Thanks to a few delays and a lot of great announcements, 2016 is shaping up to be one hell of a year in gaming. I’m not ready to declare it the best year ever or anything, but there are definitely a number of games I’m looking forward to playing. There are so many interesting games in the works that it was tough to narrow this list down. That said, these eight games are definitely on the “I can’t wait to play this” short list.
Tell us what you’re looking forward to in the comments!
The Legend of Zelda
While 2015 has been a pretty good year for the Wii U, what with games like Splatoon and Super Mario Maker. Even with that being the case, everyone (including me) has their eyes on one major prize: the next game in The Legend of Zelda series. Details remain sparse, but what we do know is the game will feature an open world (a first for the series), archery from horseback, and the largest game world of any Zelda title.
Far Cry: Primal
When Ubisoft announced Far Cry: Primal, I was a bit surprised. After all, it’s not a sequel in any way, as it’s taking the series back to the Stone Age (literally). That said, it’s not the first time Ubi has gone with a sequel that’s a little off-the-wall, and the last one (Far Cry: Blood Dragon) turned out to be pretty amazing. Add that to what we’ve already seen of the game (read our preview here), and it’s no wonder we’re looking forward to getting a little primitive.
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
Naughty Dog has been rolling out hits every time they release something with Uncharted on the cover, so it should be no surprise that just about every PS4 owner is looking forward to returning to the world of Nathan Drake. It’s been better than four years since the last game in the series, meaning they’ve had plenty of time to adjust to the new system. Uncharted 4 is said to be Naughty Dog’s last game in the series, so here’s hoping that Nathan Drake goes out in style.
Dark Souls III
Dark Souls fans can never get enough. No matter how hard From Software makes these games, they just keep coming back for more and more death. Although the game is said to follow closely from its predecessor, it looks to be incorporating influences from Bloodborne as well/ More tactical options, more lore, and larger levels are all on tap for this much-anticipated sequel.
Quantum Break
It’s been awhile since Remedy Entertainment last released a game (Alan Wake’s American Nightmare in 2012), but everyone knows that they’ve been working on Quantum Break. We’ve seen glimpses of the game in various presentations and trailers showing off the time manipulation and characters. Quantum Break looks poised to be another great title from Remedy Entertainment, although you’ll need an Xbox One to check it out, as it’s exclusive to that platform (and there’s no word on it hitting PC).
Doom
One of the oldest shooter franchises on the PC is coming back next year, and we’re ready to take on the minions of Hell again. Doom is a modern update to the classic id Software shooter, and appears to retain the things that made the original so much fun: big gins, a super fast pace, and lots and lots of minions of Hell to shoot at. Sure, it’s a different time than it was when the original launched in 1993, but that doesn’t mean we don’t want to revisit it.
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
The Deus Ex series had languished in obscurity for years, thanks to the less-than-stellar Deus Ex: Invisible War. It had a huge revival in 2011 with Deus Ex: Human Revolution, and it’s coming back around in 2016 with Deus Ex: Mankind Divided. It looks to pick up where Human Revolution left off, combining stealth with action, with the ratio being left up to the player. We’re expecting new gadgets, more augmentations, and a lot more Adam Jensen.
Dishonored 2
Dishonored burst onto the scene in 2012 with a unique blend of stealth, magic, and melee / ranged combat. it featured great characters and a great setting. It was a huge success, and the big question was, “When will Arkane make a sequel?” Three years later at E3 2015, Bethesda announced Dishonored 2. The new title will let players choose to play as Corvo Attano (the protagonist of the first game) or Emily Kaldwin (the princess from the first game). Both will have unique powers, but will play the same story, albeit from different perspectives. If it gets close to the quality of the first game, Dishonored 2 will be a joy to play.
