pokemon Go. You'll explore a spruced-up, 3D version of Kanto from a top-down perspective, with either Pikachu or Eevee at your side, catching Generation 1 Pokemon through simplified mechanics with Joy-Con motion controls (or the new Poke Ball Plus peripheral). There will be battles against other Pokemon Trainers, but you won't be weakening wild Pokemon before you attempt to catch them. Platform(s): Switch
Release date: November 16, 2018

Darksiders 3

Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2018

First there was War, then Death, and now Fury is the next Horseman (or more accurately, Horsewoman) of the Apocalypse to star in her own fantastical action adventure. The Darksiders series is famous for essentially being a blood-soaked, bone-crunching take on The Legend of Zelda's open-world exploration with a dash of Devil May Cry combat mixed in, full of ridiculously proportioned (but undoubtedly cool-looking) character designs by cult favorite comic artist Joe Madureira. Darksiders 3's leading lady Fury is more magic-focused than her compatriots, and wields a spiky whip as her signature weapon. You'll be cutting down swaths of demons across the ruins of post-Biblical-apocalypse Earth, fighting back against hellish embodiments of the Seven Deadly Sins themselves.

Tetris Effect

Platform(s): PS4

Release date: Fall 2018

You when you've been playing a puzzle game - like, say, Tetris - for hours, then you start to see blocks and patterns every time you close your eyes? That scientifically studied phenomenon shares the same name as this hypnotizingly beautiful permutation of Tetris from Enhance Games, the studio founded by Rez Infinite and Lumines luminary Tetsuya Mizuguchi. Though it's still playable without a headset, Tetris Effect was clearly made with PS VR in mind, as psychedelic visuals and ambient beats surround you as blocks drop and lines are completed. Like Lumines, Tetris Effect will cycle through over 30 stages, each with their own visual styles that evoke the same mesmeric trippiness as Rez's Area X. Along with traditional Tetris play blended with ethereal visuals, some modes will also use a new Zone mechanic that lets you slow time for last-second saves or high-scoring maneuvers.

Override: Mech City Brawl

Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: December 4, 2018

From Gundam to Pacific Rim, Power Rangers to Big O, there's something inherently appealing about the power fantasy of suiting up as the pilot of a skyscraper-sized mech. Override perfectly taps into our obsession with giant robots, featuring two to four massive mechs duking it out in destructible cityscapes. Its behind-the-back, third-person camera and speedy movement evokes cult classics like War of the Monsters, Virtual On, and Armored Core, while the roster is already nice and varied when it comes to designs and fighting styles. A story campaign lets you take a break from beating up 'bots in multiplayer to lay the smackdown on some freaky aliens. And best of all, there's a mode that lets you live out your lifelong Megazord dreams: four players teaming up to control one mech, where a lack of coordination will lead to (likely hilarious) city-demolishing chaos.

Just Cause 4

Rico Rodriguez returns to wreak more open-world, physics-based havoc, this time in the South American wilderness of the fictional Solis. Just Cause 4 still has the frenetic third-person action you know and love, grappling hook and all, but the biggest addition this time around is an extreme weather system that tears up the environment as often as you do. Giant twisters and severe storms cause even more chaos in a firefight, and you'll also get the chance to run wild in arid and snowy biomes in addition to the South American jungle.Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: December 4, 2018

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Super Smash Bros. Utimate

Platform(s): Switch
Release date: December 7, 2018

The gang's all here. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate brings the series to Nintendo Switch in a big way by including every playable character from the series' history in its massive roster. In addition to all the old fighters, exciting newcomers like fan-favorite Ridley, Splatoon's Inklings, and Daisy (an "Echo Fighter" of Peach, which is how Ultimate now classifies its clone characters) are joining the fray. The pace of the matches has been tweaked to be even faster, most notably in the Final Smash attacks which have all been reworked to get you back into the action as quickly as possible. And just about every character has been tweaked, refined, or slightly rebalanced in some way, so it'll be fascinating to see how your favorite character from Smash games past plays this time around.

Team Sonic Racing

Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Release date: Winter 2018

Sonic and his many anthropomorphic pals are back for their third kart-racing competition - and before you ask, Sonic races in a car as a handicap because there'd be no contest if he was running on foot. Sumo Digital, the same developer behind the brilliant Sonic All-Stars Racing games, is back for Team Sonic Racing, which focuses solely on the Sonic universe and puts drivers in teams as they vie for a combined score rather than pole position. It's definitely a departure from the more traditional arcade racing of the previous games, and the Sonic focus sadly excludes all that wonderfully obscure Sega fan service. But the vibrant visuals and finely tuned fundamentals are still there, with all the boosting, item-blasting, and mid-air tricking you could hope for.

