So far 2014 has been a solid but oddly quiet year for gaming. The two big releases of the year so far, Titanfall and Watch Dogs, have all but disappeared from the rear view mirror (although that holds true to a much larger extent for the latter rather than the former).
However, the upcoming months of this year promise to be louder and packed with some huge releases, more so than previous years. Let’s take a look at 20 upcoming games for the PC, consoles and mobiles that have us excited.
Destiny (PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360)
Expected launch date: September 9
Destiny is a science fiction first person shooter from Bungie, the iconic devs behind the Halo series right up to Halo: Reach. Destiny is an innovative massively multiplayer game that will work unlike other games in the genre by employing a matchmaking service that will let similarly ranked players game together in an open-world.
Wasteland 2 (Windows, OS X, Linux)
Expected launch date: September 19
With names like Brian Fargo (The Bard’s Tale, Fallout) and Chris Avellone (Fallout 2, Icewind Dale, Fallout: New Vegas) developing it, is it any wonder that Wasteland 2 raised over $3 million on Kickstarter? Wasteland 2, like its 1988 predecessor, is a turn-based RPG set in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by nuclear war. The game will let you control a party of four and will feature an extensive story and characters
Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor (PC, PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360)
Expected launch date: September 30 (for consoles), October 2 (for PC)
Shadow of Mordor unveils a version of Middle Earth that Tolkien never intended and many LOTR purists would find too ‘grimdark’ for its own good. Yet, the game seems to have a lot of promise especially because of its unique take on game bosses and enemies and how they react to the player character. In terms of gameplay, Shadow of Mordor has rightly been compared to the later Assassin’s Creed games with respect to free-flowing combat, and also has RPG elements.
Driveclub (PS4)
Expected launch date: October 7
Driveclub may not be the most ambitious or innovative of racing games but it may just be one of the best looking ones. A PS4 exclusive, Driveclub will focus on street and track-racing and will also let players manage racing teams
Alien: Isolation (PC, PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360)
Expected launch date: October 7
In a year bereft of good horror games, Alien: Isolation looks like an oasis to a thirsty man in the desert. It appears likely that this Alien game will wash away the rotten aftertaste of Colonial Marines. Isolation is being developed by Creative Assembly, the studio behind the Total War series, and features emergent gameplay in the way the titular Alien behaves. Isolation also has very little action and is actually more about escaping and hiding from the alien rather than shooting holes into it.
Borderlands: The Pre-sequel (Windows, OS X, Linux, PS3, Xbox 360)
Expected launch date: October 14
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel makes one promise, if you loved the Borderlands games, then this is more of the same. Only this time, the game focuses on the backstory of Handsome Jack, the ridiculously evil yet hilarious antagonist of Borderlands 2 and takes place on a planetary moon. As a result, apart from fast-paced FPS action, tons of loot and four player characters to choose from, the Pre-Sequel adds gravity, jetpacks and the need to conserve oxygen supplies as gameplay elements
The Evil Within (PC, PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360)
Expected launch date: October 14
Veteran game designer Shinji Mikami (Resident Evil 4, Devil May Cry) returns with a new survival horror game with The Evil Within. The game’s focus on scavenging supplies and gory horror over all-out action makes it one of the games worth waiting for.
Civilization: Beyond Earth (Windows, OS X, Linux)
Expected launch date: October 24
Civilization: Beyond Earth is more than just Civilization V set in space. Even though it features the same turn-based strategy gameplay and hex-based movement, along with technology trees and upgrades, Beyond Earth also adds a bunch of new aspects. These include picking a style of gameplay from the very outset that will greatly influence the kind of units, structures and technologies you can access, and the ability to tame and even create species of animals.
Assassin’s Creed: Unity (PC, PS4, Xbox One)
Expected launch date: October 28
Viva La France! Everyone on earth knows that Unity is set in revolution era France on the cusp of the 19th century. This time around the focus shifts from Black Flag’s naval gameplay to a much more extensive city based elements including the presence of massive crowds and faster ways to scale buildings. For the first time, Unity will also allow up to four players to tackle the single player campaign through co-operative play.
Grand Theft Auto V (PC, PS4, Xbox One)
Expected launch date: October 2014
What more can I say about GTA V that hasn’t already been said? Originally launched in September last year for last-gen consoles, GTA V took the world by storm with its massive game world, chaotic multiplayer and engrossing characters (three of whom you get to control). The version we expect this year will undoubtedly have much better visuals and refined gameplay.
