Adding To My Backlog

By Shelby Steiner

Time is power people… If I could control time, I’d be very tempted to skip ahead to each launch of a new game. The beginning of a new year always ushers in a new hope for upcoming games for me. So here are the games that will be further delaying my attempts at whittling down my backlog.

Quantum Break – April 5th

Remedy Games’ time warping shooter is something that I’ve been anticipating for some time. I was initially skeptical of the game, given the TV show tie-in and the rocky precedent of that. Remember Defiance? I had a hard time remembering it too.

But Remedy has a decent pedigree of games. They’re the folks responsible for Alan Wake and Max Payne, games that I’ve grown to love. I loved Max Payne’s style and gameplay and Alan Wake’s story. I’ve spent a great deal of time mulling over Quantum Break and have  succumbed to the hype.

Looks like I’ll be breaking time on April 5th.

Ratchet & Clank – April 12th

I only have a week to get into Quantum Break before Ratchet & Clank releases, so it looks like Ratchet & Clank will have to be put on the back burner for a little bit. Regardless of the delay, I’m definitely looking forward to diving into the series for the first time. I’ve always wanted to give the games a shot, but I sadly did not have the disposable income to afford the PlayStation 3. I had a PS2, but no job at the time. So Ratchet & Clank was always something that I told myself I’d end up playing later on.

Well not this time! I’m going to need to dust off the PlayStation this year.

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End – May 10th

I’ll admit, I’m not heavily invested in the Uncharted series, but I enjoy the characters in the series; especially Nathan and Sully. I find the series to be rather funny and somewhat lighthearted. My first experience with the games was courtesy of the Uncharted Collection on PS4 and Uncharted 2 holds a special place in my heart as my personal favorite. Except that last boss battle…

I’m interested to see what Naughty Dog has in store for players and the supposed expansion of the playable areas in the game to have a more open feel is something that piques my interest.

I’ll definitely have a review for this one.

Doom – May 13th

Doom has always held a special place in my heart. I remember dying quite a bit in the original. Until I discovered cheat codes that is. I was a horrible little cheater as a kid.

Anyways, id Software’s release of Doom this year looks downright awesome, and incredibly graphic. It looks like I’ll be blasting demons for a good long while. Perhaps even building a few maps.

I’m not fooling anyone. I’ll probably spend the majority of my time building maps with SnapMap.

Mirror’s Edge Catalyst – May 24th

I’ll be honest with everyone. I’ve never played Mirror’s Edge before. What got be interested in trying the new game however was the parkour elements of Dying Light. Every comparison I’ve heard about the traversal elements of Dying Light were to the original Mirror’s Edge, and I love the way you move around in Dying Light.

What little I’ve seen of Mirror’s Edge Catalyst has gotten me invested.

No Man’s Sky – June 21st

No Man’s Sky had me at Hello…

I’m seriously hoping not only that No Man’s Sky is good but that it also comes out finally. I’ve been waiting for the game to come out now for over two years. It’s one of the primary reasons that I bought a PS4 (other than to play with my friends that are never online apparently… You know who you are).

At any rate, the game looks fricken beautiful and I love the idea behind it. The premise of exploring an entire galaxy and stamping my name on the things I discover makes fills me with nerdy joy. I can’t wait to get started.

Deus Ex Mankind Divided – August 23rd

Deus Ex is a series that I’ve been enamored with for a long time. The original got me sucked into the conspiracy-laden universe, despite the issues that have cropped up with the storyline since then.

Deus Ex Human Revolution sated my hunger for the brooding, Blade Runner-esqe setting that I’ve come to love but it didn’t hold me over for long. Mankind Divided looks to be more of what I loved in the prequel. Here’s to hoping that they continue along those lines and further destroy any further attempts of mine to have a life.

Games Without Street Dates

Adr1ft

Admittedly, I would prefer to play this with a VR headset that would send me into a fit of panic attacks but the console release of Adr1ft is something that is definitely on my radar.

Crackdown 3

I remember playing the original Crackdown and it kept me playing my 360 for hours on end, jumping around the city like the Incredible Hulk and wreaking havoc. Crackdown 3 looks like it will be doubling down on the chaos with its online mode that allows for the wanton destruction on everything in sight.

For Honor

I have no idea what this game is about but what little I’ve seen looks cool.

Gears of War 4

I’m not a Gears-head but I’ve been following the series for some time and I enjoy the brutal third-person shooter series for those little lulls in game releases. It isn’t a high priority on my list of games to play, but it’s there nonetheless.

C’mon Gears 4, convert me.

Hitman Full Experience

The Hitman games have always entertained me in there freedom. Being able to assassinate targets in creative ways has always made for a delightful experience.

This is why I’m super interested in the new Hitman release, but I’m not about to sink my teeth into a series that’s going to be released in a piecemeal fashion. I’ll wait until the complete series is on disk before jumping in.

Horizon: Zero Dawn

The setting of Horizon is unique and looks like it may make for a compelling game. I’m a little wary of the game’s potential considering that Guerrilla Games is only really known for it’s Killzone series, which is fairly lackluster. Nevertheless, I’m interested to see what they can come up with.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance

If you haven’t heard of this, I definitely recommend checking it out. The game will take place in medieval Bohemia and have a realistic basis. This means that there won’t be magic or trolls, but Warhorse has committed to making the game as interesting as possible by providing compelling quests and attention to detail.

What I’ve been able to gather on the game is that it will be pretty similar to games like Skyrim but with a real life setting.

Mass Effect Andromeda

I am a HUGE Mass Effect fan. The release of this new title in the series has me pumped beyond measure. I know that Mass Effect 3 was the end of Shepard’s saga and this will take place in another setting, but I can’t wait to see what Bioware has in store for fans.

Recore

Recore is one of those games that I didn’t expect to be interested in but I’ve realized that I might just be sold on it already. The idea of having a robotic “pet” that can have its consciousness put into other forms is very cool.

Sniper Elite 4

Sniper Elite is just brutal fun. The signature x-ray death cams have become one of those most sickening, yet satisfying, mechanics I’ve seen in a game. Shooting Hitler in a family jewels has never been more rewarding.

Tacoma

Fullbright’s next venture after Gone Home, a game that I surprisingly enjoyed, takes players to space (my favorite). Tacoma looks like it might be a game that could suck me in.

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands

It’s Ghost Recon, so I’m sold already. The massive open-world nature of the game looks ambitious. Maybe too ambitious. If Wildlands actually manages to hold up to the promises, it might just be my game of the year.

If it releases this year.

 

So there you are. Those are the games that I’m looking forward to. What is in your sights for this year? Feel free to tell me in the comments!