Battle Princess Madelyn

Platform(s): Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC, Wii U, PS Vita
Release date: TBC 2018

If Ghouls 'n' Ghosts swapped out Arthur and his heart-emblazoned boxers for a heroic, 7-year-old girl, it'd be Battle Princess Madelyn, a loving tribute to Capcom's legendarily difficult 2D platformers. This spiritual successor has a heartwarming origin, as the lead developer is essentially making the game for his young daughter by featuring her as the protagonist (and taking diligent notes on her feedback and art direction). All the old-school tuning is spot-on, from the imaginative, pixelated monster designs, to way Madelyn double-jumps in a set arc, to the optional scanlines for that classic arcade feel. And with its scaleable difficulty, Battle Princess Madelyn should be way more accessible for anyone who didn't have to take their lumps during the 16-bit era.

Biomutant

Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2018

Biomutant is the kind of bizarre new title that's most exciting for how refreshingly different it looks, even with its hybridization of familiar structures. You play as a fully customizable furball (of an ambiguous, squirrel-esque species) in a lush post-apocalypse, where pollution is taking hold and six animal tribes vie for control of the withering Tree of Life. This third-person, open-world, action RPG has a little bit of everything: combat that blends martial arts combos and heavy artillery that would make Rocket Raccoon drool, character customization via weapon crafting and specialized mutations, and a morality system where you decide which tribes to fight with or against. Biomutant is the first game from studio Experiment 101, which was formed by veteran developers from the Just Cause series - so you already know they've got a handle on crafting vibrant environments ripe for open-world chaos.

Ooblets

Nothing can prepare you for the unbridled cuteness of Ooblets. It's got a little bit of everything from your favorite adorable game obsessions: the cuddly creatures and turn-based battles of Pokemon, the rich farming simulation of Stardew Valley, and the interior decorations and vibrant color scheme of Animal Crossing. Developed by a core team of just two people, Ooblets looks to be the kind of relaxing, endlessly charming town sim that makes hours feel like minutes as you maintain your farm, raise and train a herd of the titular ooblets, or meticulously perfect the feng shui of your virtual bedroom. You just know it's going to take over some players' lives in the best way possible. Platform(s): Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2018

Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes

Platform(s): Switch
Release date: TBC 2018

The brash, twisted, beam katana-wielding assassin Travis Touchdown is back, and he's looking stylish as ever. Don't think of this as No More Heroes 3 - instead, it's something of a spin-off, revolving around crossovers with notable indie games like Hotline Miami. Badman, the burly father of the slain Rank #2 assassin Bad Girl, is itching for some murderous revenge on our sideburned anti-hero. But while the two are duking it out, they're sucked into the Death Drive MK-2 game console, trapping them in deadly worlds lifted from beloved indie hits. Expect Suda51 and his team at Grasshopper Manufacture to stuff Travis Strikes Again full of their trademark panache, absurdity, and over-the-top violence.

Dreams

Platform(s): PS4
Release date: TBC 2018

LittleBigPlanet is beloved for letting players create their own 2D platformer levels, but Dreams is on an entirely different scale: you can craft entire worlds down to the smallest detail. This staggeringly ambitious new game from developer Media Molecule gives you all the tools you need to shape a self-contained experience, be it a sidescroller, first-person exploration game, space shooter shmup, or anything in between. Judging from our early preview, the creative possibilities will set your imagination on fire - but if you just want to piece together a map from premade pieces or play through other people's visions, that's fine too. As with LittleBigPlanet, there will be ample ways to show off your work or sample the very best concepts that the Dreams community has to offer, which - in theory - means infinite replayability.

GTFO

If you often reminisce about the horrific hordes and harrowing escapes of the Left 4 Dead series, GTFO looks to be your next fix of four-player, co-op FPS. There's a heavy emphasis on suspense, as you and your squad of operatives (in employ of the mysterious Warden) explore mutant-filled catacombs. An AI director ensures that your party gets to enjoy the chills of creepy exploration and the thrills of staving off swarms of attackers in equal measure. And unlike the standard zombies of L4D, these ghoulish creatures can terrorize you from a distance with their grotesque extending necks. But what really has us excited is the cryptic - yet mesmerizing - narration from an unknown narrator in GTFO's gameplay-filled reveal trailer. Platform(s): PC
Release date: TBC 2018

Planet Alpha

Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Release date: Q3 2018

Love deep, atmospheric platformers like Limbo and Inside, but wish they weren't so darn dreary? Planet Alpha is the antidote, whisking you away to alien planets full of exotic fauna and gorgeous landscapes. You'll walk, sneak, run, and leap across a planet in turmoil, as an army of technology encroaches on the majesty of the (un)natural habitat. Hopefully you'll get a chance to actually stop and take in all the sights in between running for your life, because the levels look phenomenal. Puzzles enter the mix via your ability to rotate the planet around you and open new pathways, so Planet Alpha will be testing your problem-solving skills as well as your twitch reflexes.

