Far Cry 5
If you’re into action adventure games, chances are that you’ve probably heard of the Far Cry series before. The fifth mainline entry in the franchise takes place in Hope County, Montana, and chooses to eschew the usual exotic landscapes that Far Cry is known for in favor of a more placid, rural vibe. That’s not to say that things aren’t as crazy as fans have come to expect, as innocent civilians are trapped under the power of an evil prophetic figure named Joseph Seed. As part of a small group of resistance fighters, you’re tasked with bringing this maniacal leader down to his knees through an array of guns, vehicles, and sweet explosions.
Sea of Thieves
Sea of Thieves promises to put players into the daring shoes of a pirate when it releases exclusively on Xbox One next month. The open sea is your playground, as you and some friends will be allowed to search for treasure, loot islands, and battle against other crews brazen enough to cross your path. Should you want to make your own content or see what other players have to offer, Sea of Thieves allows users the ability to create their own stories using a variety of in-game tools at their disposal.
Spider-Man
Judging from Insomniac’s pedigree, as the studio is responsible for action adventure hits like Spyro and Ratchet and Clank, it seems like Spider-Man is definitely in the making to live up to all of its potential. Players will be granted access to an open world New York City and will discover what it means to be a human spider both with and without the suit on, as Peter Parker has a big part to play in the game’s overarching narrative. Comic book favorites like Mary Jane and Miles Morales are slated to appear too, hyping Spider-Man up to be a must-play experience should you want to finally live out your web-slinging dreams.
God of War
The action adventure genre is in God of War’s veins. This sequel slated for April 2018 features an aged Kratos that has a son named Atreus whom he has to protect and mentor, especially after the passing of the boy’s mother. The Greek demigod still has that Olympian rage in him, but fans should expect this soft reboot version of Kratos to behave a lot differently than previous entries in the franchise. A closer perspective means players will have the chance to experience this new world based in Norse mythology alongside the man and his son, all the while ogling at how far the franchise has came from a presentation standpoint since the PS2 era.
Crackdown 3
Crackdown 3 seeks to deliver on all the destruction and mayhem the series has been known for when it launches during the first half of 2018. Indeed, the sandbox elements that Crackdown prides itself on promise to put the fate of the game’s environments in the player’s hands (and we all know how that’s going to end up). Utilizing the power of cloud computing through Microsoft Azure, it seems like the title truly places no limits to the amount of action and fun to be had.
Shadow of the Colossus
In case you weren’t able to tell by reading our review for the game, this year’s Shadow of the Colossus remake brings out the best that the Team Ico PS2 classic had to offer. This thought-provoking action adventure game stars a young man named Wander who’s tasked with tracking down and killing massive creatures called Colossi in an effort to restore life to a young woman named Mono. This is a tale of beauty and tragedy, one that every PS4 owner should own if only to take stunning screenshots while riding on horseback through Shadow’s (mostly) peaceful world.
A Way Out
A Way Out may otherwise be known as the upcoming game made by that hilarious guy at the Game Awards last year. In all seriousness, it’s a unique action adventure title that requires two players to play either locally or online, with each viewing the same split screen as the other. It tells the story of two prisoners who have to rely on each other in order to survive and escape prison, with each character’s narrative unfolding simultaneously with the other’s. This means that while one user may be watching a cutscene, the other is free to move around and interact with his environment as he sees fit. If nothing else, A Way Out bolsters an interesting concept that has serious potential in today’s multiplayer-centric environment.
Days Gone
Days Gone has players take the role of Deacon St. John, a former bounty hunter who’s tasked with surviving in a horrendous, zombie-infested, action adventure game world. Slated to release sometime in 2018, the title allows players the chance to tackle missions however they see fit and expects them to acclimate to changes in the weather and the environment. A motorcycle trip down an abandoned highway could be deadly too should users not take the proper precautions. As weird as this may sound, Days Gone feels as if it’ll give players the freedom to live out their zombie fantasies to their heart’s content. We just want to sink our teeth into more.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Though it was a bit disappointing to hear that Red Dead Redemption 2 would be arriving later than planned, there’s no doubt that the sequel to the western classic will at the very least make devoted Rockstar fans happy. Starring the outlaw Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang, this iteration in the series promises to give players the expansive open world environments that people everywhere have come to expect from the developer and its well-established pedigree. Finally, we won’t only have GTA V to play on the PS4 and Xbox One anymore come October 2018.
Kingdom Hearts 3
Kingdom Hearts 3 makes it on this list for not only having action elements, but conveying the feel of a good, charming adventure. This Square Enix and Disney hybrid sequel slated for 2018 has a lot of fan anticipation and potential riding on it, especially considering the latter company’s acquiring of Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Entertainment, and Lucasfilm since Kingdom Hearts 2 debuted. The settings that can be portrayed in Kingdom Hearts 3 feel as if they could be virtually anything, really. The thought of Sora, Goofy, and Donald dodging lasers on the Death Star is sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face, if only because we all know that Donald would be knocked out first.
Travis Strikes Again
An over-the-top, mind-numbing experience is most assuredly in store whenever Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes comes out exclusively for the Switch later in 2018. This isn’t a bad thing, as strange escapades are exactly what makes the series so great to begin with. Taking place seven years after the events of No More Heroes 2, a new villain appropriately named Badman seeks to take down the lovable Travis for murdering his daughter, Bad Girl. After each man is sucked into a video game console called the Death Drive MK-II, it’s up to the player to navigate through six games in an effort to win a Death Ball that grants wishes. The whole thing just doesn’t make any sense, and fans wouldn’t have it any other way.
Shenmue 3
Shenmue 3 was something that people used to joke about in the gaming community, similarly to how they still kid about Half-Life 3 coming out sometime within our lifetime today. Lo and behold, it seems as though 2018 will finally see the release of the next installment in this Sega franchise, picking up right where the last game left fans. Indeed, we may finally witness protagonist Ryo Hazuki confront his father’s killer, Lan Di, granting us the ability to sleep at night knowing that Ryo’s saga has officially been given the justice it deserves.
Published: Feb 5, 2018 10:00 am