NOTFORONLINE Mancunion choice: Most anticipated games of 2016

Welcome back to the new year. To kick off the first issue of 2016, we in the Games section have decided to inform you all of what games we are looking forward to in this new year. These games span multiple consoles and are of multiple genres but all of them are looking to be awesome games that we definitely think you should play.

The Legend of Zelda U

By Josh Goldie

For every main line, console, or Zelda title, Nintendo always tries to go out of their way to make sure everything is filled with the polish and content you should expect from any AAA title. So when Eiji Aonuma announced last year that the Wii U’s big upcoming Zelda title will be delayed until 2016 I was not surprised. What is surprising is the complete lack of information we have about this game. We do not even have a proper title yet! Being left in the dark like this has left some people uneasy but I see it as a good sign. Nintendo are aiming to make a huge ‘open-world’ Zelda game with this, much like the original game on the NES which was massive for its time. The theme of that game was exploration and discovering everything for yourself and I believe the same will come about from this hotly anticipated title. So going in blind is fully recommended and I am sure that is why Nintendo is so tight-lipped on the title. With the NX looming on the horizon there is no way Nintendo can delay this Wii U title for much longer so look forward to playing Link’s new adventure by the end of this year. That is what I am doing.

Honorable Mentions

Fire Emblem Fates

Genei Ibun Roku ♯FE

Mass Effect Andromeda

By Robert Parris

Bioware really raised the stakes with the Mass Effect trilogy, delivering arguably the most epic and unique experience of the previous console generation. Part of my anticipation comes from how they could possibly top the older games considering the shocking and haunting finale the series left on. Little is known about Andromeda so far, other than it will be set long after the events of the original trilogy, and it is powered by the godfather of game engines: Frostbite 3. The under-appreciated multiplayer from Mass Effect 3 will also make a return in some form, and perhaps the biggest revelation of them all; the infamous 6 wheeled Mako will be making a return. Seriously Bioware, please let us use it in multiplayer this time. That would be amazing!

Runners Up:

No Man’s Sky

Crackdown 3

XCOM 2

By Saboor Quereshi

XCOM 2 is the big one for me in the near future. The original stole vast amounts of time out of my life and I can’t wait for the sequel. I’m going on holiday this month and most of it will be spent playing this game. Also day 1 mods! The aliens won’t know what hit them.

Runners up:

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided

Ratchet and Clank

Unravel

By Connor McBride

If anyone was watching E3 last year, this was the game during the EA presentation with that adorably awkward developer brandishing the doll.
Unravel is a physics based puzzle platformer that oozes charm. You play as a yarn doll that has to use string to navigate his way through the world. When I played it at Gamescom 2015 it was a beautiful game with great controls that made me incredibly excited for the finished product. In that theatre of corporate fat cats pedaling Guitar Hero games, it was an incredibly refreshing reprieve. It also has the accolade of being the only EA game I have been legitimately interested in for a while.

Honourable mentions

Firewatch

Slime Rancher

Final Fantasy XV

by Stephen Lewis

It’s been seven years since we’ve had a brand new final fantasy game that is not a direct sequel and not an MMO. Final Fantasy XV looks to revitalise the series yet again as has already been seen through the demo of Episode Duscae, with a fresh combat system and incredible graphics. Square Enix has spent years on this game, originally titled Final Fantasy Verses-XIII when it was hinted at years ago, and the results should be nothing short of impressive.

Honourable mentions

Dark Souls 3

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided

Nights of Azure

by Jasmin Tiyur

As one the biggest fans of RPG’s, I am most looking forward to this game (even more so than Final Fantasy Explorers, believe it or not!) because it is so similar to many of our most beloved, typical MMORPGs. That’s not to say that the game itself will be typical, but it’s always fun to take the stress of “online life” out of gaming and just hack your way through as a single-player with all the worlds, features and battles that we love so much about the online experience!

Honorable Mentions
Final Fantasy Explorers
Assassins Creed Chronicles India

Various

By Deven Kara

2016 looks to be a good year for video games so I had a really hard time just narrowing down one game I look forward to. In the end I gave up and I know this is cheating but instead I thought I would mention a handful of games from the upcoming year.

Ubisoft has a lot of great games coming up from a new Far Cry game set in the stone age (Far Cry Primal) to the next Tom Clancy game: The Division. Assassin’s Creed Chronicles is also getting its next two part set in India and Russia. There is still no sign of a mainstream Assassin’s Creed game for next year so these will do well to tide me over. Finally, we got a new South Park game announced last year called South Park – The Fractured But Whole. If it is anywhere near as good as the last one then wee are in for a treat.

Moving away from Ubisoft there are various other sequels like Naughty Dogs Uncharted 4 – A Thief’s End and Mirrors Edge Catalyst that have shown a lot of promise and have kept fans waiting for a very long time. Gears 4 is another hotly anticipated sequel that we have not seen a lot of so far. The release is set for next year so hopefully it does not get a delay cause I want it as soon as possible! The final two games is the indie title No Man’s Sky and Sony’s new IP from Guerrila Games: Horizon Zero Dawn. Both of these games look fantastic from the never-ending universe in the former to an exciting action-RPG that looks to pit man against machines. Whatever your opinion is on these games, 2016 is still looking to be a very exciting year and I just cannot wait.

–

We only just scratched the surface of the great games that will be releasing this year. As a gamer there is plenty to be excited about in 2016 and I hope you all look forward to what this year is going to hold.