Wishlist wonders: games I’m looking forward to
How has 2019 been for you so far in terms of video games? I know there are many gamers who won’t agree but for me personally, it’s been quite disappointing. In December last year I wrote about the increasing industry trend of producing sequels, remakes, spin-offs and ports – and it seems as though nothing much has changed over the past nine months.
It’s not all doom and gloom though because I’ve played some great games in that time, even managing to find a new favourite in Eastshade. There are also 27 upcoming titles waiting for their releases on my Steam wishlist right now, along with several Kickstarter projects. Rob from Bandicoot Warrior recently asked his Real Neat Blogger nominees to name a game that could be released within the next two years that gets them excited; so to thank him and show him just how some he is, I bring you not just one but eight.
Disclaimer: this post was drafted towards the end of September, before I’d heard that some of the following games were going to be released this month!
12 Minutes
I wasn’t particularly impressed by Microsoft’s E3 presentation in June and the only title that stood out for me was 12 Minutes by Luis Antonio. Players take on the role of a husband who’s due to spend a romantic evening with his wife but things take a turn for the worse when a detective breaks into your home and you find yourself caught in a time-loop. Use the knowledge gained from repeating events to change the outcome – or relive the same terror over and over again. I wasn’t particularly impressed by Microsoft’s E3 presentation…
Backbone
I backed last year’s Kickstarter campaign for Backbone for three main reasons. First, everyone knows how much I love a point-and-click game; second, I’m partial to a good bit of pixel-art too; and third, you play as a detective raccoon. I had the chance to check out the prologue a few months ago and if the full release is of the same quality then we’re in for a treat. I highly recommend giving it a try yourself but be prepared for some pretty dark subject matter: take a look at Luke’s preview on Hundstrasse for details. More please, Eggnut!
Disco Elysium
Disco Elysium was my favourite game at last year’s Rezzed event. It’s an interesting mix of detective-show and isometric RPG where you can choose the type of cop you want to be, through an original skill system which takes feelings, doubts and memories into account. Kick in doors, interrogate suspects or simply get lost in the city of Revachol as you unravel its mysteries. I’m not the only one looking forward to ZA/UM’s project; the lads from Geek Sleep Rinse Repeat are excited about it too so keep an eye out for their review.
Fable IV
The only reason I tuned into Microsoft’s E3 presentation this year was because of the rumour there may be news about Fable IV, so I was sorely disappointed. Maybe the news of a series resurrection was a little premature; or perhaps there were so many other games to unveil that Microsoft decided to hold onto the next Fable instalment until there’s more progress to show off. I’m guessing that we’re going to have to wait until next year for any real information, when the company might reveal it as a Project Scarlett launch title at the next expo.
Firmament
It’s no surprise I showed my support for Firmament on Kickstarter after backing Cyan’s previous campaigns for Obduction and Myst 25th Anniversary Collection. The story begins when you wake up in a glacial cavern, crowded with metal pipes and clockwork gears. Massive doors open to a chamber containing an ancient table holding a tea cup on one end and a frozen body slumped over the other, the corpse’s hand clutching a strange device. Expect a title full of atmosphere and mystery just like the Myst series.
In Other Waters
I added several games to my wishlist after the LudoNarraCon digital expo in May, including In Other Waters by Jump Over the Age. There are plenty of titles featuring artificial intelligence but not so many where you play as the AI itself. When a routine exoplanet study goes wrong and her partner disappears into an alien ocean, a Xenobiologist is left with little more than an antiquated diving suit. What she finds is a sea of extraterrestrial life; and it’s up to you to help her trace her companion and dredge up secrets that were meant to be lost forever.
Nanotale – Typing Chronicles
After having enjoyed Epistory – Typing Chronicles a few years ago, I was looking forward to seeing Fishing Cactus’ follow-up title at Rezzed in April. It’s an adventure game with a twist: everything from movement to menus to action is controlled through the keyboard, and combat is completed by typing in words. Nanotale felt familiar but it’s clear the developer has put a lot of thought into how to evolve the mechanics since their previous title, and the experience feels fuller thanks to the inclusion of some new RPG elements.
