10 . CODE VEIN
MATT
The term "Souls" has taken on an entirely new meaning since FROM Software created a new phenomenon with Demon's Souls (and Dark Souls, subsequently). Suddenly, there was a surge of developers making their own attempts at the "Souls-like" formula. Fast forward ten years, and FROM has essentially birthed a new genre of games.
Enter Bandai Namco (the publishers of the original Dark Souls). Specifically, their team behind the God Eater series. Hiroshi Yoshimura and his development team are no stranger to game design that has now become synonymous with the Souls genre, with God Eater's seemingly endless slew of systems and menus, all esoteric in their own ways. Who better to take a stab at it than them?
From what we've seen, Code Vein doesn't seem content to simply ape what FROM Software has established and call it a day, instead putting its own spin on it inspired by the God Eater teams' previous efforts. Dark Souls gave us Gothic castles and high fantasy. Code Vein will give us a post apocalyptic wasteland filled with super powered vampires. Dark Souls? Slow, methodical combat that rewards stat building and patience. Code Vein? A balance between animation priority and more active, combo-oriented combat. Dark Souls? Loneliness and isolation fueled by a world out to make your life miserable. Code Vein? A companion system that keeps you from entering the world alone. You get the idea.
I've been a fan of FROM Software's output since the original Demon's Souls in 2009, though their pedigree stretches back further than that. The Souls genre now has a special place in my heart, and I'm always down to giving something new in that space a try in hopes it can live up to the lofty expectations FROM has set. Also, "Anime Souls" just sounds awesome.
9 . INDIVISIBLE
MATT
Whether or not you've played 2D fighting game Skullgirls you can likely commend it for its beautiful art style and hand drawn animation. It's clean, striking, and simply just a treat to look at. Now, the original creative minds behind that distinctive look and feel have moved on to create Lab Zero Games, and with it, a new 2D hand drawn game called Indivisible.
Where Lab Zero's first game was a fighter, Indivisible is an RPG. While many RPGs fall into one of two camps, real time or turn based, Indivisible hopes to strike a balance down the middle of the line. Outside of combat, you're treated to an interconnected, Metroidvania experience with platforming, new abilities to acquire, and hidden paths to discover. However, combat takes place in a turn-based scenario with a charging ATB-like meter (think Final Fantasy) and a formation system that places your four party members in a diamond shape, representing the face buttons on your controller. This weird, juxtaposed dynamic of open world platforming and strategic combat is exactly the kind of thing I keep my ear to the ground for. Add in a colorful, vibrant world with a varied cast of characters and you've sold me.
Over the last half a decade, I've seen my interests in games shift from an almost purely "triple a" dominated experience, to seeking out smaller, niche games that have more to prove with their off the wall ideas (helped by a lack of pressure from publishers or shareholders). I suppose that's maybe more indicative of the industry at large than just my own personal tastes as things continue to shift, but in 2019, Indivisible is exactly the kind of game I'd call "up my alley". It checks off every box on my mental list (Metroidvania? Check. Beautiful hand drawn art? Check. RPG mechanics and stat building? Check.) and It's one game I'll be there for release day, no question.
8 . OOBLETS
BRANDON
Start off with Pokemon, but instead of fighting each other they have dance-offs. Ok, now take that and add a Stardew Valley farming system. Alright, for the last piece you can customize your room and visit townsfolk like in Animal Crossing. Once you add that all together, you've got Ooblets. The Ooblets’ website talks about the inspiration from those 3 games specifically, but the game looks to have it’s own identity as well.
All of Ooblets’ influences make it sound like a wonderfully pleasant experience. It's a game I could see myself revisiting many times when I need a mental break from a more involved game. The screenshots and gameplay footage have all shown this game to be a delightful experience, whether it’s walking with your little plant creatures, tending to your crops, or watching some sick dance battles.
If this game is the perfect mix of Pokemon, Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing like Glumberland is saying then I am more than excited for some stress free game sessions when Ooblets later this year on the Xbox One and PC.
7 . FIRE EMBLEM: THREE HOUSES
JON
If we did a “Top 10 Games or Series that Seem Like They’d be Perfect For Me, but I Haven’t Been Able to Get into for Some Reason” list, then Fire Emblem would maybe take the number one spot (shout outs to Banner Saga, Total War, and Super Meat Boy as runner ups).
I’ve never played a Fire Emblem game, so it’s hard for me to convey why I’m so excited for the next one. On paper, it has a lot of things that I find interesting, like the high stakes of "perma-death" and the tabletop strategy game aesthetic of the combat. It’s supposedly a big and deep JRPG and when I get in the right mood, that genre can just hit the sweet spot. So why is Fire Emblem: Three Houses the one that makes me want to finally take the plunge? There’s a few reasons:
First of all, it’s the newest one and that always seems like the best place to start. Either start with the first one or the most current one and I’m not going back to way back when to find the first Fire Emblem.
