Although 2018 was a phenomenal year for video games, there are a number of long-awaited games finally being made available in 2019. Dormant series like Anthem have the potential to have a major impact on the gaming world. All in all, it's shaping up to be another great year for games.
Whether 2019 manages to beat its predecessor in of overall quality is another matter entirely of course. Games like Fortnite is gripping onto its multiplayer crown tightly, and if something topples that particular phenomenon this year it will truly be a turn-up for the books.
Related: Top 20 Video Games of 2018, According to Critics
Nonetheless, 2019 is going to be giving its best shot to top 2018. Read on to find out Screen Rant's 25 most anticipated games of the year, and - if there's a game missing from this list, be sure to share your most anticipated games in the comments!
25. DREAMS
LittleBigPlanet captured the hearts of many PlayStation owners, both with its co-op friendly campaigns and through the way in which players could easily build their own levels in a variety of ways. Clearly, developer Media Molecule had grander ideas in mind, and the culmination of this attempt to give s even greater control is Dreams.
To call Dreams ambitious is a serious understatement, with a much larger focus on player agency when it comes to creating levels. Taking control of an imp that acts as the player's gateway to building levels, the finished creations are then shared with the community at large to enjoy. It all sounds extremely impressive, and if Dreams actually achieves all that it sets out to do, then this will be a must-have for PS4 owners.
24. IN THE VALLEY OF THE GODS
Campo Santo is a developer on a mission. Firewatch managed to capture something incredible, delivering some of the most interesting characters the video game world had seen within a lush forest environment. Although it wasn’t for everyone, Campo Santo more than earned the interest that follow-up In The Valley of the Gods has gained, with many desperate to see how the studio handles combining its fledgling reputation for character-driven story with a setting in an Egyptian valley.
What makes this title all the more intriguing is the fact that Campo Santo has many other projects, and point towards great things to come.
23. FAR CRY NEW DAWN
A standalone spinoff to Far Cry 5, Far Cry New Dawn will treat the post-apocalypse with a lot more color than some of its peers. Set seventeen years after a nuclear war, there’s bound to be plenty more of the same gameplay that Ubisoft Montreal has honed over the last three Far Cry games, and fans of the series will no doubt be appreciative.
These standalone features beyond the core Far Cry games have sometimes been the place where Ubisoft has truly been able to stretch its legs creatively, with Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon the prime example of this, and Far Cry New Dawn will be hoping to emulate that level of success. What’s more, it’s a chance to undo some of the criticism lain at Far Cry 5’s safe treatment of story and subject matter, and those disappointed in the end of Far Cry 5 in particular will be hoping for a palate cleanser here.
22. CRACKDOWN 3
The development of feeling a little aggrieved about the number of exclusive titles that the platform has received so far.
That said, all will be forgiven if the game lives up to the hype when it launches on February 15. It’s a busy month for gaming in general, but Sumo Digital and Microsoft will no doubt be hoping that Crackdown 3 can make a dent of its own, and if its potential for chaotic, open world action is realized then Xbox One and PC players will be in for a real treat. That said, there’s bound to be a bit of caution over a project that has spent so long in development hell.
21. ORI AND THE WILL OF THE WISPS
2015's Ori and the Blind Forest was a beacon of charm and creativity, showing that Microsoft was a company that could nurture smaller games with a more introspective focus. As such, there's hope that Ori and the Will of the Wisps will again allow developer Moon Studios to give players something a little bit different from the usual that Microsoft publishes.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps puts players back in the role of the guardian spirit Ori, although the title could potentially delve deeper into the overall lore of the series. Apart from that, expect more of that wonderful Metroid-style platforming and puzzle solving.
Next Page: Top 20 Most Anticipated Games of 2019
20. CONTROL
Max Payne and Alan Wake developer Remedy Entertainment is back once more, and rather than returning to one of its old properties it is instead forging ahead with something new. Based on what the gaming community has seen so far, a very unique feel.
Remedy has never shied away from taking risks, as seen with previous title Quantum Break, and as such it will be very interesting to see how Control fares. The video game world needs good, original ideas, and having them come from esteemed developers such as Remedy makes it all the better - providing that the quality is there in the end product.
19. MECHWARRIOR 5: MERCENARIES
Once one of the forerunners of PC gaming, make its much needed return, with MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries launching on September 10.
Already the waters have been tested for BattleTech as a whole, with 2018's turn-based strategy game being well received by fans of the franchise, and the return of MechWarrior means that a more action-heavy angle on the IP is coming. It's been in the oven a long time - will it be worth the wait?
18. SHENMUE 3
Shenmue and its sequel acted as the forerunners for so many games that followed. It had one of the first real semblances of a dynamic world and a degree of realism that had been unseen at the time, and as such the series earned its place in gaming folklore. Thanks to crowdfunding, the long wait for the third part of the series is nearly over.
There will be a lot of questions, of course. Some will wonder whether Shenmue 3 can leapfrog those games that built upon what Shenmue achieved, and whether those now-archaic moments that the series holds can be refreshed for a modern audience, but it will be fascinating to find out how Shenmue fares in a different era of gaming. Here’s hoping that it lives up to what the first two achieved, and add another worthwhile chapter to its unique story.
17. MARVEL: ULTIMATE ALLIANCE 3
2019 is going to be a major year for Marvel. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is hitting another major moment with Avengers: Endgame, and finally it seems as though the video game world is starting to receive the kind of games based on Marvel characters that it should be expecting - particularly with last year’s PS4 exclusive Spider-Man.
This year, the Marvel: Ultimate Alliance series is getting another entry in the form of mysterious Square Enix Avengers game.
16. RAGE 2
Bethesda has proved to be a publisher to go to for first-person shooters, with the likes of Doom, Wolfenstein: The New Colossus and Prey rewarding plenty of thrills in recent years, and 2019 will see this trend continue. While Doom Eternal's release date is still a tightly-held secret over at id Software, Rage 2 is definitely set for a 2019 launch, with the game arriving on May 14.
The first Rage was fun but unlikely to stick long in the memory - a piece of violent excitement to consume and discard - but there are hopes that Rage 2 will provide something just as thrilling with a little more substance. Taking cues from the more outrageous side of the apocalypse like Mad Max, Rage 2 looks to be an over-the-top, action heavy experience to enjoy.
Next Page: Top 15 Most Anticipated Games of 2019
