Most anticipated games of 2018

2017 was one of the best years for gaming of the decade. Between the shockingly good launch year lineup for the Switch and third-party developers cranking out dozens of gems for PS4, Xbox One and PC, there really wasn’t a bad month. From January through December, we always had something new to play that was actually worth playing.

Those are big shoes for 2018 to fill, but a cursory glance at next year’s release schedule suggests that we’re in for another killer year of games. From Red Dead Redemption 2 to Spider-Man to Anthem to (fingers crossed) Kingdom Hearts III, 2018 has a shot at matching or even surpassing 2017. With that in mind, this is our list of the 25 most anticipated games coming in the new year (and it could have been an even longer list without much effort!)

A Way Out | PS4, XBO, PC | March 23rd

A Way Out is an action-adventure game about two prisoners who try to escape prison. A fairly simple setup, but the twist is that the only way to play the game is with another player. There’s no single player campaign. You and a friend (either online or locally) have to work together in order to beat the game.

Biomutant | PS4, XBO, PC | 2018

Biomutant is an action RPG set in a post-apocalyptic world starring a cat-looking creature that carries a sword. It’s also the first game from Swedish development team Experiment 101, which is made up of former Avalanche Studio devs (the team behind Just Cause). With “mechs, paragliders, balloons, mounts, jet skis and much more” to play with in the vast open world, it sounds like quite an ambitious project for a new studio.

Code Vein | PS4, XBO, PC | 2018

Think Dark Souls + anime. That’s basically what you’re getting with Code Vein, which also takes place in a post-apocalyptic world and features the same brutal, weighty combat that define the Souls games.

Crackdown 3 | XBO, PC | Spring 2018

At this point, I have no idea what Crackdown 3 is going to look like when it finally launches next year. It has been delayed over and over again, Microsoft hasn’t done a very good job explaining it or hyping it up, and most people seem to have given up on it until they see it in action. Still, if the team can capture the same magic that was contained within the original Crackdown, this beleaguered sequel will be worth the long, long wait.

Darksiders III | PS4, XBO, PC | 2018

Six years after the release of Darksiders II, we’re finally getting our hands on the third chapter in 2018. These third-person action RPGs are basically ultra-violent Legend of Zelda homages, complete with puzzle-filled dungeons and equipment that you’ll need to advance through the world. This time around, you play as Fury — another of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse — who uses whips and magic to take down her foes.

Dragon Ball FighterZ | PS4, XBO, PC | January 26th

Arc System Works, one of the most celebrated fighting game developers on the planet, is working on a new Dragon Ball Z fighting game. This isn’t the first time the studio has done that, but for whatever reason, people are freaking out over FighterZ, which admittedly does look absolutely incredible in action.

Dragon Quest XI | PS4, Switch, 3DS | 2018

The latest entry in the long-running Dragon Quest series actually launched in Japan earlier this year, but it won’t be available in the states until some time in 2018. Most importantly, DQXI is the first game in the series to be built from the ground up for the latest generation of consoles, which is why it looks so stunning.

Far Cry 5 | PS4, XBO, PC | March 27th

There has always been something special about Far Cry’s open worlds. In an era where open world environments have become somewhat stale, I still find myself getting lost for hours in the islands of Far Cry 3 and 4. Bringing the franchise to the United States and giving the story more emotional and political weight could make Far Cry 5 especially compelling. Plus, there’s a dog in the game, so it’s got that going for it.

God of War | PS4 | Q1 2018

Red Dead Redemption 2 | PS4, XBO | Q2 2018

Unquestionably the most anticipated game of 2018, Red Dead Redemption 2 is not only the sequel to arguably Rockstar’s best game, but also the first Rockstar game since Grand Theft Auto V in 2013. Enough said.

Shadow of the Colossus | PS4 | February 6th

One of my most anticipated games of 2018 is a game I’ve already beaten half a dozen times. That’s how good Shadow of the Colossus is, and that’s how badly I want to explore its world in high definition on my PS4.

Spider-Man | PS4 | 2018