Happy New Year - Top 5 Anticipated Games of 2018

As we look ahead to the new year, there is a glimmer of excitement and wonder to behold, with high expectations as to what this year will bring us.  While I typically recommend tempering one's expectations, let's go ahead and let loose for a moment and marvel at the possibilities of tomorrow.  Here are my personal Top 5 Anticipated Games of 2018:

(Note: This only includes announced games with a set release date for 2018)

-1- Kingdom Hearts III

Ever since the release of Kingdom Hearts II much over 10 years ago now, fans have eagerly been awaiting what would be the conclusion to this enchanting trilogy.  There have been a slew of side stories, spin-offs, and re-releases of the franchise in the interim, but the core numbered entries of Kingdom Hearts I & II remain the most endearing.  Fortunately, that wait looks to be approaching its conclusion as well, with a confirmed release year during the latest tease of the Toy Story world.  And looking at this preview, the game looks to be well worth the wait, capturing the world in stunning detail with incredible animation and overflowing imagination.  And amazingly enough, there is still so little known about this game, which will surely let our own imaginations continue to soar as we excitedly await its release.

-2- Fire Emblem (Switch)

What you see in the above image is about all that is known currently: A core Fire Emblem game title is in development for the Nintendo Switch planned for release in 2018.  This strategy game series has certainly seen a surge of popularity in recent years, but what excites me most of the prospect of this new entry on the Nintendo Switch is the potential this new hardware can offer the series.  Moving from what has been predominately on smaller mobile devices to this new, powerful (but still mobile) console, the developers have room now to really make this game shine, such as including feet on character models.  Joking aside, it will be interesting to see if the developers look to take some creative risks as recently seen in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild or Super Mario Odyssey.  Just the possibility of such bold and fresh game designs is more than exhilarating, so let's cross our fingers we learn more in a Nintendo Direct possibly later this month.

-3- A Way Out

Good cooperative games are few and far between when compared to the abundance of other games released every day.  As such, it's incredibly invigorating to see what not only looks to be a great upcoming co-op game with A Way Out, but also a unique and innovative approach to co-op for this otherwise niche audience.  Having two players each take control of a character with the other's play simultaneously cast to the other, players will weave together intersecting narratives as they both work towards shared goals.  The game also promises an open-ended structure to which these means can be achieved, which should be really exciting as it will allow players to better incorporate their own personality to shape a more personal experience.  A Way Out is scheduled to be released March 23rd of this year.

-4- Shadow of the Colossus

Shadow of the Colossus was originally released for the PlayStation 2 back in 2005, and later remastered for PlayStation 3 back in 2011.  So why the excitement for another remake coming in February, 2018?  The key difference here is remake vs remaster, indicating that this upcoming version of Shadow of the Colossus is being built mostly, if not entirely from scratch for the PlayStation 4, rather than reusing assets with touched-up textures.  If you take a look at the recent preview of the game, the result looks absolutely stunning, turning what already was considered a work of art into something even more awe-inspiring and breathtaking.  This is a remake I did not realize we needed until such was shown here, and my bated anticipation for such now cannot be contained.

-5- The Last Night

No news has surfaced on The Last Night since its reveal at E3 2017, but its distinctive visuals and tone remain as captivating as ever.  With an expected worldwide release date sometime in 2018, the world eagerly awaits the opportunity to dive further into this intriguing cyberpunk world.

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As you can see from just this handful of games listed here, 2018 is already shaping up to be another thrilling and juggernaut of a year for games.  Any games you are eagerly anticipating that I didn't list above?  Be sure to share and discuss your thoughts below.  And here's to the new year and more creative and ambitious experiences to come.  Happy gaming!