Top 10 Most Wanted: 2018 Midterm Edition - Article
by Evan Norris , posted on 01 July 2018 / 2,974 Views
Looking back at last year's list, I was not the expert prognosticator of quality I had hoped. Sure, Super Mario Odyssey turned out to be a masterpiece, but Middle-Earth: Shadow of War ended up bloated and messy, Samus Returns was good-but-not-great, and Star Fox 2 probably should have stayed cancelled. Meanwhile, Darksiders III and Metro Exodus remain unreleased.
Here's hoping the "most wanted" of 2018 turn out to be a more consistently outstanding bunch.
Below, please find my personal list of most wanted games, pulled from last month's E3 extravaganza, PlayStation Paris Games Week, and other announcements. I've excluded games like The Elder Scrolls VI, Metroid Prime 4, and Babylon's Fall simply because we know so little about them.
#10
Tunic (XOne, PC)
An action-adventure starring a young hero in a green tunic? Yeah, I'm all over that. Originally named Secret Legend, Tunic is developed by a single man, Andrew Shouldice, who said the game is inspired by "certain classic triangle-seeking games." Featuring real-time combat, problem-solving, and exploration, Tunic looks to be a feather in the cap of the Xbox One indie line-up.
#9
Tales of Vesperia Definitive Edition (PS4, XOne, NS, PC)
Celebrate ten years of Tales of Vesperia with the ultimate version of the game, which includes HD graphics, new musical tracks, unreleased costume DLC, and two new playable characters. This definitive edition looks to be a perfect way to rediscover one of the most beloved Tales adventures.
#8
Resident Evil 2 (PS4, XOne, PC)
Completely rebuilt from the ground up using Capcom's RE Engine, the remake of Resident Evil 2 looks to deliver the terrifying gameplay of the original alongside quality-of-life improvements like modernized controls, an over-the-shoulder camera, and realistic visuals. Capcom promises surprises and completely new areas for RE2 veterans.
#7
The Surge 2 (PS4, XOne, PC)
The Surge 2 probably isn't making a lot of "most wanted" lists, but as a fan of the first game and its DLC, I need more limb-hacking, science-fiction Souls-like gameplay in my life. "The Surge 2 keeps what fans and critics loved about the original," according to developer Deck13, "while also expanding greatly upon the formula. [It] takes place in a brand new environment: a sprawling, devastated city with larger and more ambitious level design, made possible by Deck13’s upgraded and improved engine."
#6
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (PS4, XOne, PC)
"Take revenge. Restore your honor. Kill Ingeniously." So says the tagline for Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, an action-adventure by From Software, stewards of Dark Souls and Bloodborne. Unlike its most popular offerings, Sekiro will have no multiplayer options or character creation: "This title is designed, from the beginning, to be a single-player experience," said From Software's Yasuhiro Kitao. "As a part of that, one of the focuses of the game is, instead of having a choice between various classes from the beginning, you must play as a ninja."
#5
Fire Emblem: Three Houses (NS)
Three Houses is the first Fire Emblem game on a home console since 2007; that alone is reason to celebrate. In addition, this latest installment in Nintendo's acclaimed strategy RPG series boasts a new strategic wrinkle in turn-based battles, with formations of troops supporting individual units on the battlefield.
#4
Metro Exodus (PS4, XOne, PC)
There isn't much more to say about Metro Exodus. I've included it on so many "best of" and "most wanted" lists that I've lost count. The latest E3 trailer makes the first-person shooter look especially good, complete with the sci-fi horror setting and DIY weaponry that define the franchise, and a lot more time spent above ground, in open air environments.
#3
Guacamelee! 2 (PS4, PC)
DrinkBox might not have the cachet or popularity of some big-name developers, but over the course of the eighth generation, this tiny indie developer has proven to be one of the best in the business. Its latest, Guacamelee! 2, is a sequel to an exceptional Metroidvania-brawler hybrid.
#2
Gears 5 (XOne, PC)
I'm just going to say it: Gears is now the marquee Xbox franchise. Rod Fergusson did a tremendous job in 2016 with Gears of War 4, which honored all pillars of the series — single-player, co-op, and multiplayer — and he looks to score another hit with Gears 5. The focus on character development and storytelling in the E3 trailer is a tad disconcerting — the world-building sequences in Gears of War 4 are its weakest — but in Rod I trust.
#1
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (NS)
Super Smash Bros. is already the pinnacle of multiplayer brawlers, but the upcoming Ultimate looks to put all earlier episodes to shame. It will deliver new stages, new characters Inkling and Ridley, and every single fighter who's ever appeared in a previous Smash Bros. game. Nintendo also advertises faster combat, new items, new attacks, new defensive options, and the return of eight-player battles.
There you have it: my list of most wanted games heading into the back half of 2018 and beyond. Please share your own lists below and, as always, thanks for reading!