Guacamelee 2

Platform(s): PS4
Release date: TBC 2018

The original Guacamelee is one of the indie greats, with its delightful blend of luchador theming with Metroidvania design, punchy combat, and pitch-perfect platforming. So we're stoked to see masked wrestler Juan and his pals make a comeback to save the world (or 'Mexiverse' as the game calls it) once more. Along with all those fun, tricky techniques from the first game, like swapping between the planes of life and death to phase in different parts of the level, Guacamelee 2 adds news grappling-hook-style points you can launch from (much like Ori and the Blind Forest) and ups the co-op antics from two players to a chaotic four, with everyone leaping around and walloping skeletons in tandem.

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Wargroove

Platform(s): Switch, Xbox One, PC
Release date: Second half 2018

It seems Nintendo isn't about to revive Advance Wars any time soon; thank goodness developer Chucklefish stepped up to the plate to bring back turn-based strategy featuring delightful GBA-style sprites. The overworld map and battle animations perfectly mimic the charming aesthetic of the Advance Wars series, set in a high fantasy world full of knights, dragons, skeleton dogs, and witches. As one of 12 unique commanders, you'll wage war over land, sea, and air to establish dominance over the map, one little square space at a time. With online and local multiplayer for up to four players, custom map creation, and loads of adorable unit types, Wargroove's got everything an Advance Wars fan could ask for.

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown

Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2018

Bandai Namco's cult favorite series of flight sims is gearing up for a big comeback in 2018, bringing the dogfighting action back to the alternate universe of Strangereal for Ace Combat's current-gen debut. The fast-paced aerial skirmishes look great whether you're piloting from the first-person cockpit or a third-person view, and the campaign promises to contextualize the theater of war in the skies with a healthy dose of political intrigue and Top Gun-esque melodrama. Those who own a PlayStation VR get the added bonus of PS VR-exclusive missions that should ideally make you feel like you're actually flying your very own fighter jet.

Knights and Bikes

Platform(s): PS4, PC
Release date: TBC 2018

This charming top-down adventure game, developed by two Media Molecule alums and published by Double Fine, strives to recapture the sense of wonderment and improvised fun inherent to childhood expeditions. Our two young heroines, Nessa and Demelza, explore their quaint island town brought to life by charming picture-book visuals, battling imaginary creatures with frisbees, water balloons, and all manner of improvised weaponry. Though it's playable solo, the ideal way to enjoy Knights and Bikes is in two-player co-op, where Nessa and Demelza will often devise spur-of-the-moment competitions - like racing their bikes to the next point of interest - that create fleeting moments of giddy rivalry with your co-op pal to see who can lay claim to those sweet bragging rights.

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PS Vita, PC
Release date: TBC 2018

We were so accustomed to a steady stream of excellent exploration-based Castlevania games for so long that we didn't realize what we had until they were gone. No more! In 2018, the mastermind behind Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Aria of Sorrow, and many others will bring us Bloodstained. Koji Igarashi's first major post-Konami project is Castlevania in all but name, with the same smooth action, gothic atmosphere, and haunted locale spelunking we loved for so long.

Hunt: Showdown

Platform(s): PC
Release date: TBC (alpha testing starts January 2018)

A Plague Tale: Innocence Hunt: Showdown is among our personal most anticipated games of 2018 for good reason: it's one of the most exciting takes on the survival FPS we've yet seen. You (and a teammate, if you so choose) play as old-timey bounty hunters of all things occult, stalking the nightmarish ghouls and giant spiders that lurk among decrepit shanties and mosquito-ridden marshes. As with PUBG, there's a strong sense of a chaotic battlefield where anything can happen, dressed up in gloriously grimy aesthetics - think Left 4 Dead 2's Swamp Fever campaign, mixed with the graphical fidelity of Crysis. The moment you take down a boss and send their corpse back to Hell, the map shows all the opposing players where you are, and they'll come running to steal your bounty before you can escape with your life. That tension of the hunter suddenly becoming the hunted seems like it'll be genuinely terrifying - and ridiculously replayable.

Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC 2018

Amicia and Hugo are in a living nightmare. A Plague Tale: Innocence follows these orphan siblings and their struggles in a Dark Age not unlike the first Dishonored, where swarms of supernatural rats have started to nibble at society and citizens' sanity bit by bit. Said rats are the size of footballs, and can devour humans in no time flat; fortunately, you can ward them off with sources of light. As Amicia, you'll have to watch after your little brother while the two of you flee from the fanatical Inquisition, sneaking around danger for some tense stealth gameplay. You'll grow up real fast the first time you take out an Inquisition guard's lamp with a carefully aimed sling shot and watch as he's eaten alive by vermin, screaming all the while.

Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord

If you've not played the PC-centric Mount & Blade games before, they're essentially For Honor on a sprawling Battlefield-sized scale. Whether on foot or on horseback, players take part in massive medieval skirmishes in a giant sandbox world, with intricate melee combat mechanics that take physics and positioning into account. Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord promises the same scope and intense dueling, modernized with a much-needed facelift of its predecessors aging visuals. Anyone with a fondness for chaotic close-quarters combat should love wildly swinging a sword and shield in this sequel's monumental sieges, regardless of which side of the ramparts you're on.Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: TBC