Just when you thought it was safe to swear off gaming for 2019
I had a great philosophical discussion about gaming with my cousin over the holidays. Back in our sprout years among the mesquite patches of Texas we would prophecy about games and dream up future games in our heads that would be fun to play.
I’m still waiting for Chuck Norris to be featured in the next Mortal Kombat installment. Jason Vorhees managed to make it and I believe Walker Texas Ranger should be a great addition to the pantheon of fighting game psychopaths. Ante up with a secret Van Damme character and MK could be the game of the year!
Anyway, our discussion hit on key concepts that have been bothering me as a gamer for years and in a way has me waxing prophetic for the gaming landscape of 2019. All hype and big-box marketing aside, this brave new year in gaming is looking pretty epic, so if your resolution was to play fewer videogames, you may be disappointed.
My hopeful list is pretty extensive, but for the sake of your sanity and mine I’ve condensed it to some highlight titles you should keep on your radar.
Metro Exodus is the continuation of the survival-horror shooter based on the post-apocalyptic book series from Dmitry Glukhovsky. After Russia is devastated by nuclear war, her people are forced to go underground to survive among the rats and neo fascists within the subway tunnels beneath Moscow and beyond.
Bullets serve as currency and mutated horrors lurk within the dark tunnels that all have sharp teeth and a thirst for human blood. Metro is a pulse-pounding shooter that sucks you in as you scrounge for parts and food while things stalk you in irradiated ruins.
Exodus continues the series by emerging from the tunnels to face a harsh nuclear winter and voracious monstrosities. I can’t wait to see Artyom through this universe again and discover what new monster will jump out to tear us to shreds. Expect a release in time for Valentine’s Day and a life forever alone.
Rage 2 from Bethesda. Okay so Fallout 76 may have gone up in a flash of atoms and Twitter hatred, but from what I’ve seen, Rage 2 may just redeem the big B. The frantic shooting elements appear to ape some of the best mechanics of the Doom series.
With a strange landscape of a meteor devastated world for Mad Max style vehicular combat and bug-nut crazy bad guys to blast, this maybe the shooter to love for 2019. I like the new bright color aesthetic of Rage’s art style, giving it a neo ‘80s appeal that sings to my inner child.
Rage 2 should be released in May, which is perfect because it can give you a reason to stay inside to prepare for what life will inevitably be like after global climate change turns us all into gun-toting desert raiders.
Anthem from Bioware. This may come as a shocker because of all my published disdain from anything Electronic Arts touches, but just hear me out. I’m hopeful for Anthem. I really am. It has all the trappings of an epic science fantasy game.
Exploring an alien world in exosuits, blasting strange creatures, experiencing new lore and online co-op may make it the total package. I hope Bioware pulls this off where so many others have failed.
Anthem already appears to be something like Mass Effect blended with Destiny. It’s not good or bad, but I’m hopeful that it stands alone to set a new trend in co-op games and brings Bioware back from the edge after the lackluster Mass Effect: Andromeda.
Cyberpunk 2077. Oh baby! Mark your calendars for June as CD Projekt Red dives into the shooter RPG world. Cyberpunk 2077 will be a dystopian adventure with a customizable mercenary who will be able to cybernetically enhance body parts, modify weapons and skills to take down bad guys with maximum hate and discontent.
The Polish have proven to be gaming powerhouses in the industry and from Red’s already amazing track record, CP 2077 is the top of my most anticipated titles. It’s my hope that this game brings a better appreciation for the cyberpunk genre in ways in which Deus Ex started but left unraveled years ago. This will be the latest and greatest science fiction world to explore and should it not make the big sales it will no doubt be an instant success.
When not vaporizing zombies or leading space marines as a mousepad Mattis, Brandon Watson is making gourmet pancakes and promoting local artists.