April 2016
Quantum Break (Remedy): 5 April
Originally an Xbox One exclusive, it’s now coming to the PC for Windows 10.
Enter the Gungeon (Dodge Roll): 5 April
This is an action-packed dungeon shooter with guns and looting. The dungeon levels are procedurally generated and the deeper you go the harder it gets. The goal? Get to the bottom and find the ultimate treasure, the gun that can kill the past.
Hover Junkers (StressLevelZero): 5 April
2016 is supposed the be the year of VR and Hover Junkers has been designed with the HTC Vive in mind. In this game you hover on a platform in a wasteland looking for salvage. You’ll need to improve your ship and defend it against attackers. This also being designed for multiplayer.
Dark Souls 3 (FromSoftware ): 12 April
A FromSoftware press release confirms that Japan will be getting Dark Souls 3 on 24 March, noting that overseas dates will be clarified at a later juncture. Dark Souls rides again. Miyazaki is back in a co-directing and level design role, which should make a lot of people feel secure about how this will turn out. He’s already said this one will have an interconnected world.
Final Fantasy IX (Square): 14 April
An HD remake for the PC which will include auto-save, achievements, high speed mode and few other tweaks when it’s released.
Battlzone 98 Redux (Rebellion): 18 April
This new version from Rebellion has been created by members of the original Battlezone development team who are now at Big Boat Interactive. Three of the original developers have helped bring the game back to life with remastered visuals, online multiplayer, and there’s even Steam Workshop support for modding.
The Banner Saga 2 (Stoic): 19 April
Or, The Banner Saga Episode 2, since this is just the second step in a planned trilogy. I’m expecting more turn-based combat and decisions about how to ration out food supplies, plus more of Stoic’s lovely Eyvind Earle-inspired landscapes. It’ll be interesting to see whether the developer switches up any of the mechanics for this second outing.
Read more about The Banner Saga 2
Melty Blood Actress Again Current Code (Ark System Works): 19 April
The final version of the “Melty Blood” series, “Melty Blood Actress Again Current Code” finally makes its appearance on Steam! This fighting game features thrilling offense and defense, resulting in a profound strategic experience.
Pollen (Mindfield Games): 20 April
Mindfield have created Pollen for the VR market but it will work perfectly fine as a standalone game. Pollen is about exploration: think of it a little like Gone Home in space, with the developers giving you the opportunity to interact with just about everything in the environment. We’ve been hands-on with this already and it does look cracking in VR,
Read more about Pollen
Battlefleet: Gothic Armada (Tindalos Interactive): 21 April
You’ll be managing your fleets both inside and outside of battle, customising the weaponry, defense, and support sub-systems; managing the progression of the admirals and crew of each ship; and, obviously, controlling your fleets – from nimble frigates to gargantuan battleships – in combat.
The Climb (Crytek): 28 April
This is a VR climbing experience will challenge players to free climb with the use of a headset and an Oculus Touch controller or standard controler. Crytek are hoping they’ve created something that will give most players the fear as they scale cliffs in some fantastic looking locations.
Read more about The Climb
May 2016
Battleborn (Epic): 3 May
Gearbox’s (predominately) co-operative FPS also comes with three competitive modes of play, each of which are 5v5 affairs.
Stellaris (Paradox Interactive): 9 May
Stellaris is the space game Paradox has been asked to make for the last decade, and the title is as much a grand strategy game at heart as the Europa Universalis series. Recognisable Paradox elements like pausable real-time gameplay and large multiplayer sessions will still be very much present in Stellaris. The aim is for “no two sessions to ever be the same,” not just in terms of the universe map being randomised every time, but also in the sense that players should never meet the same alien species in concurrent play-throughs.
Doom (Bethesda): 13 May
Those poor demons just never catch a break from that shotgun, do they? The latest attempt to squeeze life out of the Doom name arrives in Spring of 2016. Comes with a level editor, multiplayer, all that jazz.
Shadwen: 17 May
Shadwen is a new IP from Finish developer Frozenbyte and it’s promising to bring the “stealth action genre back to its roots”. Described as a “true stealth game” where staying hidden is key to success. Staying in the shadows and manipulating the environment are key components.
Homefront: The Revolution (Deep Silver): 17 May
A game which has changed hands at least twice in the last couple of years. It was first a victim of THQ’s bankruptcy, then sold-on from Crytek to Deep Silver (or, rather, Koch Media) when Crytek ran into financial difficulties themselves. It’s still being developed in Nottingham, and it’s still going to be an open world-ish sequel to Homefront. At least, as far as we know. Now due in May.
Total War: Warhammer (Creative Assembly): 24 May
No need to paint all the little models in this one; Creative Assembly have done it for you. The Orcs, Empire, Dwarfs and Undead will fight it out in this first installment of a planned Total War: Warhammer trilogy. Originally planned for April, now delayed to May.
Read more about Total War: Warhammer
Overwatch (Blizzard) : 24 May
BlizzCon 2014 saw the unexpected reveal of Overwatch, a shooter/MOBA hybrid with more than a whiff of Team Fortress 2 about it. It promises to be welcoming to beginners, and while that’s perhaps some cause for concern for those fearing an overly simplified game, it’ll doubtless have enough Blizzard polish to make it worth more than a cursory glance.
Necropolis (Harebrained Schemes): Summer
Third-person roguelike action in a procedurally generated labyrinth. Features four player co-op too. Now due in “summer”, so let’s guess at late May.
Published: Oct 31, 2016 05:00 am