Neo Cab
Neo Cab’s setting is somewhat unsettling, because the dystopian city in Change Agency’s title is so much like modern life. Citizens make use of wearable technology which monitors their emotional state as well as records what’s happening around them. Workers are worried about being pushed out of their jobs by robots and automation, concerned about how they’re going to make a living. And huge corporations are focused on profit at the expense of their employees and society in general. It’s all a bit close and it certainly makes you think.
So how has 2019 been for you so far? And what games are you looking forward to being released in the next year or so? Thank you once again to Rob for the Real Neat Blogger nomination – I’m sure he’s excited about the next Fallout title already!
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Kim View All
Video game lover, Later Levels blogger and SpecialEffect volunteer. Big fan of wannabe pirates and fine leather jackets.
How did you know I would be excited for Fallout :p and Fable needs to hurry up and be released!
Also Thank You for replying to my post 🙂
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Hey… when are you *not* excited for Fallout. 😉
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Haha I know it’s an obsession of mine :p
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Don’t worry, Fable is kind of my own ha ha! I’ve been holding out for a fourth game for so long…
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I still remember buying my Original Xbox for Fable :p
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That’s some real Fable love right there. 😍
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I remember it like it was yesterday I got Fable and Halo 😜
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Because I’m a true Nintendo nerd, I would have to say the biggest thing I’m looking forward to is the sequel to Breath Of The Wild!
The next biggest thing for me would have to be the Final Fantasy VII remake.
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Final Fantasy is one of those series I just haven’t been able to get into… there’s actually a post coming about that later this month!
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I’ll keep an eye out for that post! I haven’t played them all, so I can’t claim to be the biggest fan, but the ones I have played and completed I just love!
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I feel like the odd one out, so many people around here love Final Fantasy ha ha! I think I’d really enjoy the storylines if I could get into one of the games but there’s something that holds me back – more about that soon. 😉
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Kind of have to agree about the state of 2019. Looking at my list of “new games I’ve played this year” (that I keep entirely so that I can do my game of the year post in December) it’s very thin indeed 😟. Mostly I feel like I’ve been retro gaming. I’ve actually been surfing the Nintendo store quite a bit recently looking for something new to pick up, but just don’t seem to be able to settle on anything.
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This is how we’ve been with the Xbox Game Pass recently: we keep dipping into games on there but haven’t found anything recently that’s really caught our attention. I was hoping there’d be some new titles at EGX this month that would get me excited but so far I’ve only added a couple to my to-see list. 😦
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😦 … maybe just a slow year!
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Yeah, that’s what we’re thinking. Hopefully it will pick up next year with the new consoles – and until then, there’s always more Resident Evil.
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There is ALWAYS more Resident Evil! 😁… Actually I caved last night and bought (but haven’t played yet) deadly premonition on Switch. I have tried to play this game 3 times now, but the PC version was just waaayyy too unstable. Anywho, that’s kind of just supporting the fact that remasters seem to be the current trend.
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I bought the PC version when it was originally released but it was just so buggy that I gave up! I bought the Steam version last year but haven’t actually tried it yet. Will be you streaming it?
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Can confirm that the Steam version wasn’t any better … At least in my experience! Aside from regular crashes, I got to one point that just wouldn’t let me pass. 😕
Sadly there won’t be any streaming for a while I don’t think. With Pup-Strasse I often have to jump up at a moment’s notice. He’s the main reason I’ve been looking for switch games; being able to drop out to the home screen at a moment’s notice and the super flexibility means I’m most likely to be able to play.
I think I actually got pretty far through on PC, so no doubt I’ll have that déjà vu feeling at first… But I want to get through it as they’ve announced the sequel!!
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Borderlands 3 was keeping me going most of the year, but I’ve found it to be a huge disappointment so far. I haven’t even bothered to finish it yet so I can finish my review! I’m still looking forward to Cyberpunk 2077, but I’m not sure that can live up to expectations either, so I guess it’s time to show my backlog some love!