Secondly, this particular game reminds me of some of the more obscure games that got me through my childhood on the PlayStation 2. I don’t know how similar they are but I watch the trailers and I see shades of Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Kessen, which means nothing to most people, but means a lot to me.
Third of all, it’s on the Switch. I’ll play damn near anything if you put it on the Switch. Nintendo has knocked basically all of their first party games on the console out of the park and I don’t see why this should be any different. So here’s to hoping I end up getting sucked into a rich and vibrant world and that ignites my interest in a series I always wanted to try…
Or I’ll bounce off of it in the first couple hours because it’s just too big and too long and too much. Both could very easily happen so let's find out.
6 . IN THE VALLEY OF GODS
MATT
Almost three years ago in February 2016, Campo Santo released Firewatch to an almost unanimously positive reception from fans and critics alike. Weaving together a compelling, genuinely believable relationship between two faceless characters with a dark, foreboding mystery looming over the nameless Wyoming wilderness in which the game takes place, Campo Santo proved their storytelling chops beyond a shadow of a doubt.
The question on everyone's mind soon became, "Well, what's next?". In the Valley of Gods is the answer.
As it turns out, we know precious little about Campo Santo's next game. It's at least partly set in an Egyptian desert ruin, following two female protagonists (one a woman of color, Zora - a refreshing change of pace I wish was more common) as they seek out treasure, document their journey, and I can only assume uncover some sort treacherous mystery unfolding around them.
Despite what little we know, the name behind the game says it all. Campo Santo have shown as they know what it takes to create a narrative focused game that can pull us in and not let go until credits roll. I have faith In the Valley of Gods can do what Firewatch did before it, and maybe more.
5 . ANTHEM
JON
I really want to talk about why I am excited about Anthem without mentioning Destiny. Everyone has been comparing the two since the announcement of what kind of game Anthem was going to be so I want to be able to explain how hyped I am without going into the same comparison.
That being said, I’m able to recognize when I have failed... so let’s talk a little bit about Destiny. I sank more hours than I can count into it even with it’s fairly shallow content pool, but man, it is therapeutic. Grouping up with some friends, doing some missions that you’ve done a hundred times before, and just hoping that you get that one weapon you’ve been hoping to get for the last three weeks. It may not bring a level of excitement every time you play it but it never felt like I had a bad time. It’s peaceful and boring and maddening and loads of fun all at the same time.
It seems like a lot of companies have been trying to make their version of Destiny, because even with all it’s problems, it’s wildly popular. I think people are realizing it’s not that easy to make a game as a service. But the Mass Effect Trilogy is some of the best stuff that games have to offer so when Bioware does anything, I’m going to give it the benefit of the doubt. Because of that, I’ve been very optimistic and hopeful with Anthem.
With everything I’ve seen from Anthem, it looks like the same basic idea for the bulk of the gameplay. I’ll squad up with my friends and go shoot some shit and hope that I come away with some sweet sweet loot. Anthem excites me more though. I want something other than another First Person Shooter, where I know I’ll cap out at being just a hair below average. Now I get to pretend like I’m fucking Iron Man flying through the the skies and blasting everything I can see. If they can get the feel of the flying and combat down like I think they can then it’s going to take a long time for this game to start feeling stale.
I'd like to think that at its best, Anthem could end up being a peak BioWare story alongside gameplay missions that are plentiful and varied with content that can last my friends and I for years. At its worst I believe Anthem will be a good way to keep in touch with long distance buddies while flying around acting like I’m a superhero.
4 . AFTERPARTY
JON
I love Indie games because they are willing to take chances with new tools and mechanics without worry of how it will affect revenue. What Night School Studio did with Oxenfree was create a conversation system that felt more real than almost any game I’ve ever played. Answering a question in the game before your partner is finished speaking actually leads to interrupting him or her mid sentence. Conversely, choosing not to respond at all will lead to dead air which can cause friction or hostility. It makes you feel like you are actually in your protagonist’s shoes and having a real dialogue with those around you. This system came along with some very well written and relatable characters which was able to make me incredibly invested in a game who’s main story-line wasn’t quite up my alley.
