Yesterday we went to the gamescom, in Cologne, Germany, which is one of the biggest gaming events around the globe. It’s now the tenth year they are doing this and it really changed since the first times it was done.
Next to the already known major releases that we can expect to happen in 2018/19, there were also a couple of games that I didn’t hear about before. Let me tell you about a couple of those.
World War 3
This is a military FPS game that explores the possibility of a new global conflict between nations. As the game progresses through a global war campaign, every new map reflects the results of previous encounters. While some aspects look a lot like a Battlefield game, they advertise strong customization options both for equipment and characters.
Seeing unexpectedly low volumes of pre-orders for Battlefield V, games might want to give World War 3 a try. World War 3 is planned to be released in Q3 for PC with the option on a console release if it runs well. It’s developed and published by The Farm 51. I’d give them a go if you ask me.
Remnant: From the Ashes
This title looks interesting as well. It’s a survival shooter that strives to sport some “all-new” elements. You can create your own character to match your personal playstyle and play in teams with up to four people.
Remnant: From the Ashes is being developed by Gunfire Games and will be published by Perfect World Entertainment. The release is planned for 2019 and will appear on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
It’s the 16th century and you find yourself in Japan as the “one-armed wolf”. Missing an arm from a lost battle you fight your way to restore your honor. With a full bag of interesting tools, weapons, and prosthetics, the overall feeling is very samurai-ish and it could be that not all of your foes are mortal.
Their website is a translocation catastrophy but don’t let that make you think the game is not going to be interesting. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is developed by FromSoftware and will be published by Activision in March 2019. If you’re in for a good mix of smart tactics and fast-paced action in an Eastern setting, this could be a good title for you.
Insurgency: Sandstorm
After the rather successful indie title Insurgency, there is now the new Insurgency: Sandstorm which takes everything to a new level. Next to a PC release, they also plan to bring the new title to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The this FPS puts a strong focus on realism, team play and skill.
Insurgency: Sandstorm has been developed by New World Interactive and is going to be published by Focus Home Interactive. The release date is September 18.
Diablo III on Nintendo Switch
Ok, after hearing about the Diablo comic, we were all waiting for different news in the Diablo franchise but still, we were happy to see that Blizzard’s Diablo III has made it’s way to the Nintendo Switch.
This means that the game has made it to seven platforms overall and will hit the Switch in Q3 in the Diablo III: Eternal Collection version, which means that it already includes the Reaper of Souls and Rise of the Necromancer extensions. I am feeling a bit nervous about the Legend of Zelda themed items for the Nintendo version but on the other hand — why not?
Generation Zero
When checking into Generation Zero it got me hooked on various angles. Open-world, complex AI behavior, and dynamic 1980s soundtrack were only a few of the keywords that triggered my interest. Avalanche Studios is the developer and publisher for this title will be THQ Nordic. Grab your walkman and wait for the release to hit you in 2019.
You find yourself in the 80s and apparently you’re a young person in a suburb in Sweden. It’s not exactly clear what’s going on when you first start but apparently, the machines have taken over or are currently rising up against the humans. If you can’t manage to destroy an enemy but did some damage to them, they will keep those damages, even if you don’t see them until weeks later. All that sounds very interesting.
Biomutant
This game looks both cute and rich in action. You create your own little raccoon-like warrior and stroll an open world. The setting feels a little like Eastern fantasy meets steampunk and it just works out. Biomutant is about adventures and martial arts.
Biomutant is being developed by Experiment 101 and will be published by THQ Nordic with a target release date being the 31st of December. It’s going to be available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. Beautifully stunning and looks like nothing I’ve ever seen before.
Winners of the gamescom awards
We also received word about the winners of the gamescom awards 2018. Here’s an overview of the games listed in their respective award categories.
Category: Best by genre
- Best Action Game – Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (Activision Blizzard)
- Best Add-on/DLC – Destiny 2: Forsaken (Activision Blizzard)
- Best Casual Game – Team Sonic Racing (Koch Media)
- Best Family Game – Super Mario Party (Nintendo)
- Best Puzzle/Skill Game – Ori and the Will of the Wisps (Microsoft)
- Best Racing Game – Forza Horizon 4 (Microsoft)
- Best Role Playing Game – Divinity: Original Sin 2 – Definitive Edition (Bandai Namco Entertainment)
- Best Simulation Game – Landwirtschafts-Simulator 19 (astragon Entertainment)
- Best Social/Online Game – Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 (Activision Blizzard)
- Best Sports Game – FIFA 19 (Electronic Arts)
- Best Strategy Game – Total War: Three Kingdoms (Koch Media)
Category: Best by platform
- Best Console Game Sony PlayStation 4 – Marvel’s Spider-Man (Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Best Console Game Microsoft Xbox One – Ori and the Will of the Wisps (Microsoft)
- Best Console Game Nintendo Switch – Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Nintendo)
- Best PC Game – Anno 1800 (Ubisoft)
- Best Mobile Game – Shadowgun War Games (MADFINGER Games)
Looking for more? Make sure to watch our highlights clip below and our photo album on Flickr.
YouTube: Best of Gamescom 2018
Photo credit: The feature image is from Biomutant and it’s owned by Experiment 101 / THQ Nordic.