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There’s a Cyberpunk 2077 ‘experience’ at EGX next week so I’m going to check it out if I can (providing there isn’t a three-hour queue!). I’m not sure what to make of it so far… I really want it to be good but the hype is kind of putting me off.
You haven’t finished Borderlands 3?!!
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I haven’t 😭 it’s just not what I’d hoped for, the disappointment is real. I’m not going to spoil my review too much but the story so far is one giant MEH. I didn’t even spoil it for myself, I kept well away from all media about it.
I’m pinning all my hopes on Cyberpunk, but I’m sure I’ll be a victim of the hype for that!
Slowly retreating into my backlog, and Xbox Game Pass…
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Yeah, we’ve been doing the Xbox Game Pass thing lately too. Right now we have Observer and The Turing Test on the go.
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I’m going to try and finish Borderlands 3 then move on to The Outer World’s.. hope that’s as good as it looks, otherwise it’s back to Fallout 4 to “finish” that haha.
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Outer Wilds is on our to-play list too – we can compare notes!
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YES! I haven’t found anyone else who has even heard of it yet! I’m hoping for something between Fallout and Borderlands, but much shorter than either 😆
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Wait, Outer Wilds is a completely different game. Was that a typo? 😉
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Urgh, yes – it’s because I was thinking about the Xbox Game Pass while typing and saw Outer Wilds on there over the weekend. But yes, it’s The Outer Worlds that’s on our to-play list ha ha!
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Outer Wilds is apparently very good too though!
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Looks like we’re going to have a lot to talk about then. 😉
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Just a note that Neo Cab is already out – just released a couple days ago. Haven’t tried it yet, reviews seem to indicate it’s good but short. Love to hear what you think of it if you do pick it up.
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I drafted this post at the end of September and then found out a few days later that the game would be released before it was due to be published. Talk about bad (good?) timing ha ha! I haven’t started the full game just yet but what I saw in the demo back in May was really good.
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I don’t think 2019 has been that stellar for me either. Most of the games I’ve been excited about this year were older games I’d finally gotten around to playing – not 2019 releases. Other than a couple of standout hits, I’d say 2019 has felt like a bit of a quiet year for gaming. Maybe because 2018 had so many huge/popular titles drop (like Spider-Man, God of War, RDR2) this year has felt duller in comparison? I don’t know. Still have my fingers crossed that Pokemon Sword/Shield are gonna be great!
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I’m hoping things are just quietening down with the end of the current consoles, and then we’re going to be blown away next year in the build-up to the new ones. You’re right about 2018 though – I played so many great games last year that 2019 has felt a little lacklustre. Maybe some of the games on this list will change my view on that. 😉
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For sure! I’m hoping for some really exciting launch titles for the next gen consoles as well. Hopefully the games you listed exceed your expectations!
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Keeping my fingers crossed for us both! 😀
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Also very much looking forward to Disco Elysium. Glad to hear that those who’ve gotten some hands on time with it already have had nothing but positive stuff to say. The idea has a lot of potential, so I’m hopefully the folks behind it capitalize on it.
As far as my own 2019 goes – I’ve had a great year. It’s been fairly on par with my last several years. Though I’m more inclined to attribute my having a great year to me being easier to please than most. I’m good with a handful of retro, or indie games made by smaller teams and generally turn my nose up at AAA games. By all accounts it seems to have been a much slower year for the big budget scene.
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I tend to prefer indie titles and games with strong narratives, and I think part of my issue with 2019 is that I’ve been spoiled previously! For several years we had a push towards bigger and more complex storylines and I was in my element; but now there are signs we could be seeing the end of that trend. There are certainly more action-orientated and gameplay-focused titles due to be at EGX next week than there have been at past events.
Bring on Disco Elysium though – we’ll have to compare notes once it’s released!
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Agreed about 2019. Been a bit lackluster for games so far. Most looking forward to Luigi’s Mansion 3 and Doom Eternal for the rest of the year. 12 Minutes looks incredible and I hadn’t heard of some of these others, so I’ll add them to my watchlist.