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (PC, PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360)
Expected launch date: November 4
With Advanced Warfare, the COD series jumps ahead into a future where PMCs (Private Military Contractors) hold a lot of power. While we don’t expect the overall gameplay to divert from the traditionally linear, scripted affairs, the setting should usher in a little bit of freshness to the stodginess that the series has now become synonymous with. Also, the game stars Kevin Spacey, so there’s that.
The Crew (PC, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360)
Expected launch date: November 11
The Crew is one of the most ambitious racing games in recent history and is set in an open-world U.S. that you can drive across at anytime. The game also lets you create your own ‘crew’ with your friends and battle different crews across the open-world
Assassin’s Creed: Rogue (PS3, Xbox 360)
Expected launch date: November 11
If your biggest issue with the Assassin’s Creed series was that there was a new one every year, you probably hate 2014. Rogue is the new AC game for owners of the last-gen consoles and appears to play very similarly to Black Flag. There are some differences though including the fact that you’ll be playing a Templar hunting Assassins this time around and the fact that a large part of the game will be set in the Arctic.
Far Cry 4 (PC, PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360)
Expected launch date: November 18
If there’s one game that deserves the hype shoveled on it, it’s Far Cry 4. So far whatever we’ve seen of the game through trailers and gameplay videos suggests a title that not only looks amazing but also features dozens of hours of over-the-top fun gameplay. This time around, the open-world to revel in is a mountainous kingdom along the lines of Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan and includes Hindi speaking characters, elephants and auto-rickshaws.
Dragon Age: Inquisition (PC, PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360)
Expected launch date: November 18
The third game in the Dragon Age series also promises to be the most ambitious one. Bioware did the right thing by taking pointers from the open-world design of Skyrim and the gameplay/tactics from the first game and older CRPGs. If you’ve played the earlier Dragon Age games then you’ll enjoy the large cast of characters that Inquisition will have including some old favourites.
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (PC, PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360)
Expected launch date: Q4 2014
For the first time in a very, very long time a Metal Gear game will come to both the Xbox consoles and the PC. The Phantom Pain is expected to be a giant game and will incorporate gameplay elements from multiple genres. MGS V will let you stealthily incapacitate foes, develop your prowess by growing your home base and play in large open environments. Of course, like other MGS games, expect a convoluted over-the-top story that doesn’t make sense.
Super Smash Bros. (Nintendo 3DS, Wii U)
Expected launch date: September 13 (3DS), Q4 2014 (Wii U)
Nintendo fans have every reason to be excited for this one. Super Smash Bros. is one of the most popular brawling games and this time around players will be able to import their own Mii avatars into the game and also play with friends by just importing their avatar to their Amiibo collectible toys. On top of that, as always, you’ll also be able to fight as and against popular Nintendo characters such as Mario, Luigi, Bowser, Donkey Kong and Mega Man, among many others.
The Banner Saga (iOS, Android)
Expected launch date: Q3/Q4 2014
The Banner Saga is one of those games that you fall in love with primarily because of the way it looks. This gorgeous game first hit Windows and OS X machines this January and now Stoic, the developers, are working on bringing it to iOS and Android devices. The Banner Saga has you controlling a tribe of Vikings as they fight their way across a frozen countryside. The game’s addictive nature is helped along by its turn-based combat and a story that relies on tough decisions.
Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft (iOS, Android)
Expected launch date: Second half 2014
Who would have guessed that one of the most addictive games of 2014 would be a collectible card game? Hearthstone shows how good Blizzard are at developing games that we want to spend dozens of hours playing. Apart from its addictive nature, Hearthstone is also really, really easy to pick up and play. It was originally launched for Windows and OS X and now can be played on the iPad and Windows 8 Touch devices.
Planetary Annihilation (Windows, OS X, Linux)
Expected launch date: Second half 2014
Planetary Annihilation comes from the developers of Supreme Commander, a real-time strategy game with immense scope. However, unlike other RTS games, in Planetary Annihilation, you wage wars of conquest across an entire galaxy, jumping from one planet to the other. You can even destroy entire planets with the help of asteroids, so expect the destruction to be on a truly massive scale. The game is currently out in its Gamma build.