2017 has been a year where both surprise hits and instant classics have succeeded. The amount of great games in 2017 felt like an anomaly, but the year isn’t over yet. There are still four months left before 2018, and some great games are sure to release in the coming months.
Releasing Sept. 29 for Xbox One and PC, “Cuphead” is a game that looks to take players back in time through the way the game plays and how it looks. Cuphead is a side-scrolling platformer where you shoot enemies, similar to the Mega Man franchise. Also similar to the Mega Man franchise is the difficulty. “Cuphead” has already been touted for its extreme difficulty by journalists and fans alike. Its graphical style is also retro, modeled after cartoons from the 1930s and ‘40s.
“Middle-Earth: Shadow of War,” the sequel to “Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor,” is coming to stores Oct. 10 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC. The new game continues Talion and Celebrimbor’s storyline as they forge a new Ring of Power to try to stop Sauron. “Middle-Earth: Shadow of War” has multiple different areas from the Lord of the Rings universe, whereas the first game only had two. The sequel also has a mechanic where the player can gather an army and attack an enemy fortress with that army. The game looks to give a lot of depth to this mechanic; for instance, if the player doesn’t gather enough troops, they will lose.
The newest addition to the Assassin’s Creed franchise, “Assassin’s Creed Origins,” releases on Oct. 27 on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC. After taking a year off, this new game in the franchise places the main character, Bayek, in Ancient Egypt during the Ptolemaic Period. One change to the gameplay style is the introduction of an inventory system, letting players choose the weapons they want to use. The combat has changed also, changing to a “hit-box” system that gives the player greater control. The new entry hopes to breathe new life into a series that has gone a bit dry.
Mario returns to three dimensions in “Super Mario Odyssey,” releasing on Oct. 27 exclusively for Nintendo Switch. The series will be returning to an open world formula similar to “Super Mario 64” and “Super Mario Sunshine.” There will be many worlds for the player to explore and many collectables to find in each of those areas. In the game, the player will utilize the ability of Cappy, Mario’s hat, to take control of enemies or other characters in the environment.
On Nov. 3, the newest game in the Call of Duty franchise, “Call of Duty: WWII,” releases on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC. The new entry takes the series back to World War II for the first time since “Call of Duty: World at War.” The game’s story focuses on a squadron in the 1st Infantry Divison, while the multiplayer shows areas not seen in the campaign. The popular Zombies mode also returns.
There may only be four months left in the year, but there are still plenty of great games left to be released. “Super Mario Odyssey” and “Cuphead” are unique takes on familiar genres, while “Assassin’s Creed Origins: and “Call of Duty: WWII” look to bring fans back to franchises that have gone a bit stale.
