Anticipated Games

The worst part of the new Persona 5 release date is it comes out the day before I go on a week vacation to Mexico. Now I'm not complaining about going on a trip to Mexico... but it'll be a bummer to leave it sit until I get back. From what I've been hearing about it from people who played the Japanese version is that its another beast of a game like Persona 4... so it'll probably take me most of the summer to get through it anyway, so what's one extra week!

My friend who is a big JRPG fan but did not like Persona 4 (which is personally in my top 10) named Persona 5 their game of the year, so I'm pretty hyped.

While I'm not exactly excited about the new Middle-Earth game, I will certainly rent it. The combat in the first one was really fun and the Nemesis system was neat. Hopefully no open-world areas as boring as that first one in the last game.

I hope they make getting out of battles a lot easier. That game was frustratingly hard in the beginning until you start unlocking skills, and right from the get go you're constantly encountering enemies. Being a big LotR/Hobbit fan I'm delighted. I'd really like to control Gandalf, or an elf.

I still need to pick up and finish the first one...but I liked the trailer! Seems like there's a bit more enemy variety.

Persona 5 Tuesday. I'm excited!

In under a week I'm gonna be playing Crash Bandicoot again. So excited!

Do you guys have plans for what you want to play this Fall? Here is a list I've come up with (I obviously won't get to all of this):

Buying:
Super Mario Odyssey
Cuphead (might wait for a sale though)

Going to try and rent but may buy some of these:
Mario + Rabbids
Destiny 2
Metroid: Samus Returns
Middle-Earth: Shadow of War
Hidden Agenda
Wolfenstein II (I'd probably buy this if it wasn't coming the same day as Mario)
Assassin's Creed: Origins (pending impressions)
Super Lucky's Tale
Need for Speed: Payback
Vampyr

Want to catch up on these if I have a chance:
Hollow Knight
Arms
Styx: Shards of Darkness
Sonic Mania
Nex Machina
Matterfall

Edit: Probably that Life is Strange game too, but I may wait for a bundle/sale/physical version to rent.

Traded in all my games I have a digital copy of (which turned out to be a lot) so that covered everything for the rest of the year. Getting
Pokken Tournament Deluxe
Cuphead
Metroid Samus Returns
Super Lucky's Tale
Super Mario Odyssey
Mario and Luigi Superstar Saga
Pokemon
Rime for Switch

Might get Xenoblade right away depending on word of mouth too. Would like to give Wolfenstein, South Park, and maybe Destiny 2 and Battlefront 2 a go down the road.

FIFA 18
Destiny 2

Those two will be day 1 purchases, and I'm hoping to get these games cheap during the holiday sales, Knack 2 and Everybody's Golf. I'm pretty sure there's more games I want but I'm drawing a blank. Hopefully past games that came out like Dragon Quest Builders and Dragon Quest Heroes 2 I can find for cheap during the holiday madness.

The only day 1 for me would've been Super Mario Odyssey, but I doubt I'll have a Switch for that.

Looks like most of my games have already come and gone. I have high hopes for Cuphead, Samus Returns, and Wolfenstein.

Samus Returns, Super Mario Odyssey, Ys VIII, Ni no Kuni 2. That's all.

Hearing LA Noire is coming to Switch has me thinking of asking that for my birthday since it's a week before. Didn't dig it in 2011, but considering my attempted career path, I think I'd enjoy it a lot more now.

Doom and Wolfenstein II coming to Switch seems like a really encouraging sign for third-party support to me. I know they are coming late, but hopefully Switch will start receiving big games the same day starting next year sometime.

I'm in the same boat with that, was worried Skyrim in on Switch would be like Arkham City or Mass Effect 3 on Wii U, but these are games they'd need to put effort into to make them work on the Switch which is a great sign. Doom I think will be perfect on it, especially since it's so fast paced the graphic quality won't be noticeable a lot of the time. Wolfenstein I'm a bit more iffy on, but was planning to wait on anyways since I liked TNO but didn't love it. So if it's a good port I'll get it on Switch next year and if not I'm sure there will be a discount on PC.

Depending on the game though, I could see myself going with the Switch version on so many games. The graphic downgrade combined with the Switch's portable nature could mean less installing and updates meaning a more pick up and play game. I'm all in for that.

Also arcade games on Switch are interesting. Would prefer Nintendo's console games before them but I'm holding hope for the Donkey Kong arcade to at least hit it first.

I have real hope for the Switch. I mean, I can't afford one but it rapidly is building up a library of games I genuinely want to play as opposed to the Wii U's...couple.