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I tend to go for narrative-heavy titles so if that’s your thing, you might find something on my list that appeals! 12 Minutes looks like just the sort of thing I’d enjoy.
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Now that I think about it, most of the games I’ve played this year were 2018 releases. Link’s Awakening, which I plan to play at some point came out last month, and pokémon comes out next month, so I’ll get those, but I’m really looking forward to 2020. The Last of Us Part 2, Animal Crossing, potentially the Breath of the Wild sequel…all of which I’m extremely excited for
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Ditto: most of the games I’ve played during 2019 were actually released one or two years ago. I’ve also gone back to the PlayStation 2 for some retro feels. So far there’s nothing coming in 2020 that is really getting me excited… but I’m hoping seeing some of the games at EGX next week will get me interested. 😉
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2019 has been a year of growth for me. I have branched out to try games I steered clear of but also I have opened eyes to play so much more and it has been really great. I am looking forward to Neo cab, 12 minutes, Disco Elysium and After Party.
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You have great taste in games ha ha! The demos for Neo Cab and Disco Elysium were both great so they’re definitely ones to watch out for.
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I just bought neo cab it’s on sale for $13 on steam I’ll be streaming it tonight
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Oh no, I’ve only just seen your comment and I missed it! Will you be playing it again at some point or did you manage to finish it?
I’ve just added you to my host list to help spread the word. 😀
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Awes thanks we did play last night and our friend just got snapped lol we will be playing it again and I’ll be having some gameplay on YouTube. It’s a very intriguing game that had the views in with it.
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A positive review so far, then… I think I’ll be getting myself a copy this weekend!
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As usual I am far behind on games. I didn’t even check in to E3 this year, to be honest… But I have to say I was super excited for GreedFall, and I’ve heard that a new developer, Summerfall Studios, is going to have a kickstarter campaign for a game. Considering David Gaider, the writer behind Dragon Age and others, is on the team, I’m very much looking forward to more information going live!
Otherwise, I’ve been replaying a lot of games this year, Mass Effect and Dragon Age in particular. In Other Waters and Firmament look very interesting… and I’m a little glad they’re holding off on Fable IV (sorry!) because that gives me a *little* more time to get up to speed on (cough play all three games of cough) the series!
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Fable Fable Fable! I’ve been waiting for a fourth game for so long and I’m so excited we might finally be getting one. 😀
I was so disappointed when I couldn’t get the first Mass Effect game to work on my PC earlier this year. But I realised last week that it’s actually available on my other-half’s Game Pass – so I’ll be stealing his Xbox in the near future!
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That’s exciting! I hope it comes out and meets your expectations 🙂
Regarding Mass Effect… do it do it do it! haha 😛
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Oh, I intend to! Writing about Shepard recently made me want to play the series all over again so expect a stream soon. 😉
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Yay! Let me know when and I”ll be there!
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Reblogged this on DDOCentral.
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This year has been pretty disappointing indeed, for me. I think I’ve only been excited for three new games this year, and only one has panned out (so far).
-Far Cry New Dawn: I was excited for this, since I like Far Cry, and I liked 5’s story, and wanted to see the continuation. However, I really dislike Borderland’s gameplay, and New Dawn was basically that. Hard pass. Sad!
-Atelier Lulua: this one worked out. A good mix of series fanservice, while also doing its own thing, and continuing the more modern series gameplay conventions. And not too long, either.
-Atelier Ryza: this one hasn’t come out yet, but it looks good.
Not 2019 releases, but games I started this year:
-ESO: much better and more engaging than I thought it would be.
-FFXIV: again, much better than I thought it would be. Plus, viera = I play. Haven’t gotten far yet (ESO is taking all my time), but fun so far.
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Aah ESO… I slipped back into my addiction with it at the start of this year and have only just started to play other games. No doubt I’ll be back soon though – I just can’t seem to stay away from it for more than a month or two!
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I am seeing Neo Cab everywhere I think I need to add it to the wishlist.
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I really enjoyed the demo I played earlier this year, and the Steam reviews are very positive so far – so it could be one worth playing. 🙂
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