Which brings us to the overall premise of Afterparty. Whereas a supernatural ghost story on a spooky island isn’t my usual cup of tea, having to out drink Satan in order to escape from Hell sounds like it might hit every note for me. That just sounds super fun! As someone who’s had his fair share of conversations fueled and lubricated by the bottle, I’m excited for what they can add to this already stellar mechanic as you progress through the game. There are a lot of things you can do to evolve the dialogue system as you continue to become more and more inebriated. Maybe you have less time to decide what you want to say before your character goes off the rails. Maybe you get a little more peppy when drinking tequila and become a downer after some whiskey. Maybe none this will happen, but either way I’m psyched! It feels like a game that is going to either soar high or crater hard depending on the quality of writing put forth. I have faith that Afterparty won’t disappoint
3 . SEKIRO: SHADOWS DIE TWICE
MATT
FROM Software. A name that carries with it certain expectations. Demon's Souls brought back an era of games that had been largely abandoned by the mainstream. Esoteric mechanics with little to no explanation, dense layers of text, numbers, and stats, and an emphasis on difficulty that forced you to take a step back rethink how you play these kinds of games. It didn't hold your hand and lead you to your goal. It made you work for it.
Over the course of a trilogy of Dark Souls games, FROM polished their formula to a mirror sheen and essentially created an entirely new genre in the process. Bloodborne was the next step, sharpening the combat of Souls to an arrow point and giving players greater speed, mobility, and incentive to stay on the offensive rather than pull pack.
With Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, it feels like we're reaching a natural endpoint from where FROM started with Demon's Souls, and their trajectory over the last ten years. Sekiro strips away the RPG mechanics entirely, and hones in on speed and mobility beyond even what Bloodborne offered its players. Sekiro has no character creation. No loot, weapons, and gear to choose and level up. It even does away with online multiplayer and "invasions" that have become synonymous with Souls.
This is a character action game. This is FROM looking at their time spent with Souls, what they learned, and how they could take those lessons forward and try something new. And I genuinely can't think of anything more exciting to me personally than FROM Software making something new, free of anything that might have held them back in the past.
2 . POKEMON (SWITCH)
BRANDON
Ever since the dawn of time people have wanted a traditional Pokemon game on a console. Finally the gods of Nintendo have deemed us worthy. In 2019, this the year of the almighty Bulbasaur we got our wishes. In all seriousness Pokemon is coming to the Nintendo Switch this year.
Let's Go: Pikachu/Eevee has done a fantastic job scratching the itch, and I'm hoping the new game implements some new features from those games. The loss of random encounters makes for a less grindy game and a more lively world. However, I'd be okay if the Pokemon Go catch system went away.
I've consistently been in love with the series since I first got Red on my Gameboy. I've easily sunk hundreds, if not thousands, of hours and lost a couple of GBA's to this series. I'm ready to continue this trend, hopefully it doesn't cost me any Switches.
1 . KINGDOM HEARTS III
BRANDON
No pressure Brandon, you're only writing the first number one game on our website. Speaking of a crazy amount of pressure, it's been thirteen years (let that sink in, THIRTEEN YEARS) since Kingdom Hearts II came out. A lot has changed since then but one thing that has remained constant is that fans want to see more of Sora, Donald, and Goofy. Square Enix is finally getting that pressure off their shoulder and giving those fans exactly that next week as the game releases January 29th.
To be fair, we have had glimpses and side games since then, but we haven't seen the true sequel until now. In the case some of those games, while I respect them changing up combat systems or adding new features, they haven't been the greatest. In fact, some fans suggest just skipping over a couple of them unless you want the full experience.
I'm someone who dabbled in the games when they first came out, but did not understand what was going on. Now as a 26 year old adult, I've recently revisited all of the re-released games and have a better idea of the story, however some of it is still beyond me. I'm hoping Square Enix does a good job filling the gaps while also tying up any loose ends in a fun and satisfying end.
I'm not big into Final Fantasy so most of those references go over my head. It's the Disney aspect of the games that draws me in and this installment doesn't look to have any less of the magic. All of the shown Disney worlds, which look incredible, offer a wide variety of environments and character involvement. I can't wait to control toy mechs alongside Buzz and Woody, fly around on Baymax from Big Hero 6, and then go on an adventure in the woods with Rapunzel, always having my trusty sidekicks Donald and Goofy with me.
One other big aspect of the game is the combat. I'm optimistic that Square will do a good job offering a variety of moves and magic to make it feel fresh throughout the game. From what we've seen it looks to have evolved beyond what Kingdom Hearts II gave us. You can use Disney rides as attacks as well as various Keyblade transformations, and yet it still sticks to its roots, giving us some button mashing madness. If the game has a lot of grinding, at least the combat looks fun enough to where that won't be such a drag.
Again, let me iterate that it's been thirteen years since Kingdom Hearts II came out and while I might be a late bloomer to the series, I feel the pain of those who have patiently waited for this moment. I'm confident that Square can deliver a worthy sequel in the series that has brought a lot of joy into the lives of many players.
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