Oh yeah, I forgot to say but while working TGS I had a chance to play Ni No Kuni II (one of the few games I actually had time to play). I'm happy to say they fixed the battle system. I mean, it's not super deep, but it at least has functioning attack and dodge buttons.

There's a kingdom hearts esque skill-system with a gem-based cool down that I didn't get enough time with to really understand fully. Also magic has been revamped somewhat, but in the demos where everything is cranked to super easy it was hard to see if there was an MP system or if everything was on cool down or what.

BUT, if the story and music are as good as the first, then with this fixed battle system it's looking really good. Interestingly enough, I think they've fully acknowledged that it did significantly better in the west as all of their placeholder voices (mostly not done) were in English.

That's good to hear that the combat sounds better. I'd rather have a straight up RPG like Dragon Quest, but I'll take action over that weird mix they had in 1. Killed the game for me even though I liked the world and characters a lot.

Same. Every time I think of going back to it, the battle system really puts me off.

Revamped combat could get me into the game as well. I feel pretty short on time for most RPGs to be honest but I'd be up for something Ghibli-esque again

I didn't actually watch the conference, but Sony seemed to have a great showing at PGW. I didn't expect so much stuff to be shown as I figured things would be split between this and PSX in December. It had big stuff like new trailers for TLOU, GoW, and Spider-man plus the debut of Sucker Punch's new game (the setting of that one really surprised me in a good way), but also some cool-looking smaller games like Guacamelee 2 and Concrete Genie. Overall, a lot of exciting stuff out of this show.

I'm not looking forward to hearing that little kid go "GOOD JOB DAD" over and over while I'm beating stuff up in God of War.

Just me?

Honestly nothing about this new God of War interests me.

The Last of Us 2 trailer was really brutal, watching them hammer her arm was kind of sick. Guess it fits that world though, so I shouldn't complain. New Sucker Punch game looks great. Hopefully someone works on their older franchises if they're not gonna, because I still love me some Sly and infamous.

TLOU2 trailer was beyond edgy. I don't care to see Ellie's mom or any other previously unseen relatives either. Still pretty uncertain about this game, Naughty Dog needs to convince me TLOU wasn't a fluke after UC4's attempts to be deep fell flat on their face.

I'm pretty excited to see Sucker Punch take on something new. I feel like I should finally give Second Son a try after seeing that trailer too.

I already know I'll be playing TLOU2 day one so didn't bother looking at that trailer. Sucker Punch's new IP sounds sweet, only problem is I saw someone joke it was a Samurai Jack game and though he was serious. God damn that sounds so awesome.

I really want to be hyped for Spelunky 2. Not sure how you follow up a game like that, though

So what are your most anticipated games for 2018? Make a list or just throw some stuff out there. Especially anything that might be off people's radars.

1. Biomutant- It looks like a great take on open world games, with controls that seem similar to a mascot platformer to get around and combat that looks to balance swordplay and gumplay really well.

2. Bloodstained- I'm hoping this is the kickstarter throwback that really pays off. Love the DS Castlevanias so much and would really love this to be the follow up I've been waiting about ten years for.

3. Spider-Man- I have reservations about the story and number of QTE's, but it's still Insomniac working on an open world Spider-Man.

4. Darksiders 3- I'm not a huge fan of the first two, but something about this one looks like more fun. Could be that Zelda and God of War are both moving away from their formulas. Or that the character actually has a GoW like weapon (didn't think the swords were as much fun for that type of combat). But either way, looks good.

5. Dragonball FighterZ- I loved what I played at E3 and holy fuck does this game look gorgeous. Can't wait.

If they come out though, you could put Bayonetta 3, The Last of Us 2, Pokemon, or Metroid Prime 4 as my number one. I just haven't seen anything indicating they will.

Dark Souls on the Switch has me pumped. Playing that on a handheld is gonna be so great. Also happy to see DKC coming. Won't pay $60 for it, but I'll double dip at $30 for that on a handheld. Donkey Kong in Rabbids has me interested in that DLC. Loved World Ends With You so will rent that one on Switch. Kirby has me in for day one. Really glad to see Pokken is getting Aegislash (Basically a ghost sword) and Blastoise. Also Switch is getting some SNK fighter, a new Mario Tennis that's hopefully better than that awful Wii U one, Hyrule Warriors, YSVIII, and Mario Odyssey DLC. Not too excited on them (though I'll play Mario probably), but still cool.