Teresa Dale
Staff Writer
2017 is going to be an explosive year for the gaming world. This is the year that Nintendo rolls out their post-Wii U plans, the year we’ll start to see whether 4K-ultra HD gaming and virtual reality can maintain its buildup, and the with some big releases spanning out to every month. With the scheduled release of so many great titles and consoles, gamers are looking pretty giddy in anticipation. Here are a few of the titles that I am looking forward to the most.
With the release of the Nintendo Switch, which is a handheld/console hybrid, Nintendo is following past trends and also releasing a new addition to the Zelda franchise. “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild” is making aggressive steps forward to help bring the beloved Nintendo series up to the modern standard of gaming. With the changes being introduced to the franchise, Nintendo seems to be pulling back in some of its relevance. The new game is changing its formula by introducing an open world concept, voice acting and a new physics engine.
As a longtime fan of the series, I could not be more excited for this release. I know that I’m probably not the only one who is considering buying the Switch just to play Zelda. Exploring Hyrule has always been one of my favorite aspects of the game, and now “Breath of The Wild” is finally opening the more linear, critical path and encouraging wandering.
While the Zelda franchise is just now dipping into an open world concept, “Red Dead Redemption Two” still is a reigning champion in that aspect. The sequel is being released sometime in Fall 2017 by Rockstar Games on both the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4. Rockstar’s official website gives us a small snippet of what to expect: “An epic tale of life in America’s unforgiving heartland, the game’s vast and atmospheric world will also provide the foundation for a brand new online multiplayer experience.”
So it will once again take place in the Old West, have an open world concept and will feature online involvement. Other than that we really don’t know that much about the actual gameplay, but despite the ambiguity this sequel is still highly anticipated by admirers of the first game.
“Horizon: Zero Dawn” is another action role-playing video game that players seem eager for. Even if it is exclusively for the PlayStation 4, I am still pretty excited by how amazing this game looks. When a friend first showed me the trailer, I thought it was set during prehistoric times, but quickly realized that the primitive looking animals were actually giant machines.
The story follows Aloy, a hunter and archer who lives in a world overrun by robots. Having been sheltered her whole life, she sets out to discover the dangers that kept her from the world for so long. Aloy explores the game’s futuristic representation of Earth where she uses her bow, wits and unique weapons to accomplish various goals.
“Mass Effect Andromeda” is the first since “Mass Effect 3” and the fourth entry overall in the series. It is enjoying a broad release by BioWare, with versions available for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. While BioWare’s track record alone could justify this game’s hype, many fans of the series are just excited at the prospect of exploring a brand new galaxy with a brand new fleet of friends and foes.
The game begins within the Milky Way Galaxy during the 22nd century, where humanity is planning to populate new home worlds in the Andromeda Galaxy. The player can choose between playing as either Sara or Scott Ryder, an inexperienced military recruit, and join the story of exploring the Andromeda Galaxy.
I could go on and on about all the amazing games scheduled to come out this year, with a new release spanning out to almost every month. All the major game companies are stepping out with their best this year so the 2017 gaming scene will be exploding with competition.
Categories: Arts & Entertainment, featured, Uncategorized
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